Hand to RuPaul’: Kori King Confirms She’s Officially Dating Lydia B Kollins — ‘I Was Ready to Eliminate Myself for Her’
“I was ready to pull a BenDeLaCreme. I couldn’t send Lydia home. I was fully prepared to quit if I won.”
— Kori King, Drag Race Season 17
In a season filled with shade, slayage, and chaotic eleganza, Kori King left her final mark not with a look — but with a lip-sync kiss that gagged the Main Stage. That moment wasn’t just a stunt — it was the beginning of something real.
“It was a gut instinct. Totally unplanned. We locked eyes and felt the vibe — and then we kissed.”
— Kori on the infamous Main Stage kiss
💋 Love After the Lip-Sync LaLaPaRuza
Though Kori admits her Betsey Johnson-inspired outfit was “Boo Boo the Fool realness,” she still walked away from that episode with something more valuable than a win: love.
“I knew I was going home, so I said, ‘Tonight’s for me.’ I didn’t even eat that day so the House of Love [cocktail] would hit harder. It did. I only remember the kiss, the exit, and my goodbye line. Everything else is a blur.”
She wasn’t just lipsyncing for her life — she was lipsyncing for her love.
🫦 Drag Romance or Reality TV Realness?
Some fans threw side-eye at the romance, wondering if it was all for the storyline. But Kori shuts that down quick:
“We weren’t pulling a Vanjie-Brooke moment. We weren’t hamming it up for the cameras. I didn’t care who was filming — it just happened. It was real.”
“I didn’t even realize how deep it was… until I watched episode 1. We were already in it.”
👠 She’s That Girl, Boots Down
“If it had been me and Onya in the bottom, I would’ve bucked! But with Lydia? No ma’am. I’d have to BenDeLaCreme myself.”
And what about the infamous orange shoes Ru hated?
“They’re coming with me to Pittsburgh, baby. Little shelf in the kitchen. Museum of foolishness!”
Yes — Kori’s moving to Lydia’s hometown, and no, she’s not playing:
“I’m that girl. When I love, I go all in. Hand to RuPaul.”
💅 What’s Next for the Queen of Chaos?
She’s not just twirling into the sunset. Kori’s gearing up for a YouTube takeover, dropping fresh weekly content with backstage kiki and post-show tea.
“Follow me, babes. The real show’s just starting.”
👑 Final Word:
In a season where wigs flew, alliances shifted, and reads got brutal, Kori King’s exit wasn’t just iconic — it was unforgettable. That kiss? It’ll live in Drag Race herstory forever.
🌈 And while Season 17 is now tucked in the Drag Race vault, this queer fairytale is only just beginning — Pittsburgh, you better sissy that welcome.
Some queens leave with a crown. Others leave with a girlfriend.
And that? That’s the real tea.
