BTS leader RM has added another milestone to his growing list of achievements after being officially appointed as the first-ever global ambassador of the National Museum of Korea, a role that will see him help promote Korean cultural heritage to audiences around the world. According to reports from The Korea Times and The Chosun Daily, the appointment was officially announced on June 20 through the museum’s official channels, marking the first time in the museum's history that it has named a global ambassador.
“BTS RM has been appointed as the first global ambassador in the National Museum of Korea’s history," the announcement wrote as reported by The Chosun Daily.
The museum highlighted that RM, whose real name is Kim Nam-joon, was chosen because of his well-known appreciation for Korean culture and art and his longstanding support for preserving cultural heritage.
The institution said the artist’s deep connection to Korean heritage made him a fitting choice for the historic role.
“RM, who has consistently shown deep interest and affection for Korean cultural heritage and culture, will now promote the value and beauty of Korean cultural heritage worldwide as a global ambassador.”
It added, “The National Museum of Korea will continue its best efforts to connect the past and present, bridge Korea and the world, and enable more people to experience our culture and art.”
To commemorate the appointment, RM toured the museum with Director You Hong June, visiting several exhibitions and exploring some of the institution’s upcoming featured collections.
“RM, along with Director You Hong June, visited special exhibitions set to open soon, including ‘Amazing Thailand: Thai Art Masterpieces Exhibition’ and the calligraphy and painting gallery’s thematic exhibition ‘Danwon Kim Hong-do, Painting the Era,’ among others, to explore the museum’s diverse exhibitions and collections.”
As part of his new role, the BTS leader is expected to participate in several promotional activities to introduce Korean history, traditional culture, and heritage to a broader international audience.
"I will do my best to help more people appreciate the beauty and value of our cultural heritage," RM said.
Museum director Hong June also shared his hopes for RM’s appointment, emphasizing the significance of having a globally recognized artist represent Korean culture.
"It is meaningful to share the beauty of our cultural heritage with the world together with RM."
The appointment also reflects RM’s longstanding dedication to cultural preservation beyond his public persona as a global music star.
In both 2021 and 2022, he donated 100 million won (around ₱3.96 million) to the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, helping fund the preservation and restoration of Korean cultural assets located abroad.
Outside of music, RM has also become widely known among fans and the art world for being an avid collector of fine art.
READ: RM of BTS to showcase personal art collection at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Further expanding his presence in the art scene, the BTS leader is also set to hold a special exhibition featuring pieces from his personal collection at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art this October.
“We live in an age defined by boundaries. This exhibition at SFMOMA reflects those boundaries: between East and West, Korea and America, the modern and the contemporary, the personal and the universal. I don’t want to prescribe how these works should be seen; whether out of curiosity or study, all perspectives are welcome. My only hope is that this exhibition can be a small but sturdy bridge for many," he said.
The exhibition is expected to feature more than 200 works from RM's collection and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, further bringing together modern and contemporary Korean artworks with other artworks from all over the world.