Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Rabat – South Korean President Moon Jae In has appointed Korean boy band BTS as a special presidential envoy tasked with promoting South Korean culture worldwide.
President Jae In announced the news on September 14 at a ceremony held at the Main Office Hall of the Blue House, giving each of the group’s seven members a certificate of appointment, a diplomatic passport, and a fountain pen to represent South Korean culture on the world stage.
As South Korea’s presidential envoys, the artists will be accompanying the president in his visit to the US from September 19 to 23. The group is also set to attend other global conferences to represent the country and to advocate for youth-related issues.
The Blue House, South Korea’s presidential office and residence, announced in an official statement on twitter that “BTS will deliver messages of consolation and hope to young people around the world.”
With the diplomatic duties that come with being “special presidential envoy,” BTS is scheduled to attend the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 76) on September 20, where the group will be giving a speech along with a video performance.
This will not be the band’s first time speaking at the UN General Assembly, however. In 2018, the band’s leader, RM, delivered a speech on self-empowerment entitled “Speak Yourself” at the launch ceremony of UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited during the 73rd UN General Assembly.
“We also plan to organize various activities [with BTS] to promote international cooperation to solve global issues such as environment, poverty, inequality improvement, and respect for diversity,” noted the Blue House’s statement.
Many reacted positively to BTS’ new role, shedding light on both their achievements on the worldwide cultural scene and their strong contribution to the South Korean economy.
K-pop’s rise to prominence has been immense over the last few years, and the genre has gained wide currency among Moroccan millennials. According to data from Spotify, the North African country is the fourth most K-pop-obsessed country in the MENA region.
Most recently, the South Korean culture, sports, and tourism ministry-affiliated King Sejong Institute opened its first Moroccan branch in Rabat. The institute introduces South Korea’s language and culture to foreigners, in a bid to develop and sustain international interest in the history and culture of the Korean peninsula.
Many K-pop festivals took place in Rabat and Casablanca before the pandemic, and Morocco’s Korean wave is expected to grow in numbers and prominence in the coming, post-COVID months.
The love seems mutual, as K-pop boy band BIG released a cover of the former Arab boy band The 5 – “la bezzaf” – that featured words in Darija, while the K-pop group Ateez also traveled to Morocco to shoot the videos for their songs “Treasure” and “Pirate King.”
