Abi Scaife

In a huge step forward for the LGBT+ community of East Asia, for the first time ever we have an openly gay idol preparing to take South Korea by storm.

Holland, real name Go Tae Sup, debuted on the 22nd of January 2018 and in a frenzy that has swept through the online community he is surely KPop’s next rising star, should he be given the chance.

‘Neverland’, the debut single by Holland, pulls no punches with its bluntly forthright display of emotions, an act that has raised several eyebrows within the K-Idol community. 

Speaking of a place where you are free to love someone, regardless of gender or sex, it is not surprising that the song has garnered a variety of reactions from netizens of South Korea, a notoriously conservative country.

Lyrics such as ‘living life for my own way, it’s me after all’ and the desperate ‘but isn’t it natural?’ not only add to the sensation of escapism conveyed throughout the song, but they bring a new timbre to what has become a generic pattern of identity crisis-ridden KPop songs emerging over the last decade. Songs like BTS’ Reflection, San E’s Counselor and, notably, BigBang’s Still Alive are just some of the forerunners of this lyrical theme. Dealing with the emotions that come hand in hand with an LGBT identity is a rarity in KPop, and with his first single Holland is bringing these feelings to light.

Musically, it is hard to place. Untraditional for the genre with a distinct lack of the full tilt synth-pop that is often used to pigeonhole KPop, this first single does not immediately inspire notions of what is commonly thought of as a K-Idol.

Instead, it holds its own as a lo-fi, R&B inspired ballad, just barely verging on what might be thought of as “pop music”. Reminiscent of Troye Sivan with simplistic vocals, wistful piano and surprisingly upbeat percussion it is an undemanding listen, though the song doesn’t suffer for it.

Regardless of any language barriers, the emotive quality of the song comes through. Bittersweet and simple, the listener is left feeling immediately sympathetic to the singer’s obvious unrest. A moving piece from beginning to end, it is hard to imagine how such a heartwarming song could spark as much controversy as this one has.

Though great strides have been taken in recent years to provide support for the LGBT community, most notably the 2017 ruling allowing an LGBT rights foundation to register as a charity, queerness of all kinds remains a hushed topic.

It may not come as a surprise, then, to find out that Holland released his single independent of any agency, despite previously having signed a contract with an as yet unnamed record label. Reportedly, when Holland expressed his desire to present as an LGBT artist, the deal was abruptly ended.

While it is unclear which party made this decision, it did not all end badly. In a roaring victory for the queer culture of South Korea, the music video depicts Holland’s romantic weekend escape with another man, even featuring a kiss between the two – a clip that surely wouldn’t have been approved had Holland not been working independently.

The video itself has raised the most issues, the same-sex kiss bumping the rating in South Korea up to 19+, despite the fact that Suzy’s recently released ‘In Love With Someone Else’ MV also features a kiss and remains at a wholesome PG-13.

In an interview with Naver Holland revealed that, originally, there was not going to be a kissing scene in the video. However, he explained that once he discovered a same-sex kiss would change the rating to 19+ ‘I decided to put the kissing scene in the music video. At first, there was no kissing scene’. A brazen move from such an inexperienced idol, earning him mixed reactions from the public. While many seem to believe South Korea is simply not ready to embrace an openly gay K-Idol, there are others, particularly online, who commend his bravery.

Overall, it is clear that opinions within the idol and music communities are changing. In a recent interview with Billboard Magazine, BTS’ Suga spoke in support of the LGBT community, firm in his choice of words; ‘there is nothing wrong. Everyone is equal.’

Other idols have voiced their support too, including BTS leader RM, f(x)’s Amber Liu and SHINee’s late Jonghyun. All this and more proves that South Korea’s stance on the queer community really is changing, allowing room for artists like Holland to be free in ways that non-queer or closeted artists already are.