BTS meets South Korea’s President Moon Jae In at Blue House to give a speech during National Youth Day

By Monica Yadav -

September 19, 2020 - 10:19 AM IST

BTS, the biggest boyband in the world, now have their English single 'Dynamite' on Billboard Hot 100 for two consecutive weeks and on No. 2 for the third week. After celebrating their explosive wins at VMAs and chart-topping single, the septet reached the Blue House in South Korea on September 19 in order to attend the National Youth Day in presence of President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung Sook. During the first Youth Day, the seven members of BTS were addressed as the "youth leaders". Their speeches were eloquent as they truly reflected on their journey.

BTS meets South Korea’s President Moon Jae In at Blue House to give a speech during National Youth Day

After their speech, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook donated a special present in the 2039 time capsule for the next generation. It will be kept at The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History and opened 19 years later on the 20th Youth Day celebration.

[Trans]
[Today's Bangtan] Youth Day with #BTS!
BTS is supporting all the youth who will be the protagonists of the future! ????#LeaderOfYouthBTS @BTS_twt
— Bangtan_India Backup⁷ (인도 아미) ???????? (@bangtan__india) September 19, 2020

Here are some of the highlights from the speech:

RM:

"Around 2018, I remember all the members felt lost after experiencing undeservedly overwhelming success. Even if our path is always lined with flowers and fruits, we can't be sure if that's how it'll always be. We never know when things will go downhill when the next rainstorm will strike. At the end of this uncertainty and depression, the seven of us begin to fill each other with dreams and trust, like we were boys again. And August 2020 came, 1st on the Billboard Chart and then 1st again. Accolades we received when we picked ourselves back up. We all cried in tears and we're thankful. But what we most appreciate is our members and especially our fans who for the past 10 years held each other up in the face of despair and surrender."

JIN:

"Just past twenty, I had to battle with another reality. Before debut, I thought hard work would always be enough. But after debut, I needed talent more than effort. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t catch up to the others."

SUGA:

Seven years ago when we debuted, BTS armed ourselves with the drive and hubris, passion, and grit to walk a path where nothing could be predicted. We wanted to succeed, more than anyone. Debuting with a small company and facing hardships and worries we went on, sometimes recklessly and hardheaded working hard and never looking back. We didn't know what to do, but we keep telling ourselves with some despair that these too shall pass, that this will become fond memories."

J-HOPE:

Billboard chart-topping singers, global starts, these are the laurels being bestowed on us today, but it all still seems absolutely surreal. In fact, regardless of era, the profession of idols or artists is like a path without signposts. We set out with nothing but music as our dream, but we don't know where we're going, whether we're going uphill or downhill, not knowing, as we tire and take a breath, whether around the corner is paradise or a pitfall. That was how we started."

JIMIN:

"We kept on running and worked very hard, but it felt like we were stuck in one place for a long time. When we started to argue, felt frustrated, and grew tired, the 7 of us got together. At that time, the hyungs (brothers) that always helped us."

V:

“I think we were tired in spirit and body. I didn't know where I was going, wondering if this amazing path was really what I wanted. I felt I lost sight of my goal, I wasn't happy and I felt emptiness seep through. I tried so hard to pull myself out of this emotional quagmire."

JUNGKOOK:

"And like a lie, we decided to cheer up again, thinking of members and fans. We started off on a road where we had nothing and now we feel like we're each other's milestones. The gratitude we had for being together and the desire to be of support to each other naturally let us realize what we are up to. If each of us had walked alone, we wouldn't have come this far. We wouldn't have been able to run on this road, dancing and singing happily."