On Monday September 20th, the world most famous boy band, BTS, was honored to give a speech at the 76th United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York, U.S. This is their 3rd time to present and promote the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals campaign, following two occasions in 2018 and 2020. Their speech revolving about the global hot issues included climate change, environment, and difficult life of young people during the COVID-19 pandemic had reached millions of viewers and fans. Moreover, up to this moment, the BTS’ U.N. speech has been viewed over 15 million times, proving the enormous influences of the K-Pop 7-member boy band. 

 

 

The U.N. General Assembly meeting is a typical place where world leaders and representatives gather, address global issues, and discuss solutions. Therefore, such even does not usually attract widespread interest. Often, the world’s high-profile celebrities appear to give speeches. For example, in 2014, actor Emma Watson, represented HeForShe campaign, gave a speech on Feminism or also in the same year, actor Leonardo DiCaprio, assigned as the UN Messenger of Peace, urged the world’s attention about climate change. Followed up with their inspiring speeches in 2018 and 2020, BTS continued to spread comfort, love, and encouragement to young people worldwide. 

 

After being appointed as the ‘Presidential Special Envoy for Future Generations and Culture,’ by South Korea President Moon Jae-In on July 21st, the international pop group carried the honor to represent the young generation’s voices and visions. Introduced by President Moon Jae-In of South Korea, the band orderly took over the podium with confidence and showed up carrying posters telling fans’ stories, from “Youth Today, Your stories”, a campaign they initiated 2 years ago. The boy group indeed well prepared for their powerful and iconic speech.

 

 

Jin first shared the answered they received from fans stating, “There were times during the past two years when I felt bewildered and troubled but still here, we have people who cry out let’s live on, let’s make the best of this moment.”
Jimin took after and empathized with everybody’s frustration when the pandemic suddenly hit the earth, he stated “…the world changed as if we were transported in a flash to a parallel world”. 

 

So many events and ceremonies had been canceled that upset us. There were moments we wanted to celebrate but we couldn’t. “We now yearn for the moments we wanted to make complete”, said by Jung-Kook. 

 

Sugar then stated the grieving and mourning times for things that were taken away by COVID and for the precious times we all now discovered that we took for granted. 

 

Continued with the momentum, J-Hope addressed the climate change topic and its unsolved answer. We were mourning for our limited times on earth and yet shuddered to mourn for the earth. 

 

Nam-Joon then claimed the young generation lately turned their attentions to study about environment and try to find solutions for this problem. Their messages urged young people to consider a sustainable future to beat climate change. “The future is unexplored territory, and we will spend our times in it more than anyone”. 
Meanwhile, Taehyung added: “So I hope we don’t just consider the future as grim darkness. We have people who are concerned for the world and are searching for the answers.”

 

Highlight of the speech was when BTS stated that the young generation, was so called the COVID generation, was not a lost generation but rather be a welcoming generation. We are welcoming new challenges, adapting new life and making effort to live happier and healthier. We are not lost; we are accepting challenges. During the difficult COVID time, there are moments when we think the world has been ended, but have we known that the world is actually moving forward. 
“Every choice we make is the beginning of change”.  There are still many possibilities and hopes. There is light at the end of the dark tunnel. 

 

Nevertheless, BTS also stated that all the members were already fully vaccinated. As Nam-Joon said vaccination is the ticket for us to make an effort for enabling a normal life. “We too are doing the things that we are able to do right now”. They stressed the importance of getting vaccination as efforts to keep this reality going forward and look forward for a hopeful future, a day when we can joyfully meet face-to-face again, “until then, we can fill each other each of our days to the brim with positive energy”, said Taehyung. 

 

Right at in the welcoming generation topic, BTS ended their millions-views speech with a special version of their hit song ‘Permission to Dance’ at the U.N. The song was so matched with their messages and the current situation “…We don’t need to worry, ‘cause when we fall, we know how to land…”. 

 

Even though we are all going through a difficult time, but since we are the welcoming generation, we are able to embark any obstacles and move forward to a much more promising future. 
BTS truly proves that they are the world’s top influencers with their powerful and inspiring messages, either through their songs, their speeches, or their life experiences. 

 

 

TW News