A pop singer recently came out as trans while talking to fans on Instagram Live.
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According to GoMag, South Korean pop star Cherry, who previously went by Chae Ryujin, announced she is now a transgender woman during a July 2025 Instagram Live.
“This isn’t a hobby, it’s my life. I’m trans,” Cherry told the audience. “Because I wasn’t an ordinary person, I couldn’t reveal everything from the start. My goal was to take it slow, I’m just going with my goal.”
Cherry rose to fame when she appeared on the reality TV series Boys24 in 2016. While appearing on the show, she competed for a spot in the K-pop boy band that has the same name.
Although she was eliminated from the show, the trans pop singer went on to become a member of the K-pop group JWiiver under her stage name Ryujei. Two years after releasing their 2022 mini album JTrap, the group disbanded.
Not long after the announcement, fans of the pop singer took to social media to share their support.
“QUEEN, WE LOVE YOU AND SUPPORT YOU,” one fan wrote. “WISH YOU NOTHING BUT HAPINESS IN LIFE AND TO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH YOURSELF.”
Another fan also wrote, “I am soooooo happy for her!! I’ve been following her for a long time now, and I feel excited every time she expresses herself.”
Days after announcing she’s trans, the pop singer took to Instagram to thank her supporters. “I’ll live my second life happier,” she
" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stated. “I would appreciate it if you continue to love and support us.”The Pop Singer Recently Spoke About How Her Life Has Changed Since Coming out Trans
Months after making the announcement, Cherry reflected on how her life had changed.
“I wasn’t able to leave the house after my idol career ended and before coming out,” she said. “I lost my job and experienced a lot of discrimination, and I felt like I couldn’t dare to try anything new. But now, as an influencer, I’m living with love and support from so many people in Korea and abroad. These days, people see me as a woman, and I feel like I’ve achieved a long-time dream.”
When asked if there was a specific moment in her life that gave her the strength to come out as trans, the pop singer said, “I strongly felt the closed and discriminatory environment of Korean society, and I realized that unless I try to change it, things won’t get any better. I thought that at the very least, I should raise my voice. And once I made that decision, so many people supported me, which gave me even more courage.”
Regarding her family’s response to the news, Cherry said her sister has accepted her without hesitation and was by her side when she told their mother.
“On the day I came out, the three of us had a serious conversation,” she added. “My sister is truly an irreplaceable treasure in my life, and thanks to them, I was able to tell my mother a little sooner and with less difficulty than I had imagined.”