Fans are showering Lara Raj, a member of the Hybe girl group KATSEYE, with love and support after the 19-year-old came out as queer in March.
The idol connected with fans through the platform Weverse and opened up about her sexuality, something she previously hinted at on social media.
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In a voice message posted to the service on March 23, Lara confirmed her attraction to people of the same sex and talked about her struggles with it.
She said, via @weversekatseye on X, “I think also being a girl who likes girls is such a different experience because a lot of people don’t think it’s like a real thing. It’s so bizarre. Or, on the other hand, people fetishize it, which is also super annoying.”
💌 #LARA 230325
🗝️: 🎙️x1
🗝️: I support u all so so so much i know its SCARYY and you should never feel pressure to tell people, you tell them when YOURE ready
🗝️: 🖤🖤🖤
🗝️: OK ENOUGH SAPPY STUFF YALL
THINK I GIVE FRUIT??#KATSEYE @katseyeworld pic.twitter.com/AjjYLTOGQ9— KATSEYE Weverse (@weversekatseye) March 24, 2025
Lara went on, relating to fans and encouraging them to be open as she said, “I get you guys because coming out can be really scary.” She also mentioned how being Indian-American “adds another layer on to it.”
“I’m so grateful [for] people in my life, and you guys who have been so supportive, because I feel so proud of it, and like, no shame at all…I love that part of me,” she concluded.
Lara didn’t confirm if she personally identifies with any official label. In another Weverse message, via Pop Base, she said, “I knew i was half fruitcake when i was like 8 so i really was wanting everybody,” appearing to confirm her attraction to multiple genders
Eyekons, or members of KATSEYE’s fandom, quickly shared messages of support for Lara, with replies on X like, “having her in the music industry is everything 💖 queer woc on TOP,” and “Her openly talking about her sexuality is so special to me, she creates such a safe space for all of us 🥲🥹.”
“Seeing an openly queer brown girl in the industry makes me so so so happy and seen 🥺🥺🥺,” wrote a third.
KATSEYE was formed through a competition program in partnership with Hybe and Geffen Records, and they debuted in the summer of 2024 with their first single, “Debut.” Hybe is also home to major K-pop groups like BTS, LE SSERAFIM and Seventeen.
While KATSEYE is a global girl group, it has direct connections to the K-pop industry and the group has promoted their music overseas. Very few K-pop idols are openly queer, and it often has a negative impact on their careers, making Lara’s openness a rarity in the idol industry. Currently, gay marriages and civil unions are not legally recognized in South Korea.
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