South Korean boy band BTS made history by being the first ever K-pop group to speak at the United Nations on Monday for UNICEF’s “Generation Unlimited” launch. The group has previously worked with UNICEF to launch the “Love Myself” campaign, which advocates against youth violence. Now, the UN launches “Generation Unlimited” to alleviate “the global education and training crisis currently holding back millions of young people and threatening progress and stability.”
Kim Nam-joon, better known as RM, spoke for the group to share his personal struggles and how he used those experiences to positively influence the people around him. Creating music was how he found his strength. “I had one sanctuary, and that was music. There was a small voice in me that said, ‘Wake up, man, and listen to yourself!’ But it took me a long time to hear music calling my name.” He uses this newfound confidence to motivate others to believe in themselves too: “I want to hear your voice. I want to hear your conviction. No matter where you’re from, skin color, gender identity, just speak yourself.”
BTS fans, better known as ARMY, took to social media to voice their praise for the group’s moving words. Even those who were not formerly K-pop fans shared their enthusiasm and support for the inspiring boy band.
We stan LEGENDS, never forget#BTS #BTSxUnitedNations pic.twitter.com/qKHyzmjGtl
— Rachel810 (@KPOPER810) September 25, 2018
I hope everyone remembers this #BTSxUnitedNations pic.twitter.com/UC8RVgBHhK
— president namjoon kim (@joon4change) September 25, 2018
i’m all in on kpop now #BTSxUnitedNations pic.twitter.com/hWwmYdnl7i
— Hasan Piker (@hasanthehun) September 25, 2018
SO I TYPED, PRINTED AND FRAMED NAMJOONS SPEECH
now all i need to do is hang it up on the wall #BTSxUnitedNations @BTS_twt pic.twitter.com/ezd6Si7eTr— akanksha (@parkjiminhigh) September 25, 2018
you know damn well this is my new ringtone #BTSxUnitedNations pic.twitter.com/Hy2PFKx2eF
— ? (@miserymyg) September 24, 2018
Loving myself, knowing my name.#btsxunitednations #taehyungfanart pic.twitter.com/QkHMyDzTE5
— yurie– (@yurieem) September 24, 2018
this is the whole speech and I’m getting this tattooed on my forehead so everyone would know I stan an intellectual #BTSxUnitedNations pic.twitter.com/f2zgv7Arfz
— pransí (@02myg) September 24, 2018
Basically. #BTSxUnitedNations #SpeakYourself pic.twitter.com/yH7NaFVzKt
— clarisse — speak yourself (@hiHOBIhi) September 24, 2018
“I would look up at the night sky and wonder…..I used to imagine I was a superhero who could save the world”
–An ordinary(?) 24-year-old guy delivered a speech at the UN—-#BTS#BTSxUnitedNations pic.twitter.com/dAndpKTtSw
— Lee Jeong Yeon (@leejeongyeonart) September 25, 2018