BTS’ RM Compares K-pop Music To ‘Bibimbap’ In Powerful Speech At APEC Summit; Here’s What It Means

BTS leader RM made history as the first K-pop artist to speak at the APEC CEO Summit, held in South Korea, which was attended by top business and economic leaders from across Asia. During his speech, he discussed

the power of creativity and urged global leaders to support art as much as business and technology. RM also shared his thoughts on how K-pop mixes global styles while still keeping its Korean identity.

To explain this, he compared K-pop to Korea’s popular dish, bibimbap, a mix of rice, vegetables and flavours that come together while keeping their own taste. The idol explained that K-pop is like bibimbap because it mixes Korean culture and feelings with Western music styles like hip hop, R&B and EDM.

RM Compares K-Pop Music With Bibimbap

RM said, “There is so much cultural content around the whole world, but why K-pop? Why is it so unique? Why does K-pop create this powerful and inclusive community? It’s because of the special principle of unity of K-pop. This is what enables people from such diverse backgrounds to come together just through the medium of K-pop. I like to compare K-pop music to Bibimbap, which is a traditional Korean dish. You’ve got to taste it. So you take ‘bap,’ which is rice. Then you put all kinds of vegetables, meat, flavourings on top and mix it all up. And that’s the ‘Bibim’ part.”

“K-pop is much the same. You take Korea’s unique aesthetics, emotions and production system, but you don’t turn away elements of Western music like hip hop, R&B or EDM. Just like Bibimbap, these parts all keep their unique identities, but mix together to make something new and fresh and delightful. K-pop is not just a genre of music. It is a 360 deree total package of music, dance, performance, visual style, storytelling, music, video and even social media.”

RM shared that K-pop’s success is not about one culture being superior to another. Instead, it grew by respecting and blending different cultures while staying true to Korea’s own identity. He believes that when people from various backgrounds come together and understand each other, it creates powerful creativity. This unity, he said, is what made BTS’s fandom, ARMY, so special.

BTS To Make A Grand Comeback In 2026

RM’s speech took place just before the exciting news of BTS’s comeback. The group is set to return in 2026 with a brand new album and a world tour.