RM of BTS made a speech at the UN

When I first heard that RM who is Kim Namjoon, the leader of the group BTS made a speech at the UN, It was really hard to believe.

But he made it beautifully and after I watched it, It just blew my mind.

I thought they were just a little popular in the world, but it turned out that they are really really popular so that they could make a speech at the UN!

A Korean as I am, I'm really proud of this guys. Because of them, now they are so many people recognizing K-POP, also Korea itself.

It was the first time ever in our history! So I'm really happy to share this amazing one with you guys, that's why I'm here.

He talked about the need for loving ourselves and speaking ourselves to live fully ourselves. I think he tried to get us a message that we are the precious one in the world. 

He had been through a lot of hard times before making a huge success like this. He said like he just wanted to quit from BTS sometimes, but he listened to the voice inside of him and kept pursuing his dream.

This speech is kind of poetic, and also it is surprisingly well-made. So I've listened to this so many times over and over again, and I ended up memorizing all of the sentences in that speech. I definitely recommend you to also listen, and make a time to think about your own voice.

<Script>

Thank you Mr. Secretary General, UNICEF executive director, and all the excellencies and distinguished guests from across the world.

My name is Kim Namjoon, also known as RM, the leader of the group BTS.

It is an incredible honor to be invited to an occasion with such significance for today’s young generation.

Last November, BTS launched the ‘LOVE MYSELF’ campaign with UNICEF built in our belief that ’True love first begins with loving myself’.

We’ve been partnering with UNICEF’s #EndViolence program to protect children and young people all over the world from violence.

And our fans have become a major part of this campaign with their action, and with their enthusiasm. We truly have the best fans in the world.

And I’d like to begin by talking about myself.

I was born in Ilsan, a city near Seoul, South Korea.

It is a really beautiful place with a lake, hills, and even an annual flower festival. I spent a very happy childhood there, and I was just an ordinary boy. I used to look up at the night sky and wonder and I used to dream the dreams of a boy. I used to imagine that I was a superhero who could save the world.

And in an intro to one of our early albums, there’s a line that says, ‘My heart stopped when I was maybe 9 or 10’.

Looking back, I think that’s when I began to worry about what other people thought of me and started seeing myself through their eyes.

I stopped looking up at the night skies, the stars. I stopped daydreaming.

Instead, I just tried to jam myself into the molds that other people made.

Soon, I began to shut out my own voice and started to listen to the voices of others.

No one called out my name and neither did I. My heart stopped and my eyes closed shut.

And so, like this, I, we all lost our names. We became like ghosts.

But I had one sanctuary and that was music.

There was a small voice inside of me that said, ‘Wake up man and listen to yourself’.

But it took me quite a long time to hear music calling my real name.

Even after making the decision to join BTS, there were a lot of huddles.

Some people might not believe but, most people thought we were hopeless.

And sometimes, I just wanted to quit.

But I think I was very lucky that I didn’t give it all up.

And I’m sure that I, and we will keep stumbling and falling like this.

BTS has become artists performing in those huge stadiums and selling millions of albums right now, but I am still an ordinary 24 year-old-guy.

If there’s anything that I’ve achieved, it was only possible that I had my other BTS members right by my side, and because of the love and the support that our ARMY fans all over the world made for us.

And maybe I made a mistake yesterday but, yesterday’s me is still me.

Today, I am who I am with all of my faults and my mistakes.

Tomorrow, I might be a tiny bit wiser and that would be me too.

These faults and mistakes are what I am, making up the brightest stars in the constellation of my life.

I have come to love myself for who I am, for who I was, and for who I hope to become.

I’d like to say one more thing.

After releasing our ‘LOVE YOURSELF’ albums, and launching the ‘LOVE MYSELF’ campaign,

We started to hear remarkable stories from our fans all over the world, how our massage helped them overcome their hardships in life and start loving themselves.

Those stories constantly remind us of our responsibility.

So, let’s take all one more step.

We have learned to love ourselves.

So now I urge you to speak yourself.

I’d like to ask all of you. 

What is your name? What excites you and makes heart beat?

Tell me your story. I wanna hear your voice, and I wanna hear your conviction.

No matter who you are, where you’re from, your skin color, your gender identity, just speak yourself.

Find your name and find your voice by speaking yourself.

I am Kim Namjoon and also RM of BTS.

I’m an idol, and I’m an artist from a small town in Korea.

Like most people, I’ve made many and plenty mistakes in my life.

I have many faults, and I have many more fears.

But I’m gonna embrace myself as hard as I can,

And I’m starting to love myself gradually just little by little.

What is your name? Speak yourself.

Thank you very much.