BTS, the hugely successful South Korean boy band, met with President Biden last week to mark the end of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander month. The international music idols are also “young ambassadors who transmit a message of optimism and happiness around the world,” as White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre put it in her briefing room introduction. In their meeting with the president, the group wanted to talk about Asian inclusion, representation, and diversity, as well as anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination.
Each member of the BTS gave a brief message in Korean, which was concurrently translated for the White House press corps and broadcast to TV cameras. However, their commander, Kim Nam Jun, often known as RM, made his speech in perfect English, a talent he honed while watching “Friends” with his mother as a youngster. In fact, his speaking abilities are so superb, he offers a wonderful role model for any presentation.
In a lengthier speech before the United Nations General Assembly to announce Generation Unlimited, a program to give worldwide education and training to “address the problem holding back millions of young people,” RM showcased his abilities. The way he created his tale and delivered it, the two most important aspects of any speech or presentation: the message and the messenger, made his address exceptional.
In the video of his six-minute speech, you can observe RM’s model delivering talents. Even though he utilized notes, his effective eye contact to communicate with his vast crowd is noteworthy. He accomplished this by looking at his notes at pauses rather than while speaking. Instead of being evasive, he appeared confident using this easy strategy.
His pauses also allowed him to organize his sentences into sound bites, similar to how he constructs his lyrics when singing. This strategy is especially vital for the UN General Assembly audience, as many people speak English as a second language, as well as in today’s more globalized world. A clear cadence makes it simple to comprehend and follow for everyone in the audience.
RM has a way of making his speech sing.
