MANILA, Philippines — Korean girl group BLACKPINK was among the esteemed guests at a state banquet inside Buckingham Palace, honoring 140 years of relations between South Korea and the United Kingdom.
King Charles III hosted the state banquet in honor of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was visiting for a three-day state visit with his wife Kim Keon-hee.
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Other British dignitaries were present, including British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and members of the royal family like Prince William and his wife Kate.
BLACKPINK was invited as ambassadors for COP26 or the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference, the group advocating for the sustainable development goals of the United Nations.
Lmfao they cant believe that Charles actually mentioned their name???????? pic.twitter.com/UwbrHOsBup
— ????. (@perfectlalisa) November 21, 2023
"I applaud Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rosé... for their role in bringing the message of environmental sustainability to a global audience," the king said during the state banquet, later meeting the girl group in person.
After praising BLACKPINK, the king joked that during his last visit to South Korea in 1992 he wasn't sure he "developed much of what might be called the Gangnam Style," a reference to the famous hit by another Korean artist, Psy.
"Korea has matched Danny Boyle with Bong Joon-ho, James Bond with 'Squid Game,' and the Beatles' 'Let It Be' with BTS’s 'Dynamite,'" Charles III added. "Our cultures share a remarkable ability to captivate imaginations across the world, transforming a so-called soft power into a shared superpower."
Suk-yeol is among the first world leaders Charles III has hosted since his coronation last May.
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