Two K-pop male idols, with amazingly radiant skin and beautifully brushed-up 'do, are munching the same candy stick on a lit stage. As they nibble, they move closer, and the stick becomes smaller - and finally, the two sealed a smooch.

Such sorts of scenarios are not unusual in South Korea's flashy, heavily industrialized entertainment industry. That is, as long as it is for display only.

In South Korea, it's rare for popular music artists to come out as gay, as discrimination still seems to be pervasive. The country doesn't have laws in terms of anti-discrimination to safeguard South Korean members of the LGBTQ+ community. And in contrast with neighboring countries, such as Taiwan, the government is less likely to recognize same-sex spouses.

Taiwan has adopted same-sex marriage - and while Japan has not really done the exact same thing, several municipalities grant approvals for same-sex marriages, although they are not legally enforceable.

South Korea does not have that choice. Homosexual sex is not forbidden there, but it is prohibited in the army, where nearly all people have to serve a period of mandatory conscription.

Given all of this, the same-sex K-pop stars play-act romance daily. They perform closely with one another on stage or look in the eyes of one another. It's not exactly unusual in short videos to see them playing video games that eventually lead in them grazing their lips. Then, significantly, they pull back to prove it was all just a show.

The utter inconsistency is no mistake at all. Even though big labels are reluctant to let artists be transparent about their sexuality as they are scared of damaging their careers, they authorize - and even inspire - stars to openly touch each other.

The music companies in South Korea are incredibly pleased to let united supporters fantasize about gay idols. Even gay icons don't want to be transparent about their orientation. 

 

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 tinkle A post shared by  HOLLAND (@holland_vvv) on May 6, 2020 at 7:01am PDT

It was something that Holland figured out first hand. Holland (real name: Go Tae Seob) worked rigorously with a brand (he refused to reveal it). But when it was time to launch the company prohibited him from debuting as a gay idol.

It had been a deal-breaker for Holland. He had already been bullied relentlessly in middle school and being honest about his orientation. So he left the agency and made his debut as a solo musician.

K-pop artists are also subjected to tight guidelines - several are not permitted to date openly, as companies fear that relationships would cause artists to lose their fans' mystique.

K-pop itself is evolving as K-pop 's international presence expands. N South Korea, the communication of celebrities can be seen through a distorted perspective - supporters see it as fiction, but there is also something of a culture of male friends touching each other, partly because of the heteronormative nature of the culture.

Boy band BTS is frequently seen as welcoming to LGBTQ+ rights, though their supportive comments are still ambiguous.

For instance, the moment the band's leader RM shared Macklemore's song "Same Love," which advocates equal treatment for gay people, critics have used tiny, welcoming hints to speculate on their position in the absence of confirmation.