 |
| ▲ This file photo shows BTS standing at White House briefing room. (Yonhap) |
 |
| ▲ This file photo shows reporters taking pictures of BTS at White House briefing room. (Yonhap) |
 |
| ▲ This file photo shows reporters taking pictures of BTS at White House briefing room. (Yonhap) |
 |
| ▲ This file photo shows BTS standing at White House briefing room. (Yonhap) |
 |
| ▲ This file photo shows reporters taking pictures of BTS at White House briefing room. (Yonhap) |
 |
| ▲ This file photo shows BTS' fans standing outside the White House. (Yonhap) |
 |
| ▲ This file photo shows BTS' fans cheering for the group's visit to White House. (Yonhap) |
WASHINGTON, June 1 (Yonhap) – An unusual scene could be found on May 31(U.S. Time) at the White House briefing room, which is known for its serious and decisive questions and answers.
K-pop superband BTS made a "surprise visit" to the briefing room before meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss "Asian inclusion and anti-Asian hate crimes” on the last day of the U.S. "Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) Heritage Month."
When BTS opened the door of the briefing room and appeared with a somewhat nervous look with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, the reporters were more calm than expected without much response.
However, when BTS members began to speak one by one, most reporters seemed busy taking pictures or recording videos with their cell phones. Some reporters immediately posted it on their social media page.
The press photographers that were behind the briefing room shouted "Phone down, phone down."
On this day, three times as many reporters gathered in the briefing room and many of them were standing in the aisle.
U.S. reporters were also found taking 360-degree videos of the entire briefing room as if they found the scene interesting.
The YouTube channel of White House, which broadcasted the briefing, garnered more than 300,000 simultaneous users when BTS began to speak.
More than 200 BTS’ fans gathered outside the White House. They were seen wearing a purple mask and a bandana that represent the symbolic color of the group.
BTS stayed in the briefing room for about six minutes in their black suits. Only the leader RM spoke in English, while the other six members highlighted the eradication of anti-Asian hate crimes in Korean.
The staff from the agency HYBE said, "The members said it in Korean because they are Koreans," adding, "There wasn’t a separate request from White House.”
BTS will return to Korea on June 1(U.S. Time).
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Kim Sun Min.)
(END)
(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved
