[Herald Interview] Meet Lionesses: K-pop's first LGBTQ+ boy band on showing their true selves

Despite K-pop's global expansion, the K-pop industry and Korean society in general remain conservative in several aspects, particularly on LGBTQ+ issues. Amid this backdrop, Lionesses, K-pop's first-ever LGBTQ+ group, has shattered barriers and is sharing courage with fans and listeners.

Debuting in 2021 with "Show Me Your Pride," Lionesses is a pioneering LGBTQ+ K-pop trio. Leader Damjun identifies as bisexual, Lee Marlang is gay and Kanghan is a questioning, who continues to explore sexual orientation and gender identity.

The three members sat down for an interview with The Korea Herald on June 12, holding the masks that symbolize the group.

All three members were working on their music careers before Lionesses was formed.

"I never thought of anything other than music as my career, no matter how many times I failed, no matter the number of hardships I faced and no matter how much I was afraid of being attacked because of my identity. I've tried virtually every profession in music, from chorus to guide vocals, vocal trainer and producer," said Damjun.

During the pandemic, Damjun discovered several LGBTQ+ support initiatives fand decided to realize an idea he had kept to himself for some time -- a gay pop group.

He submitted a proposal for a gay band to the Beyond the Rainbow Foundation -- a non-profit organization supporting sexual minorities in Korea -- and that was how Lionesses came to be.

Damjun explained that he was not originally aiming to produce a K-pop idol group. Such groups are characterized as systematically created bands with good-looking members who sing catchy songs and execute dances with great precision.

"After much deliberation on how to describe ourselves, we chose the term 'boy band.' Some critics started evaluating our music and performances by tying them to the ongoing issues in the K-pop scene, such as 'queer baiting' and 'body positive' issues," said Damjun.

The K-pop industry is often criticized about the way it highlights affection and friendship among bandmates to attract fans, as well as the tendency to promote a standardized beauty ideal.

"K-pop often sells a queer image, but it bothered me that there are no actual queer groups. As we continue to create music in K-pop style and set more precedents, I hope younger generations (of gay people) in the industry will find it easier to reveal themselves," said Damjun.

Kanghan, a countertenor with a background in classical singing, was already active in musical theater when Damjun contacted him.

“Just when I was thinking it would be great if I could share my story as a sexual minority, I met Damjun. I thought it would be nice to have a musician who could represent sexual minorities, so I decided to participate,” said Kanghan.

Kanghan not only adds a unique color to the songs with his distinctive voice and singing style, but also showcases various aspects of himself. In the music video of “It’s OK to be Me," Kanghan revealed his drag queen persona, Rooya.

"I used to wear drag queen costumes and put on make-up only when alone in the privacy of my room. But I slowly gained confidence as I watched other drag queens proudly reveal themselves and finally decided to unveil my identity as Rooya," Kanghan said.

Damjun’s long-time friend Lee Marlang has been an indie folk and ballad singer since 2009. "Damjun casually suggested making music together, but surprisingly we are still performing as a team," Marlang recalled with a chuckle.

Upon its debut with the song "Show Me Your Pride" in 2021, Lionesses received much media attention and was covered by foreign press. Although the original plan was that it would be a one-time thing, they felt a sense of responsibility and gratitude, which led them to decide to continue as a band.

The group’s latest single, “Like Christina Taught Me,” released on June 1, incorporates songs by legendary artists who have inspired the trio to be brave. The track references numerous iconic songs with messages of self-love, including Christina Aguilera's “Beautiful,” Michael Jackson's “Man in the Mirror,” Mariah Carey's “Make It Happen,” Whitney Houston's “Greatest Love of All” and BTS's “Answer: Love Myself.”

“Loving myself was difficult, but those songs gave me courage. It felt like those songs gave me love when I couldn’t do that. I wanted to give back that experience to our fans, especially the younger ones,” said Damjun, who composed “Like Christina Taught Me,”

The new song holds a special significance for Marlang as he revealed his face through its music video. Marlang had planned to return to doing his music under his real name after the group's first song, so he hadn't come out to his family.

