K-Pop Superstar RM Urges Global Investment in Culture at APEC

K-pop superstar RM of the popular boy band BTS urged global leaders and business executives to invest more in culture and the creative industries, emphasizing the crucial role of soft power in driving economic growth.

Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, RM reflected on BTS’s global journey and how K-pop has evolved from a niche genre into a global phenomenon. He recalled the band’s early days when overseas audiences once asked if they were from North or South Korea and said “where on earth is Korea?” It’s a big contrast to today, when BTS has become the biggest boy band in the world.