SEOUL, June 20 (AJP) -The National Museum of Korea appointed BTS leader RM as its first global ambassador on Saturday to promote South Korean cultural heritage to an international audience. The appointment comes as South Korea aggressively leverages its global pop culture dominance to convert commercial entertainment fandom into institutional high-art diplomacy.
The decision aligns with an unprecedented surge in international interest that has propelled the Seoul-based institution into the top tier of global cultural tourism. According to the 2025 Global Museum Visitor Survey published by the United Kingdom-based art magazine The Art Newspaper, the museum drew over 6.5 million visitors to rank third worldwide, surpassing both the British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This growth has accelerated into 2026, driven primarily by an influx of foreign tourists seeking the historical roots of contemporary South Korean culture. Data from the museum shows that foreign attendance jumped 57.8 percent during the first five months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, totaling 122,024 visitors.
Kim Nam-joon, the 31-year-old BTS leader, was selected for the role due to his established profile as a prominent art collector and financial patron of cultural preservation. The rapper and songwriter previously made consecutive annual donations of 100 million won in 2021 and 2022 to the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, an affiliate of the state-run Korea Heritage Service, to fund the restoration of South Korean artifacts located outside the country.
His personal involvement in the international art scene includes an upcoming special exhibition of his private collection at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in October. In his new institutional role, RM will participate in various international campaigns and promotional activities to introduce South Korean history and traditional arts to global audiences.
Ahead of the official announcement, the musician visited the museum on Friday to meet with Director Yoo Hong-jun. The two toured the calligraphy and painting gallery to view an exhibition titled "Danwon Kim Hong-do, Painting the Era," which showcases iconic traditional artwork. Following the tour, museum officials presented Kim with a special scroll edition of the Daedongyeojido, a scaled-down reproduction of the landmark 19th-century map of the peninsula.
"I am very pleased," RM said in a statement released by the museum. "I will work together to ensure that the beauty and value of our cultural heritage are transmitted to more people."
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