RM at APEC: Ask Leaders to Back Creators and Cultural Industries
Gyeongju-si, South Korea — October 29, 2025
At the 2025 APEC CEO Summit, BTS leader RM urged policymakers and business leaders to invest in the creative sector, arguing that culture is both an engine for empathy and a tangible economic opportunity. Speaking in Gyeongju-si on October 29, he credited the band’s global fandom — ARMY — with dismantling cultural barriers that once kept K-pop on the margins in Western markets.
RM explained that when BTS first traveled overseas, their music was often treated as a novelty rather than taken seriously. Questions about Korea’s location sometimes came before questions about the music itself. Over time, he said, fans turned that skepticism into curiosity and then into widespread acceptance — using the group’s music to spark charitable initiatives, social campaigns and cross-cultural conversations.
Addressing APEC’s newfound focus on culture and creativity, RM called on leaders to provide financial support and opportunities for creators worldwide so imaginative work can flourish. He argued that artistic investment will yield cultural innovation that also drives economic growth and international understanding.
“ARMY was the force that broke down those barriers,” RM told the audience. “They used our music as a bridge to converse beyond borders and languages.”
RM also reflected on his personal fortune in having his BTS bandmates and fans, calling the bonds with Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook a core part of his life. He said ARMY treat BTS’s music not as mere entertainment but as a shared language that connects people.
The summit marked the first time APEC elevated cultural and creative industries as a core agenda item. RM used his platform to illustrate how backing artists can generate both social value and commercial returns, and he asked APEC leaders to make culture part of long-term investment strategies.
RM’s appearance comes as BTS prepares for a major return in 2026. After fulfilling military duties — during which members focused on solo projects (RM released the album Right Place, Wrong Person in May 2024) — the group reunited in July 2025 and signaled that a new full-length album and world tour are in development.
Below is a polished, first-person rendition of RM’s speech delivered at the summit.
RM — Remarks to APEC Leaders
Hello. I’m RM, leader of BTS. It’s an honor to be here in Korea, where I was born and raised, and to address the leaders gathered at APEC.
This year’s decision to include the cultural industry on the APEC agenda is meaningful. While I’m not a business executive and won’t present numbers, I do want to speak as a creator — to share how culture moves people and how we can nurture tomorrow’s creative ecosystem together.
I consider myself fortunate. I met six remarkable members who became my brothers, and I met producers and supporters who believed in our music. Most importantly, I met ARMY — a community that treated our songs as more than distraction, but as a shared language of life.
When BTS first ventured abroad about a decade ago, Korean songs were rarely heard on mainstream English-language media. Our music was labeled foreign, and sometimes people asked where Korea was before they asked about the music itself. That reality pushed us to create our own opportunities: performing on streets, handing out flyers, and persisting despite closed doors.
Over time, something changed. ARMY’s passion crossed borders and opened pathways that once seemed impossible. They amplified our message through charity and social campaigns, and the world began to listen. What began as a minority fandom matured into a global community that influences culture and conversation.
K-pop’s appeal isn’t because one culture dominates another; it’s because we respect diversity while keeping Korea’s distinct identity. K-pop mixes local aesthetics with global influences — hip-hop, R&B, EDM — creating a layered, immersive cultural product. I like to compare it to bibimbap: many distinct ingredients blended to produce something new and delicious.
Culture is like a river — streams meet, merge and flow outward. The Asia-Pacific region is rich with cultural variety, and K-pop’s success shows how creativity and diversity become powerful, borderless forces for growth.
Leaders of APEC, I ask you this: what works of art moved you? A song, a painting, a book — these are the things that connect us. As policymakers and business leaders, you can help shape the environment where creators thrive. Provide funding, create opportunities, and ensure that culture is part of future investments. When creators flourish, they cultivate empathy, tolerance and a new shared language that can unite people across nations.
I stand with APEC’s vision for diversity, inclusion and growth through culture. As an artist, I will do my part: to create, to share courage and hope through music, and to honor the platform you build for creatives everywhere. Your support can enable creators to reach the world — and in doing so, help build a more connected, compassionate future.
Thank you.
