The British Royal family hosted a state banquet at Buckingham Palace today in honor of the visit by the South Korean president, Yoon Suk Yeol, and his wife.
‘As our nations strive towards a harmony between progress and preservation, between the past and the present, we can look to the future with great confidence as our peoples forge ever closer links.’ pic.twitter.com/JGe6g4ypf8
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) November 21, 2023
170 guests were invited to this exclusive event, including BLACKPINK, who were mentioned in King Charles‘ opening address. Yet, BLACKPINK is not the only K-Pop group mentioned at the banquet.
The King, joined by The President and First Lady of the Republic of Korea, has welcomed @BLACKPINK to Buckingham Palace, as they are awarded Honorary MBEs.
The K-Pop band have been awarded the honours in recognition of their role as Advocates for the COP26 Summit in Glasgow. pic.twitter.com/8xeD4zWP3J
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) November 22, 2023
King Charles also gave a shoutout to BTS!
BTS | BIGHIT MUSIC
He compared British pop culture icons to Korean equivalents. So, the James Bond franchise was likened to Netflix series Squid Game, English director Danny Boyle to Korean director Bong Joon Ho, and English rock band The Beatles to K-Pop boy group BTS!
Korea has matched Danny Boyle with Bong Joon Ho, James Bond with Squid Game, and The Beatles’ ‘Let It Be’ with BTS‘s ‘Dynamite!’
— King Charles
“Korea has matched Danny Boyle with Bong Joon-ho, ‘James Bond’ with ‘Squid Game’, and the Beatles’ ‘Let It Be’ with @BTS_twt’s dynamic or ‘Dynamite.’”
-King Charles III speech at the State Banquet for the Republic of Korea
https://t.co/06ccDsQslL#BTS pic.twitter.com/37nxj4GOO0
— Sari Setiogi Griberg (@setiogi) November 22, 2023
Likewise, President Yoon Suk Yeol referenced the United Kingdom’s various icons from music, film, and literature. He acknowledged how both countries appreciate each other’s entertainment. So, again, BTS and BLACKPINK were mentioned.
Back when I was a student, my friends and I were passionate about The Beatles, Queen, and Elton John. Nowadays, Koreans cherish the Harry Potter series. And Korea’s BTS and BLACKPINK are cherished by the people of the United Kingdom, too. ‘My Universe,’ performed by Korea’s BTS and the UK’s Coldplay, received a tremendous amount of love from the young listeners worldwide.
— President Yoon Suk Yeol
“If The United Kingdom is the country of The Beatles, Queen, Harry Potter and David Beckham — Korea is the country of BTS, BLACKPINK and Son Heung-min’s right foot.”
— President of South Korea at Buckingham Palace.
— BTS Trend Songs⁷ (@BTSTrendSongs) November 22, 2023
ARMYs are so proud of BTS!
Read more about the event below.
BLACKPINK Make Music History With Their Latest Royal Achievement