• South Korean President Moon Jae-in and members of K-Pop boyband BTS pose for photographs with a gift given by BTS during Youth Day at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, September 19, 2020. Yonhap via Reuters
    South Korean President Moon Jae-in and members of K-Pop boyband BTS pose for photographs with a gift given by BTS during Youth Day at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, September 19, 2020. Yonhap via Reuters
  • "Seven young people living lives like a roller coaster... I remember in 2018 all seven of us were lost after so much success. We can never believe the path will remain full of flowers and fruit, because we don't know when the descent will start again," said RM, leader of BTS. Yonhap via AP
    "Seven young people living lives like a roller coaster... I remember in 2018 all seven of us were lost after so much success. We can never believe the path will remain full of flowers and fruit, because we don't know when the descent will start again," said RM, leader of BTS. Yonhap via AP
  • Members of K-Pop boyband BTS attend Youth Day at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, September 19, 2020. Yonhap via Reuters
    Members of K-Pop boyband BTS attend Youth Day at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, September 19, 2020. Yonhap via Reuters
  • South Korean President Moon Jae-in, third from left, receives a gift from members of South Korean K-Pop group BTS during a ceremony marking the National Youth Day at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020. Yonhap via AP
    South Korean President Moon Jae-in, third from left, receives a gift from members of South Korean K-Pop group BTS during a ceremony marking the National Youth Day at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020. Yonhap via AP
  • South Korean K-Pop group BTS attend a ceremony marking the National Youth Day at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020. Yonhap via AP
    South Korean K-Pop group BTS attend a ceremony marking the National Youth Day at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020. Yonhap via AP
  • South Korean K-Pop group BTS member J-Hope speaks during a ceremony marking the National Youth Day. Yonhap via AP
    South Korean K-Pop group BTS member J-Hope speaks during a ceremony marking the National Youth Day. Yonhap via AP

Music

BTS visit South Korea's presidential office: RM says band was 'lost' in 2018

Standing at podiums before South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the men spoke in turn about persevering for years since their debut amid uncertainty

Reuters

September 20, 2020

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Members of hugely popular K-Pop band BTS visited South Korea's presidential office on Saturday, talking about their "roller coaster" road to success and giving a message of hope for young people for the country's first national Youth Day.

BTS scored Korea's first-ever number 1 hit on the main US Billboard music chart last month with the group's first all-English language single Dynamite, crowning a dizzying global rise to fame since a 2013 debut.

We can never believe the path will remain full of flowers and fruit, because we don't know when the descent will start again

Standing at podiums before South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the seven members spoke in turn about persevering for years since their debut amid uncertainty, and runaway success in the past three years causing them to question their goals.

"Seven young people living lives like a roller coaster... I remember in 2018 all seven of us were lost after so much success. We can never believe the path will remain full of flowers and fruit, because we don't know when the descent will start again," said RM, leader of BTS.

"To make sure momentary happiness and misery doesn't affect your entire life... please continue to walk bravely, as you have done so far."

Members of BTS handed Moon a time capsule for future youth, in a purple box, to be opened in 19 years.

South Korea's first-ever Youth Day was celebrated after a law on the rights and responsibilities of youth aged 19-34 was enacted last month.