President Biden posts almost 5-minute clip of BTS meeting

K-pop

Published: 05 Jun. 2022, 16:58 Updated: 06 Jun. 2022, 07:54

President Biden posts almost 5-minute clip of BTS meeting

BTS members talk with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House in a video clip released by the White House on June 4. The video was filmed on May 31 during the K-pop stars visit to the White House. [THE WHITE HOUSE]

A longer video of BTS’s meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden on June 4 was posted on the president's Twitter account, four days after the Korean boy band’s visit to the White House.

On May 31, BTS gave a speech on anti-Asian hate crimes in the White House’s press room and met with Biden in private afterward. A one-minute clip of the meeting was posted on the same day.

“The rise in anti-Asian hate crimes requires all of us to stand up, speak out, and give hate no safe harbor,” the president posted on Twitter Saturday alongside the video clip that’s almost five minutes long. “Thanks for all you’re doing. It matters.”

In the beginning of the video, Biden is seen turning on the band’s hit song “Butter” to try to make the members “feel at home.” The members were filmed as they walked around the White House, gave their speech in the press room and shared their own experiences.

BTS members walk around the White House from the video clip released by the White House on June 4 after their visit on May 31. [THE WHITE HOUSE]

“As South Korean artists and someone who witnessed transcending barriers such as languages and cultures while traveling abroad or saw [our music] reaching many people worldwide on a tour, we wanted to talk about the power of diversity,” said Suga during an interview in the video. “We hope there will be more positive cases that differences bring people together.”

President Biden emphasized the important role that artists have.

“I got involved in public life because of civil rights. Even back then, famous artists helped move people. What you are doing makes a big difference. Talking about how we have to eliminate hate is important,” he said. “I know you know what you’re doing, but don’t underestimate it. Not just your great talent. It’s the message you are communicating.”

The members also sat down with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in her office. Harris is known to be a fan of BTS and followed the band's official Twitter account as soon as she took office and set up her official account in January last year. She asked the members to help make people feel that they are not alone.

“When we see hate and prejudice, it’s meant to make people afraid and it’s meant to make people feel alone. And therefore without power,” Harris told the K-pop band. “When you all speak about it, you speak to people in a way that reminds them they aren’t alone.”

Vice President Kamala Harris, center, talks with BTS members in her office on May 31 in the video released by the White House on June 4. [THE WHITE HOUSE]

RM told Harris that they are using their “voice” to give back all the love they had got from fans all across the world.

“We feel happy to help make a positive impact and we feel the great responsibility at the same time,” said RM during an interview in the video.

The video had garnered over 2.8 million views 12 hours after being posted.

BY LEE SUN-MIN [lee.sunmin@joongang.co.kr]