▲ This image of KATSEYE’s Lara is provided by fan community platform Weverse.

SEOUL, March 25 (Yonhap) -- KATSEYE’s Lara has publicly shared her identity as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

 

The singer revealed her sexual identity on Tuesday through the paid messaging service Weverse DM, telling fans, “I’ve known I was LGBTQ+ (Half Fruitcake—a term hinting at LGBTQ+ identity) since I was about eight years old.”

 

Lara is a member of KATSEYE, a U.S.-Korea joint girl group formed by HYBE and Geffen Records. The group was created through the global audition program The Debut: Dream Academy, which drew over 120,000 applicants worldwide before debuting in June 2023.

 

Reflecting on her time in Dream Academy, Lara shared, “I was really, really scared. I didn’t know if people would accept me, and I thought I might lose my chance [to debut].”

 

She expressed gratitude for the support she has received, adding, “I’m not ashamed of this—I’m proud of myself. This is a part of who I am.”

 

Fans of KATSEYE have shown their support through social media and Weverse, leaving messages such as “I will always stand by you” and “Be yourself, just as you are.”

 

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