BTS to get medal from President Moon for spreading Korean cultural wave

By Lim Chang-won Posted : October 8, 2018, 17:16 Updated : October 8, 2018, 17:16

[Courtesy of Bit Hit Entertainment]


SEOUL -- All seven members of South Korea's popular boy band BTS will be decorated with glorious medals for outstanding activities to develop pop culture and spread Hallyu (Korean cultural wave).

President Moon Jae-in endorsed a cabinet decision Monday to confer the Order of Cultural Merit to BTS members, Moon's office said in a statement. The Order of Cultural Merit is awarded for "outstanding meritorious services in the fields of culture and art in the interest of promoting the national culture and national development." The first class is Geumgwan (gold crown). 
 
BTS will receive Hwagwan (flower crown), the fifth class, for "spreading Hallyu and contributing to the development of popular culture and art," the presidential office said, adding Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon praised BTS for spreading Korean alphabet because many young foreigners are able to sing lyrics in Korean together.
 
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". Fans insist BTS members should be exempted from their mandatory service for enhancing the prestige and image of their homeland. Olympic medalists or Asian Games gold medalists are exempted from military service but there are no rules regarding pop-artists.

 
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". 
 
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