BTS becomes the youngest to receive Order of Cultural Merit

BTS poses for a photo with World Bank President Kim Jim-young, right, during a meeting focused on youth issues at the United Nations in New York on Sept. 24. AFP-Yonhap

By Kang Aa-young

K-pop superstars BTS will receive the Order of Cultural Merit from the Korean government in recognition of the idol group's contribution to promote Korean culture and language across the globe, Cheong Wa Dae said Monday.

Kim Eui-kyeom, spokesman for the presidential house, said the seven-member group will be awarded a fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit.

"The government decided to award all the members of BTS with the order of merit, as they have contributed to spreading Korean culture and language to other countries," he said. They became the youngest recipients of the award.

"Many young overseas fans are now singing their songs in Korean. BTS helped promote not just hallyu, or the Korean wave, but also the Korean language, Hangeul," Kim quoted Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon as saying.

The Order of Cultural Merit is awarded to those who contribute to promoting the nation's cultural assets across the world.

BTS is being commended with the Hwagwan (flower crown), the fifth-class merit.

Actor Lee Soon-jae will also receive the Hwagwan medal, while French President Emmanuel Macron will receive the Grand Order of Mugunghwa ― the top order of any kind in Korea ― for his contribution to enhancing the relations between the two countries.

In 2016, BTS received a commendation from the culture ministry. Even if many K-pop acts, including BIGBANG, EXO and Girls' Generation, have already received commendations, few K-pop singers have received the Order of Cultural Merit. PSY who ranked second on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with his viral hit song "Gangnam Style," was bestowed the Order of Cultural Merit in 2012.

The Order of Cultural Merit is a higher honor than the commendation.

Past award winners of the Order of Cultural Merit include K-pop legend Cho Yong-pil and 91-year-old Song Hae, for hosting a music show for 30 years. Most recently, the late Choi In-hun, the award-winning author best known for his 1960 novel "The Square" was awarded the order.

BTS became the first K-pop group to reach the top spot on Billboard's weekly albums chart with its new album, "Love Yourself: Tear" in May. The band attracted more than 40,000 fans to the sold-out concert on Saturday in New York at Citi Field for the final show of its "Love Yourself" tour and the group's first concert in a U.S. stadium.

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