PETALING JAYA, May 25 — There’s no doubt that K-pop superstars like BTS and Blackpink are cultural forces to be reckoned with.
Just ask United States president Joe Biden.
The American leader gave K-pop a special shoutout during a press conference with South Korean president Moon Jae-in at the White House last Friday, USA Today reported.
Biden spoke about the “long history” that the United States and South Korea share and the various ways in which the two countries have bridged their cultural divides.
“Our students study together, share ideas, and seed new opportunities for future collaboration.
“And our people-to-people and cultural connections are only growing.
“K-pop fans are universal. I can tell those who laughed know what I’m talking about,” he said with a chuckle.
Biden also gave a nod to Youn Yuh-jung’s Oscar win this year for Best Supporting Actress in the film Minari and the worldwide success of the 2020 dark comedy Parasite.
Other topics tackled by Biden and Moon during their discussions were the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, Covid-19 vaccination efforts, climate change, and the need to strengthen alliances between the two countries.
Biden’s comments come as Korean bands like BTS continue to make waves in the Western pop music scene.
The septet swept up all four awards they were nominated for at the recent 2021 Billboard Music Awards, namely Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Social Artist, and Top Selling Song for their disco pop-inspired hit Dynamite.
