Interview25 years apart, one fight: Queer icons on shattering Korea's closet
Hong Seok-cheon, right, and Bain of JUST B pose ahead of an interview with The Korea Times in Itaewon, Seoul, Monday, ahead of the Seoul Queer Culture Festival. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
When TV personality Hong Seok-cheon first came out in 2000, it was technically on his own terms — but the fallout was far from what he intended.
His initial disclosure, made during the taping of a public broadcast, was edited out by a producer who said it was to “protect” him. Hoping to take control of his story, he then gave a magazine interview, intended as a quiet step forward. But the news was leaked and sensationalized, turning his sexuality into headline fodder — “I am homo(sexual)” — pushing him into a years-long exile from Korea’s conservative television industry.
Fast-forward more than two decades to when Bain of K-pop boy band JUST B stood before thousands at a concert in Los Angeles in April and came out in his own words — “I’m proud to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community, as a gay person.” Draped in and waving a Pride flag and singing Lady Gaga’s queer anthem “Born This Way,” he was met with applause.
It was a moment that would’ve been unthinkable in Hong’s time. And yet, both moments carried the same weight — the cost of truth and the risk of being first.
When the two met for the first time at Hong’s studio in Itaewon, Yongsan District, for an interview with The Korea Times, Monday — ahead of this year’s Seoul Queer Culture Festival on Saturday — the air was thick with both history and quiet celebration.
While Hong arrived with the sense of ease and confidence of someone who’s lived every phase of being an openly gay man in Korea, Bain, visibly nervous but excited, stepped into the conversation like someone eager to carry the baton.
“I’ve always looked up to him, even before everything happened,” the 24-year-old said, his fists all clenched due to the nervousness, shyly glancing over at Hong. “It’s surreal. I can’t even look him in the eyes.”
Born in 2001, Bain came into the world a year after Hong’s public coming out in 2000 — a detail Hong was quick to point out.
“I came out a year before he even existed. Imagine that,” Hong said, offering a warm smile in return. “Kids these days grow up already knowing there are people like me in this country. They live in a society where it’s at least possible to talk about difference, so they don’t really understand how hard it was to get here.”
And then the 54-year-old made the whole room burst into laughter with a signature witty remark.
“I saw Bain’s coming out through photos and articles and I’ll be honest, I did wonder, ‘If I’d also been cool and good-looking back then, would it have been easier being Korea’s first openly gay celebrity?’”
Hong Seok-cheon, right, and Bain of JUST B pose at Hong's studio in Itaewon, Seoul, Monday. Hong came out in 2000, becoming the first Korean entertainer to do so, and Bain revealed his sexual orientation during a concert in Los Angeles in April. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Then and now
When Bain came out onstage in Los Angeles this April — becoming the first active Korean male K-pop idol to do so publicly — the moment was carefully considered. But the decision, he said, was ultimately driven by his own determination during his band’s U.S. tour.
“I feel almost sorry to say this, but there wasn’t a big reason I chose LA,” Bain recalled. “It was the final stop of our tour. At that point, I realized that if I didn’t do it then, I might never get another chance.”
Having dreamed of becoming a K-pop idol since childhood, Bain began training as early as his third year of middle school. That left little space to explore or express his identity, let alone connect with other LGBTQ+ individuals. Over time, though, staying closeted became increasingly suffocating.
“I was exhausted from hiding,” he said. “I constantly felt like I was lying to everyone around me, but especially to myself. I hadn’t come out sooner because I worried I’d hurt my JUST B bandmates, my company and all the staff working for me. But it felt like I was losing myself.”
JUST B's Bain holds a Progress Pride Flag during the group's concert in Los Angeles, Calif., April 22. Courtesy of @lexyyy_lens on X
It was a decision that took courage, but one made in a very different climate from that of 25 years ago, when Hong made history. At the time, Hong’s revelation didn’t unfold as planned. What began as an attempt to share his truth on air quickly spiraled into scandal, and the consequences were immediate and severe. Then a rising actor, Hong was quickly shunned from most of Korea’s major — and deeply conservative — broadcasters.
“There wasn’t even time for anyone to show support. People were too busy flooding the internet with hate. If one person left a kind comment, it would immediately be buried under hundreds of malicious replies,” Hong recalled.
“I did everything I could just to survive. That’s how I also ended up in the restaurant business. I felt like I had to try anything just to stay afloat. I was desperate.”
Reflecting on Bain’s moment, Hong couldn’t help but smile — both in awe and amusement.
“For years, I saw people in various fields coming out, but in the entertainment industry — especially among idols — no one did. That’s why Bain’s coming out hit me hard. It’s been 25 years. I honestly thought at least one or two would appear after me, but eventually I gave up hoping. I told myself, ‘Maybe I’ll be the only one until the day I die and I’ll just keep fighting alone,’” Hong said.
“So when Bain came forward, it was a shock — but also a gift. I am grateful that it may have taken a long time, but before it was too late, someone finally showed up to share this weight.”
He affectionately called Bain a “blessed one.”
“He had it easy,” Hong said. “Back in my day, I didn’t have much support. But for Bain? ‘I support you,’ ‘I love you’ — seriously? He’s not even my kid, but he’s the one I’ve been waiting for all these years. The first in 25 years.”
