Charles incorporates K-pop culture into grand Buckingham Palace state banquet for South Korea’s President on official visit, including a joke about Gangnam Style

Charles addressed a crowd of more than 300 attendees at a formal state banquet at Buckingham Palace for South Korea’s President, where he referenced K-pop culture. In his speech, he issued a warm welcome to the audience, which included the singer BLACKPINK, with a Korean greeting. Marking the 140th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between Korea and the UK, the King described the partnership as a ‘partnership in which close personal connections, fostered over many decades, have blossomed today into a real sense of affection, or jeong, between our societies at so many levels. He praised the rapid growth and journey that Korea has taken, noting that “Koreans have created a miracle”. He also highlighted the “artistic creativity” of the country and praised the explosion of Korean culture. The King applauded South Korea’s commitment to environmental sustainability, showing support for the group BLACKPINK in their role as global ambassadors for U.K.’s presidency of COP 26 and as advocates for the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Charles also looked to a future of even closer connections with Korea in areas such as football, education, science and defense. He also discussed the close relationship between the armed forces of Korea and the UK. The King also noted that “Seventy years ago, in the Korean War, British servicemen fought valiantly alongside your people, under the banner of the United Nations, for the freedom of the Republic of Korea. I t is with great pride and pleasure that I propose a toast to the next 140 years of Korean-British relations”. The King has started putting his own stamp on the royal tableware used for state banquets, with his cypher replacing the late Queen’s EIIR cypher. He noted the mammoth task of removing the original markings and re-etching or embossing has yet to be completed. Guests at the event included K-pop stars Blackpink made up of band members Jenni Kim, Jisoo Kim, Lisa Manobal and Rose Park; and Birmingham City footballer Cho So-hyun.