RM becomes first K-pop artist to give keynote speech at APEC CEO Summit

K-pop supergroup BTS just achieved another historical feat. The South Korean boyband’s leader, RM aka Kim Namjoon, delivered a keynote speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in South Korea’s Gyeongju on Wednesday.

- Bahni Bandyopadhyay

It is the first time a K-pop artist took part in an APEC summit as a speaker. The 31-year-old rapper talked about the success of K-pop, their fans all over the world, and breaking cultural barriers with their music.

“I’m not a business leader. I don’t think you want to hear any numbers or figures from me. So today, I want to speak to you as a creator and an artist. I want to share my thoughts on how K-pop crossed borders to move the hearts of people,” he said.

He talked about how BTS began their journey in the music industry, trying to find their footing first on home turf and then, in the world, while producing songs primarily in Korean.