BTS RM's oral quote from a past interview gets featured at the entrance of the National Folk Museum of Korea

On Friday, April 26, it was revealed that a quote from BTS RM's past interview was featured at the entrance of the National Folk Museum of Korea. Last year, following the release of the idol's solo debut album, Indigo, he sat down for an interview with El Pais, where he answered several questions related to topics ranging from his solo debut to his thoughts on the general K-pop scene.

One of the questions inquired about RM's thoughts on the K-pop label that most Korean artists are attached to. Taking pride in the success of the 'K-' category, RM answered that the label stands as a mark of guaranteed success:

"You can get sick of Spotify calling us all K-pop, but it works. It’s a premium label. It’s that guarantee of quality that our grandparents fought for."

The original quote was, however, tweaked slightly during its showcase at the museum. The quote at the National Folk Museum of Korea read:

"'K-' a premium label. It’s that guarantee of quality that our grandparents fought for."

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BTS RM's quote during his interview with El Pais last year gets featured at the entrance of the National Folk Museum of Korea

In December 2022, BTS' RM rolled out his solo debut with his first full-length album, Indigo. The album grew to be a commercial success and impressed netizens.

Following his solo debut, the idol put forth promotional content. One of these promotions included an interview with the Spanish newspaper, El Pais.

On March 12, 2023, the full interview of BTS' RM by El Pais was released and the article covered the idol's answers to topics related to his collaborations on the album, his hobbies, his general thoughts on K-pop, his partnership with Bottega Veneta and more. One of the questions in the interview was about whether the idol ever gets sick of the label, K-pop.

Since most Korean artists are categorized under K-pop, Korean pop music is often misconceptualised and the artists' styles are misrecognized. Though RM is a part of the K-pop boy band, his identity as a solo artist might differ from his identity as the group's rapper. While acknowledging that the label gets annoying at times, especially when Spotify refers to all Korean artists under the K-pop category, he also expressed that it works ironically.

He talked about how the currently dominating 'K-' label, which can be otherwise referred to as the Hallyu Wave, takes its inspiration from their ancestors:

"Korea is a country that has been invaded, razed to the ground, torn in two. Just 70 years ago, there was nothing. We were getting aid from the IMF and the UN. But now, the whole world is looking at Korea. How is that possible? How did that happen? Well, because people try so f*cking hard to better themselves."

RM continued:

"You are in France or the UK, countries that have been colonizing others for centuries, and you come to me with, “oh God, you put so much pressure on yourselves; life in Korea is so stressful!” Well, yes. That’s how you get things done. And it’s part of what makes K-pop so appealing, although, of course, there’s a dark side. Anything that happens too fast and too intensely has side effects."

The idol pointed out that though the Korean lifestyle might look stressful and heavy from the Western perspective, it is that very lifestyle that allows K-pop and other Korean categories to flourish in society.

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Given that the quote perfectly points out both the current cultural influence of Korea and its roots, it was chosen to be featured at the entrance of the National Folk Museum of Korea. The museum is located in Seoul, Korea, and showcases replicas of various aspects of Korea's history to illustrate the life of traditional Korean people.