After almost 3 years of canceling the Pride Parade due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Korea is finally coming back to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community! This Saturday everyone in Seoul had a chance to join the Pride Parade and a lot of other activities dedicated to educating and acknowledging the LGBTQ+ community in South Korea.
Even though it seems like the standard notion of masculinity doesn’t exactly apply to Korea, since a lot of men choose to stick to a softer expression of masculinity: taking care of their looks, easily expressing affection, and other emotions that are usually deemed feminine in the Western world, - the issue of LGBTQ+ rights is still far from being solved. Just the election of the new president Yoon Seok-youl, who questioned the necessity of having a Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and raised concerns over same-sex marriages, can reverse the progress that has been accomplished up until now.
However, the new generation gives us hope. And who better to set an example and positively influence today’s youth than the people admired by millions - K-pop idols. Quite a few K-pop idols have publicly supported the LGBTQ+ community during their live streams, through their songs or activities. Here are some honorable mentions of idols who have been showing support for the LGBTQ+ community throughout the years!
Rose (BlackPink) - having such a massive following, it was merely a question of when the girls will voice their opinion on the LGBTQ+ community. And they did not disappoint the public! BlackPink are pretty vocal about its support towards the LGBTQ+, which they express by always holding Pride Flags during the concert, or supporting their fans who decide to come out to them!
Jo Kwon (2AM) has been known among K-pop fans and in the industry for always bringing down gender barriers: he would wear high gills during his promotions, put on clothes that are not considered "male", and recently has even taken part in a musical "Everybody's talking about Jamie". He played a role of a teenager who aspires to be a drag queen and endures bullying and judgment from his peers!
Amber Liu has a pretty big following among the LGBTQ+ community and she always stated how grateful she was for their support! Having not only queer fans but also a lot of friends who identify as LGBTQ+ community members, she feels incredibly passionate about queer visibility and rights. There are a couple of music videos from her career that are dedicated to expressing support for LGBTQ+, but the Lifeline has particularly struck a chord with us!
Red Velvet and Sunmi are also known for holding pride flags during their concerts quite often, or supporting their LGBTQ+ fanbase!
Besides that, a lot of groups have constantly shown support to their fans on fan signs, phone calls, or live streams. Whenever the fans would come during those interactions or talk about their experience, a lot of idols would encourage them and praise them for staying true to themselves (BTS, AleXa, NCT, EXO, Mamamoo). So, we hope that having your favorite idols support who you truly are will help in the dire times and bring a smile to your faces!