K-pop star Holland has shared that he was attacked in the street over his sexuality, leaving him with a scrape across his face.

Holland is one of the few out and proud Korean pop stars. The conservative country has few celebrities who have publicly shared they are same-sex attracted, and the local queer scene largely exisits behind closed doors.

Holland posted to his Twitter account that he’d been attacked by a man while walking through Itaewon, the entertainment and tourism district of Seoul.

“Last night, I was walking around Itaewon with my manager and a friend,” he said. “Suddenly, a stranger man approached me and hit me on the face twice, calling me ‘a dirty gay’.” Holland said.

In a follow up post the singer said he’d be heading to the hospital for treatment and labeled the attack an obvious gay hate crime.

“The fact that my sexuality as gay is public should never expose myself to this kind of violence. Nor any other LGBT+ and all elders, women and minorities in this world.” Holland said.

The singer confirmed that he had reported the crime to the police.

OIP Staff

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