K-pop star Cherry comes out as trans
– 1 min read
In a heartfelt and courageous announcement, South Korean K-pop idol Cherry, formerly known as Ryujin, has come out as a trans woman, marking a significant moment for trans visibility in the K-pop industry.
Cherry, who rose to fame as a member of the boy group Jwiiver after appearing on the reality show Boys24, shared the news during an Instagram Live broadcast on Saturday, 19 July. “This isn’t a hobby, it’s my life. I’m trans,” she told fans. “Because I wasn’t an ordinary person, I couldn’t reveal everything from the start. My goal was to take it slow. I’m just going with my goal".
The announcement was met with an outpouring of love and support from fans across the globe. Social media was flooded with messages of pride and encouragement, with hashtags like #ProudOfCherry trending internationally. One fan wrote, “So beyond proud of her. My sweet girl,” while another added, “I am so happy for her. I’ve been following her for a long time and I feel excited every time she expresses herself.
Cherry’s coming out is being hailed as a landmark moment in the traditionally conservative world of K-pop, where strict gender norms and image control are the norm. Her openness challenges these conventions and offers hope to many fans, particularly those who are trans or gender non-conforming.
She now joins a small but growing group of LGBTQ+ idols who are reshaping the landscape of Korean pop music. Holland, who debuted in 2018, was the first openly gay K-pop idol and has since become a symbol of Queer Pride in the industry. Jiae, formerly of WASSUP, came out as bisexual in 2020 and released her solo album Love Is Love independently. More recently, Bain of the boy group JUST B came out as gay during a concert in Los Angeles, telling fans, “You are seen, you are loved, and you were born this way".
