Bain, an idol with K-pop group JUST B, talks about his love for Heated Rivalry:
"What connected with me with “Heated Rivalry” wasn’t only the romance, but everything around it: the longing, the tension, the secrecy, the way Shane (played by Hudson Williams) and Ilya (played by Connor Storrie) spend so much time fighting the world, and sometimes themselves, while still finding their way back to each other.
What stayed with me most was how human they felt. Just people trying to protect love while learning how to exist honestly inside it. Maybe that’s why queer stories matter so much; they remind us that love has never been one-size-fits-all, and neither are people."
Full interview 🔗: https://t.co/IjZcta2VBq
Bain, member of the K-pop group JUST B and first openly gay male idol in an active K-pop group, talks about his love for ‘Heated Rivalry’ and mentions Hudson Williams in a recent interview.
Interviewer: We all know you’re a huge "Heated Rivalry" fan. You’ve even shown Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie photocards in your wallet. What was it about that story that connected with you so deeply?
Bain: Okay, first of all yes, the photocards are real. And I have absolutely no defense for that. My love for “Heated Rivalry” is very real too. Hudson and I are the same age, and Connor is only a year older than me. So, what does that mean? I’m not saying it’s fate… but I’m not not saying it either [laughing]. What connected with me with “Heated Rivalry” wasn’t only the romance, but everything around it: the longing, the tension, the secrecy, the way Shane and Ilya spend so much time fighting the world, and sometimes themselves, while still finding their way back to each other. What stayed with me most was how human they felt. Just people trying to protect love while learning how to exist honestly inside it. Maybe that’s why queer stories matter so much; they remind us that love has never been one-size-fits-all, and neither are people.
🔗 https://t.co/VqVbIZtDKM
In a recent Pride Month 2026 exclusive interview with Pop Base, JUST B’s member Bain, the first openly gay male idol in an active K-pop group, mentions Hudson Williams while discussing what connected him with “Heated Rivalry”.
"My love for “Heated Rivalry” is very real too. Hudson and I are the same age, and Connor is only a year older than me. So, what does that mean? I’m not saying it’s fate… but I’m not not saying it either [laughing]. What connected with me with “Heated Rivalry” wasn’t only the romance, but everything around it: the longing, the tension, the secrecy, the way Shane and Ilya spend so much time fighting the world, and sometimes themselves, while still finding their way back to each other.
What stayed with me most was how human they felt. Just people trying to protect love while learning how to exist honestly inside it. Maybe that’s why queer stories matter so much; they remind us that love has never been one-size-fits-all, and neither are people."
Full interview here:
https://t.co/V9YQDoRrVc
In an interview with Pop Base, JUST B’s Bain reflects on becoming the first openly gay male idol in an active K-Pop group, queer visibility in Korean entertainment and more.
Read: https://t.co/iq1eHxrN5s
me as a kpop fan
years being a kpop stan: 14
first group i stanned: Bigbang
current ult groups: JustB + A.C.E
how many albums: 100+
shows i went to: 10
how many lightsticks i have: uhh idk
first ult: Jungkook
current ult: Bain + DY + Jiham + Junhee
me as a kpop fan
years being a kpop stan: 6
first group i stanned: Ateez
current ult groups: JustB & 82Major
how many albums: 17
shows i went to: 100+ 😀
how many lightsticks i have: 7
first ult: San
current ult: Siwoo
Kpop fans, instead of only talking about your favorite gay ships this pride month, how about you stream XG, Just B, and XLOV. If yall are allys the way you say you are, I expect you to support the idols who are actively experiencing homophobia and transphobia