Permission to Dance? BTS sing their way through United Nations
20/09/2021 17:09
By Michelle Nichols and Roselle Chen
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Fully vaccinated South
Korean band BTS danced its way through the United Nations in a
Monday broadcast, promoting global goals tackling poverty,
inequality, injustice and climate change ahead of the annual
U.N. gathering of world leaders.
The seven-member group filmed a music video to its song
'Permission to Dance' in the world body's New York headquarters
over the weekend, dancing through the General Assembly hall and
out into the gardens. It was broadcast during an event on the
Sustainable Development Goals.
BTS - whose members declared they were all fully vaccinated
against COVID-19 - also appeared in person at the event in the
General Assembly, introduced by South Korean President Moon
Jae-in. They are the U.N.'s Special Presidential Envoys for
Future Generations and Culture.
They shared their thoughts and those of young people
worldwide on the past two years and the future, expressing their
frustration during the pandemic.
"I was saddened to hear that entrance and graduation
ceremonies had to be canceled," said Jeon Jung-Kook, known as
Jungkook. "These are moments in life you want to celebrate and
missing out on them must have been upsetting. We were
heartbroken when our long planned concert tours were canceled."
They praised the resilience of youth, saying they were not
"COVID's lost generation."
"I think it's a stretch to say they're lost just because
paths they tread can't be seen by grown-up eyes," said BTS group
leader Kim Nam-Joon, known as RM.
Kim Seok-Jin, known as Jin, added: "Instead of the 'lost
generation' a more appropriate name would be the 'welcome
generation' because instead of fearing change, this generation
says 'welcome' and keeps forging ahead."
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols and Roselle Chen; Editing by
Mary Milliken and Richard Chang)
((michelle.nichols@tr.com; Twitter: @michellenichols))