Holland: More Than Meets The Eye

This story appears in Rolling Stone India’s K-Music Special Issue, on sale now. Buy your copy here.

I’ve known Holland for years now. We first connected back in 2018, shortly after his debut with the single “Neverland,” and we’ve never lost touch since. When we finally met in person in Seoul for the first time in 2019, it was one of the most delightful days of my life; we sat at a cafe in Gangnam and bonded over coffee, Rolling Stone t-shirts, pop music, and conversations about India. The level of comfort was locked in further since we’re both part of the LGBTQ+ community, and we spent nearly three hours exchanging stories about growing up gay, the artists we love, our dreams for the future, and bringing Holland to India someday. 

It was a small moment right before he blew up globally, and we’ve been unable to meet in person again since because of the pandemic, but we keep up with each other and what we have going on in our lives. One of my favorite things to witness has been Holland’s growing appreciation for fashion and his willingness to try new things. “I think it all started while I did the DAZED UK cover in 2019,” he says about when he really committed himself to learning more about fashion. The editorial in question was the magazine’s Autumn/Winter 2019 cover and featured haunting, high-fashion shots that saw the singer-songwriter donning sleek, bold looks by Givenchy and experimenting with a starker, more haute-couture image than we were used to. The most striking of all was an image where Holland was floating on a black pond, surrounded by lotus leaves, while wearing a vivid red suit, and he confirms the entire experience convinced him to be bolder with his fashion choices. 

His Instagram account is now packed full of vibrant editorials, shoots where he dons everything from sharp suits to all-denim grunge fits, gender-bending ensembles that incorporate lace, crop tops, bralettes and heels, and of course classic ‘masculine’ silhouettes with leather jackets, trench coats and turtlenecks. He doesn’t shy away from mixing and matching, and often adds pops of color by highlighting certain pieces in his look for the day. Case in point; a recent all-black look shot at a park in London, which he brightened up with Burberry’s iconic Lola bag in orange. Of course in addition to his love for the greats like Christian Louboutin, Burberry, Chanel and YSL, Holland makes a point to spotlight Korean designers like William Park and YL Hwang. He also admits he has a special fondness for Belgian designer Ann Verhelst’s brand, Ann Demeulemeester. “I like the elegance of the Ann Demeulemeester brand and the works of the designer Eddie Slyman,” he shares. “They are like a textbook that teaches you what to wear for your kind of body and how to wear it.” 

Holland’s personal sense of style walks hand in hand with his core message of self love; it’s a theme that’s been part of his artistry, right from day one, and is still relevant to what he stands for today. The looks he dons in 2018’s “I’m Not Afraid” and 2020’s “Loved You Better” music videos are carefully crafted to show transitions to better times and growth – so it makes sense that it would be an important path within his journey of navigating the fashion world. He explains that over time, understanding fashion led him to accepting his own body, his own flaws and love himself for who he is. “People tell me I’m too skinny, but… I love my body,” declares a confident caption on a behind-the-scenes clip of a 2021 photoshoot on his Instagram page. 

A few weeks after our conversation for this interview, Holland was physically assaulted on the streets of Itaewon, right in the center of Seoul. “Last night, I was walking around Itaewon with my manager and a friend. Suddenly, a stranger man approached me and hit me on the face twice, calling me ‘a dirty gay’. Now I have a scar on my face and I’m going to the hospital soon,” he stated on social media, adding, “This is obviously a 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. This happening in 2022 shows the sad reality of LGBT+ human rights.” He takes a risk each time he dares to be himself and despite the courage it’s taken him to be the artist many of us need in our lives, he admits there are moments where he’s scared too. “I’m afraid I’ll be negatively prejudiced as gay,” he confessed during our conversation, and it hits so much harder in the wake of what happened. 

In this exclusive interview with Rolling Stone India, Holland opens up about his goals and aspirations, the importance of fashion in K-pop, and why the journey to finding himself wasn’t as easy as some people might think.

I’ve always been proud to see how you’ve grown and evolved as an artist, and something that has stood out for me more recently has been your sense of style and your taste in fashion. You’re never afraid to try new things and dive into new looks and create a unique identity for yourself. When did your love for fashion first begin? Were there any artists or individuals that inspired your interest in the space?

I think it all started while I did the DAZED UK cover in 2019. I had always wanted to work with photographer Leslie Zhang and director Robbie Spencer. I finally got to work with them at the time, and since then, I have been working around fashion a lot, and my love for fashion has grown deeper. Also, I started to learn how to present my skinny figure well.

