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A Shocking Confession
Lara, a member of HYBE and Geffen Records’ multinational girl group KATSEYE, has publicly come out, earning admiration and support from fans worldwide.
During a conversation with fans on Weverse on March 24, Lara opened up about her sexual identity, reflecting on the fears she faced before coming out, particularly as a person of color.
“Coming out can be scary,” she admitted. “And for me, it felt even more daunting because of the added layer of being a person of color.”
Despite her initial apprehension, Lara shared that she has come out to her family and expressed deep gratitude for the unwavering support she has received.
“I knew i was half fruitcake when i was like 8 so i really was wanting everybody. Honestly probably before 8. Isn’t “half fruitcake” such a good way to explain it without saying it?”
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“I’m incredibly thankful to the people in my life and my fans for standing by me,” she said. “I’m proud of who I am. Being gay isn’t something I’m ashamed of, it’s a part of me.”
Last year, fans also discovered evidence on Lara’s TikTok, including a 2021 comment in which she confirmed she liked women, as well as her participation in Pride events—suggesting she might be part of the LGBTQ+ community. However, some argued that this information surfaced when Lara was younger and that it’s inappropriate to draw conclusions about her sexuality based on it. This sparked a heated debate among netizens.
Born in 2005, Lara is an Indian-American artist who debuted with KATSEYE in June last year. The six-member group, created through HYBE and Geffen Records’ global girl group project, aims to bring a localized K-pop experience to the American market.
Fans have flooded social media with messages of love and support, praising Lara for her honesty, bravery, and authenticity.
Why This Can be A K-pop Game-Changer
While HYBE chose not to comment on the matter, industry experts have called Lara’s announcement both “shocking and groundbreaking.”
Regarding this, Music critic Lim Hee-yun highlighted K-pop’s historically conservative stance on artists’ identities despite its creatively diverse content, stating, “K-pop has long thrived on indirect expressions of gender fluidity and queerness, especially in fan culture. However, idols themselves have been expected to adhere to traditional images.”
Although public attitudes toward LGBTQ+ identities in South Korea have evolved, a major agency idol openly coming out is still unprecedented, causing Lim to exclaim, “Even with the changing times, it’s surprising to see something like this happen in K-pop.”
According to Lim, this reflects the duality of the K-pop industry, with its content being full of “indirect expressions of gender fluidity and sexual identity”, citing fanfiction centered around same-sex relationships. “Yet, these identities have remained hidden or suppressed in the public image of idols,” he said.
The music expert then noted the significance of K-pop’s popularity within LGBTQ+ communities globally, with the genre even being dubbed “gay pop” in the early 2010s.
“Part of its early appeal was tied to the idea of K-pop itself being an underdog or minority culture within the global music industry something LGBTQ+ fans could strongly relate to”, he said, adding that Lara’s courage to live openly could mark the beginning of a cultural shift within K-pop, challenging long-standing norms and paving the way for greater representation.
