Trot singer Kwon Do-woon comes out as gay

Trot singer Kwon Do-woon [MIDUM ENTERTAINMENT]

Trot singer Kwon Do-woon, 30, has come out as gay on the 10th anniversary of his debut, his agency Midum Entertainment confirmed on Tuesday.

Kwon is the first Korean trot singer to come out as gay.

“I wanted to speak up as a representative voice of sexual minorities and wanted to open up the prospect of coming out more widely in the entertainment industry,” Kwon said in the agency’s statement. “I hope to continue representing the LGBTQ community in my role."

Kwon first appeared on the entertainment scene with his real name Kwon Hyuk-min through TBS’s National College Student Trot Contest in 2009 as a college freshman studying journalism at Sogang University. In the contest he won three trophies — the grand prize, lyrics prize and composition prize.

He made his official debut in 2010 with trot album "One More Cup, It's My Style" (translated), and also released a dance trot song "Tonight" in 2011 under his stage name Kwonstin. Recently, he released a remake version of singer Jang Yoon-jung's Latin dance trot song "Casanova” (2010).

Kwon appears as a regular guest on YouTube channel "Namolla Family Hot Show" hosted by the comedy music trio Namolla Family every Thursday.

BY KIM YEON-AH [kim.yeonah@joongang.co.kr]