A K-pop star was born this weekend, and he happens to be gay.
The singer Holland released his first single, “Neverland,” on Sunday to near-unanimous praise from fans and critics. The video for the R&B-tinged ballad, which can be viewed above, shows the singer canoodling with a male love interest on the beach and in a living room. The clip concludes with a tender kiss between the two men.
By addressing his sexuality directly in “Neverland,” Holland sets a new standard as an openly gay male K-pop singer. He may not be the Korean music scene’s first openly queer artist ― singer MRSHLL came out as gay last year, while another singer, Harisu, identifies as transgender. But his video still breaks fresh ground in a genre that continues to lack substantial LGBTQ representation.
Fans around the world were clearly moved by “Neverland,” in spite of the fact that the video received a 19+ rating in Korea because of the same-sex kiss.
As of Monday afternoon, the “Neverland” video had been viewed more than 1.6 million times.
Here’s hoping we’ll be hearing more about Holland moving forward!