“Mask was a safety device for me. But hiding behind it, I ended up telling small lies over and over, even to my family. Last year, when they asked me if I had a girlfriend, I dodged the question with a lie. I started questioning how I could form a genuine relationship with anyone if I kept telling these shallow lies,” said Marlang.

Before removing his mask, he had concerns about how his coming out may impact his cousin, who is also a singer.

“Soyeon of the group (G)I-dle is my cousin. When I decided to take the mask off, I felt I should inform her first. I was nervous when I came out to her, but she supported me and accepted me so naturally, it was very grateful,” recalled Marlang.

“Back in the day, I had a lot of fears. I was born in 1993, but when I began working with Lionesses, I even lied about my age, saying I was born in 1997. As I entered my 30s, however, my perspective changed, and I realized that if I am confident, I can overcome anything,” said Marlang with a confident nod.

Damjun explained that although he had already come out to his family and friends, coming out to the public was another thing.

"In my teens and 20s, I was afraid that nobody would work with me if they figured out who I was. However, as I started composing, producing and arranging music, I gained confidence that I could survive even if people didn’t work with me. So I revealed my face from the start of Lionesses," Damjun said.

Although Kanghan had already revealed his face several times, he chose to wear the mask during the interview, saying it holds great meaning for him.

“Damjun took off his mask in the first Lionesses music video, so his mask was a tool for coming out. But I keep wearing a mask to convey the idea that coming out should be a choice, not a forced one.”

Kanghan continued, “I don’t want to pressure all sexual minorities to come out. Our songs support listeners to love themselves and to come out if they want to, but we also want to assure them that it’s okay if they choose not to.”

Since Korean society is at a nascent stage of discussing LGBTQ+ issues, the trio faces numerous obstacles and prejudices. They were invited to an event under favorable conditions, but the event organizers canceled the offer as soon as found out that Lionesses members are sexual minorities.

The group was also banned by some radio and television broadcasters.

When the group's song "It's OK to Be Me" was released in 2022, MBC initially banned the group, only to change its position after three days.

"The MBC CEO at the time called me and told me the broadcast ban had been lifted. But the real problem started then because Christian groups were enraged and began protesting in front of MBC headquarters,” said Damjun, recalling that about 5,000 protestors gathered to condemn Lionesses members at one point.

Though the protests were frightening at first, the members have come to think that such things cannot hurt them. They even find it strange when such protests are absent.

“There were always hate protests at the Seoul Queer Festival, but at last year’s Tokyo Rainbow Pride – where we headlined the stage -- there were no such things. Ironically, it felt boring," said Damjun with mischievous laughter.

Members said they have now become somewhat used to threats being made against them. “I received threats like ‘I will kill you’ and ‘I will stab you with a knife’ through a contact number I had made public for a project. Around that time, I couldn't even go to the office out of caution,” said Damjun.

“I considered reporting the incident to the police, but I thought it would become more complicated if the issue escalated and got exposed in the media, so I just left it as it was. And I do believe I can win over such people if I really meet them,” Damjun added casually.

Kanghan, who describes himself as somewhat blase, explained that he comforts Damjun and Marlang when they are distressed over prejudice or discrimination.

“I just tell them to ignore it. Discrimination and hate will always exist, and I think we should respect that too,” said Kanghan.

Kanghan further explained, “Of course, hurting someone is wrong, but if we want a society where we don’t have to struggle to be recognized, then prohibiting and opposing those people's discrimination seems contradictory."

What is the greatest appeal of Lionesses?

The group's diversity in vocal color, genres and looks sets them apart, the members agreed unanimously.

Damjun emphasized that he has explored almost every genre of music -- from pansori, jazz and trot to rap -- ensuring that each song he composes and produces is unique.

"We have just released our ninth song, and there isn't a single overlap," he said. "I plan to continue showcasing different charms in the future."

Kanghan highlighted that the group's unique charm comes from his countertenor voice and Marlang's youthful and clear sound.

The trio said they would like to appear on music shows, especially those that are conservative, and promised fans that they would continue their journey no matter what happens.

"We have received so much unexpected love and that is what has brought us this far. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude. Thank you for sharing your precious hearts with us," Damjun said.

“We will continue making music in the future, and we will never disband. We plan to tell not only LGBTQ+ stories but also broader stories, so please stay tuned!" said Kanghan.