Then, with a mischievous grin, Hong added, “Too bad I now have to share the spotlight I’ve been hogging all this time.”
Participants of the Seoul Queer Culture Festival carry a large Pride flag in this 2022 file photo. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Burden of pioneering
Both men carry the symbolic weight of being “first” — Hong as the first openly gay figure on Korean television and Bain as the first openly gay male idol in K-pop.
“At first, being called ‘the first’ felt like a lot to carry,” Bain said. “All I did was express a personal preference — like saying I liked a certain kind of food. But suddenly it became, ‘the first male K-pop idol to say he likes this food,’ and I started wondering: do I really deserve to hold a title like that?”
Hong nodded in agreement.
“It’s not an easy position to be in. Whether you choose it or not, you end up becoming the face of an entire community. That comes with sacrifice,” Hong said.
“Sometimes I want to let loose and party like the younger queer kids do now, but for the past 25 years, I’ve had to constantly remind myself there are lines I can’t cross. It hasn’t exactly been carefree.”
The pressure of being “the first,” both said, is magnified by the fact that Korean society remains more conservative toward LGBTQ+ identities than many other countries.
“It’d be a lie to say the public response in Korea and abroad was the same,” Bain said, his tone shifting. “After I came out, a lot of international fans reached out, worried. They already knew that being queer in Korea can still be much harder.”
While Hong acknowledges a growing awareness of LGBTQ+ issues in Korean media and pop culture, he said progress remains uneven.
“It’s gotten so much better,” he said. “But at the same time, no society fully understands those who are different. Even in places considered more progressive, you see the same problems. The difference is, back then it felt like the entire country was against me. These days, at least some people try to understand.”
Unlike the early days when he was effectively banned from broadcasters, Hong now connects with audiences directly through social media and produces his own content on YouTube. Hong sees today’s evolving media landscape is not just as an opportunity for self-expression, but as a chance to build something bigger — something communal.
“Maybe I could create a space where younger queers and even heterosexual allies could come together freely, without any labels. A place where everyone can just have fun, express themselves and be part of a shared community.”
With that vision in mind, he is even considering launching a queer-centered media platform.
“Why not build something like a queer broadcasting station someday?” he said. “A place where talented people of all backgrounds can come together — regardless of sexual orientation — to create content that’s fun, meaningful and inclusive.”
Hong Seok-cheon, right, and Bain of JUST B laugh during an interview with The Korea Times at Hong's studio in Itaewon, Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
To those still afraid
For both Hong and Bain, Pride Month and the Seoul Queer Culture Festival carry personal weight — not just as celebrations, but as affirmations of existence.
“I’ve joined Pride parades around the world and they’ve always been a huge source of comfort,” Hong said. “Whenever I march overseas, it’s a quiet kind of healing — a reminder of why I came out 25 years ago and that all the pain I went through wasn’t for nothing.”
Bain, too, shared that sense of warmth. This year marks his first Pride Month and parade since coming out, and for him, simply showing up will be enough.
But both acknowledged a shared concern: that their presence as public figures could unintentionally overshadow the event or bring discomfort to others. They worry about drawing large crowds or, worse, outing attendees who may be caught in the background of media coverage focused on celebrities like themselves.
“Honestly, I think my fans are more excited than I am,” Bain said. “They’ve been sending so many messages saying, ‘I hope you go,’ or ‘You really should be there.’ Even fans overseas told me, ‘You have to come to Pride (event) here!’”
Hong encouraged Bain to consider attending Pride parades abroad.
“Sometimes I was invited to international Pride events as a representative from Korea. I used to march, waving the Pride flag. Maybe now we can go together — we could even create some content while we’re there.”
While his current schedule makes it difficult to attend international events, Bain lit up at the idea and admitted that his heart wants to be everywhere. “Like Hong said, I want to go to all of them — not because I have something to prove, but because I just want to experience them for myself.”
Asked if they had any message for others — especially those in the public eye who may still be afraid to come out — Hong’s tone softened, almost as if speaking directly to those struggling alone.
“Coming out is one of the hardest decisions anyone can make. And that won’t change, even for future generations. But not everyone has to. If you’re not ready, that’s OK,” Hong said.
“I just hope staying quiet never becomes a source of sorrow. Even if your path is quieter, it’s just as valid. Bain and I — we’ll take the arrows for you.”
As they exchanged a look — one a pioneer, the other inheriting a legacy — a renewed sense of purpose settled between the two.
“When something isn’t understood, fear comes first,” Hong said. “That’s what I felt when I heard Bain came out. But then I thought, no, I should be celebrating him instead. So I do. Congratulations, Bain, from the bottom of my heart.”
Hong also addressed the lingering imbalance in the industry, where queer entertainers are often held to a different standard.
“When straight entertainers put in one unit of effort, we have to give 10 just to be seen as equal,” he added. “It’s 10 times harder, but we must move forward with our heads held high, no matter what anyone says. I’ve cleared some of the road, so you might only have to try ... maybe three times as hard!”
Laughing, Bain added, “Watching the path my senior paved has made me reflect on the kind of presence I want to have as a queer person. The answer feels simple: just to live my life. And that’s exactly what I will do.”
Hong Seok-cheon, right, and Bain of JUST B pose ahead of an interview with The Korea Times in Itaewon, Seoul, Monday, ahead of the Seoul Queer Culture Festival. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul