Tamil-American K-pop idol Lara Raj comes out as gay, calls herself ¡®half a fruitcake since 8'¡ªbut will Korea accept her?

If there is one thing the K-pop world was not exactly prepared for, it¡¯s an idol openly coming out, and yet, Lara Raj from KATSEYE just did that¡ªboldly, proudly, and in her own signature style. Through a heartfelt series of messages on Weverse, she revealed her queerness and shared the rollercoaster of emotions she went through before making the announcement.

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Lara Raj comes out as gay: Was half a fruitcake since 8

Born in the U.S. to Tamilian parents, Lara has always stood out in the K-pop scene as one of the few Indian-American idols. But now, she¡¯s making history in a way no one saw coming¡ªby becoming one of the first openly queer K-pop idols.

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A source close to Lara revealed that she had known about her identity for years but struggled with how to put it into words. Even before stepping into the spotlight, she knew she was not straight, but making it public? That was a whole different level of terrifying.

On Weverse, she used a cheeky metaphor to explain it: ¡°I knew I was half a fruitcake when I was like 8, so I really was wanting everybody to know. Honestly, probably before 8. Is not ¡®half a fruitcake¡¯ such a good way to explain it without saying it?¡±

KATSEYE¡¯s Lara comes out as queer via Weverse:

¡°I knew i was half fruitcake when i was like 8 so i really was wanting everybody. Honestly probably before 8. Isn¡¯t ¡°half fruitcake¡± such a good way to explain it without saying it?¡± pic.twitter.com/0syKRpszuc

¡ª Pop Base (@PopBase) March 24, 2025

And just like that, Lara Raj made history with a metaphor that fans will likely never forget.

From fear to freedom: The journey to coming out

Lara¡¯s fears were not unfounded. When she competed on The Dream Academy¡ªthe survival show that led to KATSEYE¡¯s formation¡ªshe constantly worried that her sexuality could sabotage her chances of debuting. The K-pop industry is famously strict, and she feared coming out might destroy her dreams before they even began.

However, once she started hinting at her identity, her fans completely changed the narrative. According to industry insiders, Lara was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of love and support she received. Fans showered her with encouragement, proving to her that she was not alone.

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But the road ahead is not all smooth. Lara knows that being a queer idol in an industry that thrives on carefully curated images is like walking a tightrope. As she put it, ¡°The internet is a very, very scary place.¡± While she¡¯s been met with support, there are always trolls lurking, ready to pounce.

Will Korea accept Lara Raj¡¯s truth?

Now, here¡¯s the real question¡ªhow will South Korea react?

Global fans? They are throwing rainbow confetti and celebrating like it¡¯s Pride Month. But in Korea, the response is... complicated. The country has been slowly moving towards acceptance, but the K-pop industry still operates under a traditional and often conservative framework.

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Some local netizens have praised Lara¡¯s honesty, while others have chosen to stay silent. A few skeptics believe it might be too soon for K-pop to fully embrace LGBTQ+ idols. However, industry analysts suggest that Lara¡¯s coming out could be a game-changer, sparking important conversations about representation in K-pop. If her journey is met with success, she could open the doors for future idols to live their truth without fear.

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What¡¯s next for Lara Raj?

For now, Lara is standing strong, backed by an international army of supporters. Whether the South Korean industry embraces her or not, she has already left a significant impact.

Will she face backlash, or will she be the trailblazer that changes the game? Only time will tell. But one thing is for sure¡ªLara Raj is done hiding.