Grammy-nominated K-Pop band BTS visited the White House on Tuesday and met with President Joe Biden to talk about Asian inclusion and representation as well as the rise of anti-Asian hate.
During a press briefing, each of the band's members spoke about cultural diversity, with Park Jimin condemning the recent surge of Asian-American hate crimes, saying that BTS, which hails from South Korea, wanted to bring attention to the matter by speaking out, according to CBS News.
"We are here today thanks to our 'Army' – our fans worldwide – who have different nationalities and cultures and use different languages, we are truly and always grateful," J-Hope added, while Jungkook admitted they were "still surprised that music created by South Korean artists reaches so many people around the world, transcending languages and cultural barriers."
"We believe music is always an amazing unifier of all things," he said.
"It's not wrong to be different, equality begins when we open up and embrace all of our differences," Suga noted.
"Everyone has their own history, we hope today is one step forward to respecting and understanding each and every one as a valuable person," V added.
BTS' visit to the White House took place as May's recognition of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) month comes to a close. In a statement, the White House said the band's meeting with Biden was to "discuss Asian inclusion and representation, and to address anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination which have become more prominent issues in recent years," a statement read.
"Biden and BTS will also discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion and BTS' platform as youth ambassadors who spread a message of hope and positivity across the world," the White House added in its statement.
BTS has spoken out before about anti-Asian hate during its tours and on social media. Last year, the seven band members shared their experiences encountering racism via a statement on Twitter.
“We recall moments when we faced discrimination as Asians,” the statement said, according to NBC News. “We have endured expletives without reason and were mocked for the way we look. We were even asked why Asians speak English.”
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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