K-pop artists have gone from national treasures to international icons. As the genre continues to swell, one singer is making room for queer representation to be included in K-pop’s rise.
Holland is Korea’s first openly gay K-pop artist, and in a new video for his debut single “Neverland,” he puts that identity front and center.
The video is an ode to the romantic love shared between Holland and his beau. Its dreamy cinematography matches the track’s fictional name, capturing the love and intimacy of their relationship as Holland sings about wanting to be able to love openly and freely without discrimination.
The internet took quickly to this K-pop newcomer. His “Neverland” video debuted Jan. 21, and as of Monday night had already amassed over 1.8 million views on YouTube. Holland released a short behind-the scenes-video to thank his fans for the support.
Same-sex relationships are still considered taboo (though not illegal) in Korean culture, and gay marriage or partnerships are not legally recognized by the country. As Billboard points out, the video was given a 19+ rating because it includes a same-sex kiss.
Holland isn’t the only openly gay celebrity in Korea. Alt-R&B artist MRSHLL came out last year and became the first Korean singer to openly address his sexuality.
Unlike many Korean pop stars, Holland is not backed by a large agency and was not well-known until the release of his debut single. But fans quickly gravitated to Holland’s message and supported the artist using the worldwide hashtag #HollandDebutDay.
https://twitter.com/ultchanyeolpark/status/955155513339236352
https://twitter.com/BTSEuropeARMY/status/955156472056467456
Support his music
— indigo 🐋 (@jerukjepang) January 21, 2018
Respect him as an artist
Protect him against all the stigma
We're here ready to go through the musical journey with you! @HOLLAND_vvv #HollandDebutDay
“I don’t know if many of you understand how important this debut is,” one viewer shared on YouTube, according to NewNowNext. “This is not just about him, it’s about the entire culture. Korea is extremely closed-minded when it comes to things like that, so the company promoting him as a gay idol is a good thing. Not many agencies in Korea would put money on people like him. It shows how willing he is to make it less of a taboo discussion.”
Hopefully, Holland’s instant popularity marks a shift in cultural norms and will lead to even more LGBTQ acceptance and normalization in Korea and beyond.