Bain of K-Pop Group JUST B Reveals He is 'Proud to Be Part of the LGBTQ+ Community'

Bain, a member of the K-pop boy group JUST B, has revealed that he is part of the LGBTQ+ community in a brave announcement made on stage during the group's recent concert in Los Angeles. Before his performance of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way", a song he has been proudly embodying as a solo stage throughout JUST B's "JUST ODD" tour, Bain addressed the crowd of cheering fans, stating that he had something he wanted to share. 

"Before I start this next song, I have something I want to share with you guys," Bain began, before shouting, "I'm f*cking proud to be a part of the LGBTQ+!" The declaration was met with loud cheers of love and support from JUST B fans, known as ONLY B. "...As a gay person," he continued.

Bain gave a shoutout to Lady Gaga and then dedicated his next performance ("Born This Way") to "anyone out there who's part of the LBGTQ+ or still figuring it out." 

"This is for you guys, and also this is for everyone," he said. 

At the end of JUST B's Los Angeles concert, Bain addressed ONLY B again, thanking them for their support.

"Today, it means a lot to me. I'm so happy that I can be myself," he said, before ending with, "Stay bold. Stay fierce. And lastly, always, always be your true selves."

This brave statement from Bain, who's real name is Song Byeonghee, marks a historic moment in the K-pop industry, which is riddled with conservative values and typically does not allow for idols to come out freely. While many K-pop artists have shown their support for the LGBTQ+ community in various ways, a clear statement like Bain's is very rare. 

Bain has been met with an outpouring of support from fans on social media, with many calling him "brave" and "iconic", and calling his move "groundbreaking." Fans also trended several hashtags for Bain on X (formerly Twitter), including #WELOVEBAIN, #PROUDOFBAIN, and #BAINTHISWAY, a reference to his "Born This Way" stage. Fans have also added the #PROUDOFBAIN hashtag to their display names, and changed their profile pictures to photos with, or of, Bain.

Fellow JUST B members also showed their love, each greeting Bain with a hug when he reunited with them on the stage for the first time after coming out. Following the show, the members also took to various platforms to express their support for Bain.

Members Geonu and Sangwoo did a livestream on the platform Weverse, where they read a comment from a fan saying, "We are so proud of Bain!" Sangwoo replied, "Yeah, me too! He is really cool" and Geonu replied with, "So proud of him, guys."

Another member, Siwoo, also took to the platform Fromm following the concert, saying, "Byeonghee was so cool today. Applause for your courage." (Messages have been translated from Korean).

About JUST B

JUST B is a South Korean boy band formed by Bluedot Entertainment, consisting of six members, Geonu, Bain, Lim Jimin, Siwoo, DY, and Sangwoo. The group debuted in June 2021 with the release of their first extended play Just Burn and the lead single "Damage." Most recently, JUST B has released several digital singles, as well as their digital EP, "JUST ODD", with the lead single "CHEST", which has been making waves across social media. 

Next up for JUST B will be the Mexican dates of the JUST ODD tour, including stops in Mexico City on May 11 and Monterrey on May 24.