Lara, a member of Hybe’s U.S. localization girl group Katseye, came out as queer on March 24 through a message on the fan platform Weverse. In her post, the 19-year-old singer shared that she knew she was “half fruitcake” before she turned eight years old.
Reflecting on her experience during the 2023 audition program “The Debut: Dream Academy,” Lara shared, “When it came out, I was really scared,” explaining that she was not sure if people would accept her and worried it might ruin her chances of getting in. However, she continued, “But you all were so nice about it,” expressing how the love and support she received made her feel confident in who she is.
Lara also acknowledged that coming out can be scary, saying, “I was so scared, and I’m also brown, which adds another layer.” But now, she said, “I feel so proud of it, and no shame at all,” and that she loves that part of her.
“I love being open because so many of you have told me it has encouraged you to be more confident,” she added. “You can talk about it as long as it’s helping people. That makes me really happy.”
Katseye, a global group formed through a collaboration between Hybe and Geffen Records, was created through the Dream Academy audition show, which saw 120,000 applicants. The six-member group consists of Lara, Daniela, Manon, Megan, Sophia, and Yoonchae. Katseye debuted in June 2023, and their first album, “SIS (Soft Is Strong),” successfully entered the Billboard 200 at 119th place.
