Holland talks to VICE about how LGBTQ community is treated in Korea and how is doing as open gay idol in Korea

This is why I don't like people speculating about idols sexualities too much. People are treated so badly in SK for being gay yet they are desperately trying to find hints about idols they like.

Holland is very brave.

Quote from dummi

Korea like you said is largely conservative, and since there are more old people than young people the close-minded elders are the ones running the show I'd say. This is all just my thoughts though, reality might be different. It's strange to me too how and why people care about others' sexuality, that is unless they are questioning their own

This! Many young Koreans are open to lgbtq community but unfortunately it is ruled by elders who are conservative. This is the same thing that is happening in India.

Quote from JaSida

I don't understand how you can ship same sex couples in groups but hate it when they are actually part of LGBTQ+ community. The whole gay fanservice I will never understand how they eat that up but oh no my idol can't be gay in real life.

Exactly. It's frustrating, especially because when actual artists from the community comes up, then they're paid dust.

People love the fantasy, but not the reality.

I’d appreciate Holland a little bit more if he wasn’t only in the news for being gay

Quote from dummi

I don't doubt for a second that oppa isn't a celibate monk, like holy shit that has to be the funniest thing fans do is push this narrative that oppa doesn't even know what sex and relationships are. This simultaneously babies them and locks them into the position of "my gay cute oppa" for these fans. Idols are caught ogling at women during award shows and fans will be found saying "awee he's so shy!" anything to erase the idea that oppa is hetero. These companies need to be burned down LMAO

Companies definitely encourage this type of behavior from their idols. It's classic queer baiting to tantalize the fans, while still leaving them "available" in their minds.

But if it ever comes out about an idol being part of the lgbt+ community I have no doubt in my mind they would be out of the industry in a blink!

Quote from Kouss

I’d appreciate Holland a little bit more if he wasn’t only in the news for being gay

I'm sure he's not happy always being asked to talk about this topic. But if it wasn't for that, the industry probably wouldn't even give him a call. They always want an angle to sell a story. And hopefully this brings Holland a bigger audience.

Quote from Nightmaze

Companies definitely encourage this type of behavior from their idols. It's classic queer baiting to tantalize the fans, while still leaving them "available" in their minds.

But if it ever comes out about an idol being part of the lgbt+ community I have no doubt in my mind they would be out of the industry in a blink!

K pop companies push ships so much, it encourages delusional fans. For example, I knew the Seulgi and Irene MV would have "moments". But there is zero actual representation and support from the industry, it's just baiting.

Quote from dummi

absolutely it's all marketing. these idols are disposable to their companies, just look at what happened to the JYP trainee who was found to be gay and got kicked out like all those years he spent training meant nothing

Definitely. I have no doubt that most of these idols are just numbers in someone's spreadsheet. And if that number goes negative, for any reason, then they are crossed without any reservation. We really see this all the time.

Quote from BlinkNation

K pop companies push ships so much, it encourages delusional fans. For example, I knew the Seulgi and Irene MV would have "moments". But there is zero actual representation and support from the industry, it's just baiting.

The kpop industry does this A LOT, but still leaves plausible deniability for when anyone questions it. They use representation as "concepts".

I can only imagine the stress and pressure for a closeted idol to have to play pretend with their identity and still having to deny it at the end of the day.

Quote from JaSida

Exactly. However there are some idols are truly close friends and everything they do like talk to each other, touch a little and look at each other turns to fanfics and wattpad stories.

Companies push ships all the time. For example, in BP, Jensoo and Chaelisa have been put together since the beginning and had "moments" that are scripted. I feel bad for them having to act a certain way, and BP don't even do it much compared to most GG or BG. But the fact people take fan service as proof idols are dating each other or aren't straight is insane!

There are other groups that use it as concepts in their videos and fans praise their "gay kings" or "lesbian queens" even though it isn't close to representation.

VICE is the CIA's version of The Sun

what i will say is each generation will generally be more open and accepting than the previous...as more information and less stigma is attached to certain things