Girls’ Generation to BTS: how K-pop swept the world – and the UN
When boyband BTS spoke to the United Nations General Assembly, it was the logical next step for South Korean soft power – which is taking over the world, one country and one superstar at a time
He also spoke about Unicef’s newest youth education and training initiative, “Generation Unlimited”, and urged the audience to speak their minds and love themselves. “No matter who you are, where you’re from, your skin colour, your gender identity – just speak yourself,” he said. “Find your name and find your voice by speaking yourself.”
At a meeting where the global community discusses issues such as climate change, multilateralism and peacekeeping, the question on everyone’s minds was what place K-pop had in international affairs.
“In their music, they sing about controversial topics like self [esteem] and mental health,” says Tessa Ariella, a student at Yonsei University in South Korea, who says BTS are just as big in her native Indonesia. “BTS are different to other groups, they reach out to everyone.”