BTS rapper RM (Kim Namjoon) has been named the first global public relations ambassador in the National Museum of Korea's history.
According to the museum, RM, leader of the K-pop supergroup BTS, was named in recognition of his "deep affection for Korean art, cultural heritage, and the museum".
Sharing a statement on Instagram, the museum said: "As Global PR Ambassador, he will join the NMK in sharing the value and beauty of Korea’s cultural heritage with audiences around the world.
"By connecting the past with the present, and Korea with the world, the NMK hopes to create more opportunities for everyone to appreciate Korean culture and art.
"The museum remains dedicated to sharing these enduring stories and values with a global audience."
Marking his appointment on 19 June, RM toured the museum alongside director You Hong June, taking a look at its diverse collections and programmes.
RM toured the National Museum of Korea alongside director You Hong June, taking a look at the museum’s collections and programmes HYBE
An art enthusiast and collector, RM has partnered with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art on an upcoming exhibition featuring artworks from his personal collection.
On view from October 2026 to February 2027, RM x SFMoMA will be co-curated by RM with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art's América Castillo and Hyoeun Kim.
The exhibition will feature 200 works from the collections of RM and SFMoMA, showcasing modern Korean art alongside contemporary works from around the world. Many of the works will be shown to the public for the first time.
K-pop star to share "Korea’s cultural heritage with audiences around the world"
"We live in an age defined by boundaries," said RM. "This exhibition at SFMoMA reflects those boundaries: between East and West, Korea and America, the modern and the contemporary, the personal and the universal."
RM, a blooloop influencer, developed an interest in art after visiting the Chicago Art Institute in 2018. He now shares museum visits with his 52.8 million Instagram followers.
RM also donated 100 million Korean won to the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation (OKCHF) in both 2022 and 2023 to support the restoration of traditional Korean cultural assets abroad.
Images courtesy of the National Museum of Korea/Hybe
