The South Korean artist is one of the few to come out as gay. Same-sex marriages and civil unions are not legally protected or recognised in South Korea, so it comes are no surprise to learn that LGBTQ+ visibility is equally limited.
The musician opened up to local media to mark the 10th anniversary of his debut as a trot artist, which is a popular Korean genre. “I wanted to play a role in representing the human rights of [LGBTQ+] people and opening the horizon for coming out in the entertainment industry,” Kwon said in a statement. “I also want to play a role in representing the voices of [LGBTQ+] people in the future.” The 30 year-old artist later added: “I am coming out as the first gay trot singer.