'K-pop a bridge that connects worlds’: BTS' RM delivers heartfelt address at APEC CEO Summit

RM's address was the first-ever speech by a Korean artist at the APEC CEO summit.

K-pop idol and leader of the band BTS Kim Namjoon, popularly known as RM, delivered a keynote speech at the APEC CEO Summit's cultural session in South Korea's Gyeongju on Wednesday, focusing on "Cultural and creative industries in the APEC region and the soft power of K-culture."

South Korean artist Kim Nam-joon, also known professionally as RM, a member of pop band BTS, during the APEC CEO Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Wednesday.(Bloomberg)

His address was the first-ever speech by a Korean artist at the APEC CEO summit, which is a prestigious global business forum.

Namjoon talked about how the K-pop crosses borders to “move the hearts of people”.

“It's not something we can really calculate of measure. It's a bridge that connects worlds,” he said.

Expressing his gratitude for the BTS fandom, also known as army, Namjoon said, “Army's support and passion crossed all borders and opened up like a brand new path of me. They gave me a voice that was heard at the Billboard Music Awards, at the Grammys, at the United Nations, and even at the White House at such historic and symbolic events, like right here at the APEC.”

He also talked about the challenges the K-pop group faced around a decade back when it went global for the first time, saying that their music was called “non-English” and “foreign culture”.

Speaking about the struggles the group faced and how it overcame them, Namjoon recalled dancing on the street and handing out flyers for free shows. However, there was one thing the artist said was more difficult.

“When we said we are artists from Korea, they did not ask us about our music, they asked, “Are you from North Korea or South Korea? Where on Earth is Korea?” So we had to explain where Korea was before we could even talk about out music and that was the reality," he said.

'What is K-Pop?'

Namjoon also spoke a great deal about K-pop and what it entails during his address. “K-Pop is not just a genre of music, it is a 360 degrees total package of music, dance, performance, visual style, storytelling, music, video, and even social media,” he said.

He added that the success K-pop got globally came from “respecting diversity” and embracing worldwide cultures whule still holding on to Korea's unique identity.

“When culture barriers come down and different voices harmonise together, there is an explosion of creative energy,” he said.