You’ve also experimented with a variety of themes and styles in your colorful and powerful music videos. What is the process of choosing a look and concept for a comeback? How do you decide what the music video will portray and what goes into building the world within a music video?

The story goes first, and in the process, I decide what look will go in with respect to hair and makeup, and then the style that fits it. I express the visual in a way that it is easy to understand what I want to talk about. The visual elements are already completed in my head while making a song.

I think that out of all your videos, “I’m Not Afraid” and “Loved You Better” really make an impression; the red shirt in “I’m Not Afraid” is so powerful because it comes back in the video for “I’m So Afraid,” and then your transformation at the end of “Loved You Better” with the red hair, black lipstick and glimmering silver jewelry is extremely impactful. Can you talk about some of the major components of the creative process behind the scenes of these looks?

“I’m not Afraid” was a tribute to my courage and all the support I got from my fans, and for “Loved You Better,” I came up with an idea from the movie Joker. I wanted to show how my persecuted past and wounds changed me, that I could love myself more than I used to and that I was reborn as Holland.

How did you find your own color as an artist? What is the foundation of your individual artistry and the message you want to stand for?

The reason I was able to find my color and style was that I invested a lot of time getting to know myself. I think a lot about what I like and what I love, who I am and what I want to say.

Why is fashion such an integral element in the K-pop experience? We know globally artists incorporate high fashion into their work, but K-pop stands out in particular, more than any other country’s industry. Why do you think K-pop has this reputation? What is the Korean music industry doing differently?

The main elements that define K-pop are music, dance, and fashion. I personally think K-pop is visually satisfying content. Korea is one of the most trend-conscious countries, and it is also a country that has rapidly evolved considering the cultural aspect. Since the public’s tastes also change in the blink of an eye, it is necessary that an idol’s image needs to be visually satisfactory in order to succeed.

Fashion within K-pop is very experimental and male artists do not shy away from makeup, crop tops, heels, and other styles that are usually considered ‘feminine.’ Do you feel that Asia’s view on ‘traditional’ masculinity is shifting? How can musicians contribute to this change?

In general, Asian aesthetic standards are gentler than Western standards. It’s been a while since a pretty guy became a trend. K-pop stars seem to be quickly accepting changes because they have a body shape and appearance that can help pull off any look well. That clearly is a factor that will raise the idol’s attractiveness even more.

As an openly gay artist in the K-pop space, you have always strived to be inclusive with your message and artistry and represent people from different walks of life – especially the LGBTQ+ community. But this also comes with a lot of challenges since many people do not accept our community yet. Do you ever feel fear or hesitate when you’re about to try a particularly bold look or concept?

There are a lot of such instances. I’m afraid I’ll be negatively prejudiced as gay. In Korea, the word ‘gay’ is used more cautiously because it is often used as a curse. In such a world, an artist named Holland tries to be cool. I want to pull it off so that rather than saying “it’s so gay,” people would say “it’s so cool.”

How do you deal with criticism and hate? What is the key to staying strong and walking your path?

To be honest, I can’t cope with it well. When I’m depressed, it’s just sad and depressing. But then I push myself to stand up again. Because that’s the life I chose; the life of the singer Holland is more important than the happiness of the human being, Go Tae-Seob.

What is the main difference between the artist Holland we see onstage versus the human being Go Tae-Seob offstage?

Well, there doesn’t seem to be much of a difference between what’s in front of the camera and what’s elsewhere. Should I say that we always maintain the same tension? I used to think they’re different, but now I feel like we are one. 

While going through your Instagram, there are some really stunning fashion moments from Paris Fashion Week, editorials and more. What have been some of your ultimate favorite looks over the years, certain outfits or makeup moments that you consider unforgettable?

I think I feel the most confident and cool when I attend an Ann Demeulemeester show. Every year, I get excited whenever I attend a brand show and it’s fun when I get to choose my clothes.

Who are some of your favorite fashion icons, designers, and industry peers who continue to inspire you, and why? How would you say your style has evolved over time? 

I like the elegance of the Ann Demeulemeester brand and the works of the designer Eddie Slyman, as mentioned earlier. They really are like a textbook that teaches you what to wear for your kind of body and how to wear it. I get inspiration from the works of brands rather than from certain people.

You are a source of inspiration for a lot of fans and younger artists to experiment with their fashion, music and message. What would your advice be to someone who wants to walk on a new path, create bold new styles of art?

Invest a lot in yourself, observe a lot, eat a lot and do something so that the experience will soon become your taste and you will find your own self.

Watch Holland’s music video for “I’m Not Afraid”: