NEW YORK: South Korean band BTS danced its way through the United Nations in a broadcast, promoting global goals tackling poverty, inequality, injustice and climate change ahead of the annual UN gathering of world leaders.
The seven-member group filmed a music video to its song ‘Permission to Dance’ in the world body’s New York headquarters over the weekend, dancing through the General Assembly hall and out into the gardens. It was broadcast during an event on the Sustainable Development Goals.
BTS – whose members declared they were all fully vaccinated against COVID-19 – also appeared in person at the event in the General Assembly, introduced by South Korean President Moon Jae-in. They are the UN’s Special Presidential Envoys for Future Generations and Culture.
The seven-member boy band, clad in subdued dark suits, said they hoped to rally young people to look at how to work toward the Sustainable Development Goals.
With Covid restrictions in force, BTS spoke before a largely empty General Assembly call, with delegates in the front rows listening in silence other than occasionally snapping a picture by phone.
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 world body’s lawn facing the East River.
They shared their thoughts and those of young people worldwide on the past two years and the future, expressing their frustration during the pandemic
“I was saddened to hear that entrance and graduation ceremonies had to be cancelled,” said Jeon Jung-Kook, known as Jungkook. “These are moments in life you want to celebrate and missing out on them must have been upsetting. We were heartbroken when our long planned concert tours were cancelled.”
They praised the resilience of youth, saying they were not “COVID’s lost generation.” “I think it’s a stretch to say they’re lost just because paths they tread can’t be seen by grown-up eyes,” said BTS group leader Kim Nam-Joon, known as RM.
Kim Seok-Jin, known as Jin, added: “Instead of the ‘lost generation’ a more appropriate name would be the ‘welcome generation’ because instead of fearing change, this generation says ‘welcome’ and keeps forging ahead.”
BTS was introduced by South Korean President Moon Jae-in who has given the pop stars diplomatic passports, the latest effort by Seoul to seize on the global popularity of K-pop.
