BTS' RM is now the face of Korea's national museum

BTS leader RM has a new title to add to a growing list of art-world credits — global ambassador for the National Museum of Korea.

The country’s flagship museum announced the appointment Saturday, citing the singer’s longtime interest in Korean traditional culture and art. It marks the first time the Seoul-based institution has named a global ambassador under its banner.

A serious collector in his own right, RM has been an active supporter of Korean art and cultural heritage. The rapper, whose real name is Kim Nam-joon, gave 100 million won (about $65,000) in both 2021 and 2022 to the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, a government-affiliated body that works to preserve and reclaim Korean cultural assets held abroad.

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At a ceremony held a day earlier, museum director You Hong-june handed RM a special-edition reproduction of the Daedongyeojido, the celebrated 19th-century map of the Korean penninsula held in the museum’s collection.

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“I want to do my part so that the beauty and value of our cultural heritage can reach more people,” RM said.

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RM will pitch in on the museum’s promotional campaigns and help introduce Korean history and traditional culture to audiences overseas.

The appointment comes amid a busy stretch for the rapper on the art front.

An exhibition built around his personal collection, *RM x SFMOMA: Between You and Me,* opens at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in October and runs through February 2027. Co-curated by RM, the exhibition sets some 200 works from his holdings alongside pieces from the museum’s collection. /ra

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