Permission to Dance? BTS band dances its way through the United Nations

In a Monday broadcast, fully vaccinated South Korean boy band BTS danced their way through the United Nations, advocating global aims to combat poverty, inequality, injustice, and climate change ahead of the annual UN assembly of world leaders.

Over the weekend, the seven-member ensemble danced through the General Assembly hall and out into the gardens of the world body’s New York headquarters, filming a music video for their song “Permission to Dance.” It was shown during a discussion about the Sustainable Development Goals.

BTS, whose members announced they were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, also made an appearance in person at the General Assembly event, where they were presented by South Korean President Moon Jae-in. They are Special Presidential Envoys for Future Generations and Culture at the United Nations.

They expressed their frustration throughout the pandemic by sharing their ideas and those of young people around the world about the last two years and the future.

“I was saddened to hear that entrance and graduation ceremonies had to be canceled,” said Jeon Jung-Kook, known as Jungkook. “These are moments in life you want to celebrate and missing out on them must have been upsetting. We were heartbroken when our long-planned concert tours were canceled.”

They praised the resilience of youth, saying they were not “COVID’s lost generation.”

“I think it’s a stretch to say they’re lost just because paths they tread can’t be seen by grown-up eyes,” said BTS group leader Kim Nam-Joon, known as RM

“A more fitting moniker would be the ‘welcome generation,’ since instead of dreading change, this generation says ‘welcome’ and keeps forging ahead,” said Kim Seok-Jin, also known as Jin.