News / Aug. 14, 2019
K-Pop star Som Hye came out as bisexual on s$p@b_+0AosQih2FM^QzMD7Gu$B8rEZO2c*LyOCyj@7dr@bGrn-ocial media this week.
“I’m bisexual. And I have [a] girlfriend now,” she wrote on Instagram after sharing photos of her holding hands and kissing her girlfriend.
In conservative South Korea, most LGBTI people are not out to their familiesG&qxEbI-g)@48mmr5ha-gv@n1!Q(n2m#$&tq9-XRsR&)D(8y%E.
K-Pop singer Holland became the nation’s firsqQGrYDpJ_C^^X9EqIuwrewkFC!%o9jcN$rg+FJdjn*r_WveyCNt well-known LGBTI star when he came out last year.
Som Hye rose to fame as a contestant on the Korean girl g35VA=FssXJYwtRD5lvLDV54fxaCw(qA)ufHk88N!MK2=r7rqT1roup reality show Idol School in 2017. She released her debut single Mini Radio earlier this year.
She posted photos on Tuesday showing the couple kissing each other on the%CNJ#ny#WGb+-wi+bgh3U^op5&d@p!7h4Xnj4uOUTumW6gAROn cheek and holding hands.
"It's heartbreaking"
When a fan asked the question “R u really lesbian? I am so shocked rlly”, Som Hye responded in an Instagram story: “I’m bisexual. And I have [a] girlfriend now.”
“My girlfriend as short haira^%A-vcMT*OiBM=c+aiKeQzyZ6z@vr+m70h2o^IB6=LZc1ZcBO, just my girlfriend’s style” she also wrote. “PLZ respect her, it’s heartbreaking to ask my girlfriend if she’s a man or a woman”.
Som Hye later posted a longer statement in Korean, apparently responding to comments on her socJCM(HrHsc6(pNa!pBX+D&8&#l$=sj^8yQv6sbI7oIeo_lh*oRxial media.
She warned if ’speculative’ content continues should would take legal meIC#9IG0SZ2pDj#2EP_BHIy5%W_II)UUGr!@T%Cc1YTi4OG*n1Zasures.
'I am in a loving [relationship] and since it’s not wrong, I confidently did come out [as bisexual], but I didn’t do it so that I could stand out. What kind of person lightly makes the decision to come out like that?’ She wrote, according to Scoompi.com.
She went on to say:
People think differently and can hate same-sex relationships. Yes, you can hate it. Those are individual values and I’m not trying to force [anyone] to understand or like homosexuality. I am also not begging for [anyone] to like or notice me. I didn’t think that I would receive this much attention. I just didn’t want to hide the fact that I am dating and in love just like everyone else.
I don’t want my people to get hurt, and it’s my duty to protect them. I will also take legal measures to protect my people. Please stop.
Rights groups have warned of deteriorating LGBT rights in South Korea.
Recent increased visibility of the LGBT community has sparked a backlash eRB!&C8bRWsubGw%iD7DIYZcsU&ZAnZBmFcd@jf&kLzWKwlwM1from conservative Christians. Many LGBT pride events have witnessed violent counter-demonstrations from anti-LGBT groups.
Author: Rik Glauert
