Lara, a member of rookie K-pop girl group KATSEYE, has come out as gay.
On March 24th, the 2005-born singer shared her story with fans via Weverse, the HYBE-operated fan communication platform. In a series of messages and voice notes, Lara revealed she had recently come out to her family and that she’s known she was attracted to girls since the age of eight.
“I knew I was half fruitcake when I was like 8,” she shared. “You know in Dream Academy, when it came out I was really scared tbh. I didn’t know if people would accept me and I rly thought it might ruin my chances of getting in.”
In a follow-up voice message, Lara expressed the emotional weight of her decision. “I was so scared, and I’m also brown which adds another layer onto it,” she admitted. She then continued, “I was really scared, and now I’m so grateful that people in my life, and you guys too, have been so supportive because I feel so proud of it and no shame at all. And I love that part of me.”
Her candid admission drew a wave of support from many fans who praised her courage. Comments included: “She’s amazing—coming out can’t have been easy,” and “Huge respect to Lara.”
However, not all responses were positive. Some netizens expressed discomfort, writing, “What about her teammates?” and “Did she think about how this affects the group?” sparking discussion about timing and team dynamics in the tightly managed world of K-pop.
Lara, who is Indian-American, debuted with KATSEYE in June last year. The six-member group—formed through HYBE and Geffen Records’ survival audition show The Debut: Dream Academy—includes members from various nationalities: Sophia, Manon, Daniela, Lara, Megan, and Yoonchae.
>> Danielle Exposes HYBE’s Strict Trainee Protocols: ‘Even Bathroom Breaks Required Permission’
Source (1)
