BTS dances at UN as they rally young people to fight climate change

The K-pop stars said the pandemic had created a ‘Covid lost generation’, but offered hope and encouragement to their young fans

‘We can’t stand still in taking on new challenges when we’re in the ideal time of our lives,’ they said

Reading Time:2 minutes

Published: 1:00am, 21 Sep 2021Updated: 3:18am, 21 Sep 2021

It wasn’t exactly the screaming audience BTS is accustomed to, but the South Korean pop sensations had another sort of world stage on Monday as they addressed the United Nations.

The seven-member boy band, clad in subdued dark suits, said they hoped to rally young people to look at how to work towards the Sustainable Development Goals – UN benchmarks on which the world has fallen increasingly behind.

With Covid-19 restrictions in force, BTS spoke before a largely empty General Assembly call, with delegates in the front rows listening in silence – though some occasionally snapped pictures on their phones.

After their remarks, the pop stars put on a pre-recorded video of their track, Permission to Dance , as they showed their moves throughout the General Assembly and on the UN’s lawn.

BTS members told the UN session that they were “heartbroken” to cancel their latest tour because of the pandemic and that they had asked other young people to share perspectives on being the “Covid lost generation”, with life disrupted since early 2020.

“There were times during the past two years when I too felt bewildered and troubled, but still we hear people cry out, ‘let’s live on, let’s make the best of this moment’,” singer Jin said as he recounted responses from young people.