The White House announced Thursday that President Joe Biden will meet with BTS next week, a K-Pop boy band group from South Korea.
The meeting will take place on Tuesday as part of the White House events for Asian-American heritage month.
The president will discuss “Asian inclusion and representation” according to the White House release and also “address anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination”
Biden will also discuss with the BTS stars the importance of using their colossal fame to communicate with the world.
“President Biden and BTS will also discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion and BTS’ platform as youth ambassadors who spread a message of hope and positivity across the world,” the White House release read.
In 2021, BTS issued a statement condemning Asian discrimination.
“We send our deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones,” the statement read, noting they had “faced discrimination as Asians.”
“We have endured expletives without reason and were mocked for the way we look. We were even asked why Asians spoke in English,” the statement continued.
Biden’s meeting with BTS will likely raise concerns from China, as Chinese authorities have cracked down on online K-pop content.
China’s attempt to create its own national state-approved boy bands has struggled to gain popularity.