“GLOBAL CULTURAL ICON” - Fans react as South Korean Ministry unveils animation inspired by BTS' Jungkook's 'SNTY' TSX performance

The South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism showcased an animation of BTS Jungkook’s Standing Next to You performance at the TSX Stage in Times Square at the Korean Cultural Center in New York (KCCNY). It is a key hub for K-culture in the U.S., promoting the Korean Wave. At first, an Instagram account, @nojamsjournaling, shared a reel featuring Jungkook’s animation alongside BLACKPINK Rosé's APT.

In 2023, after a New Year’s Eve-style countdown on a large building, the K-pop idol appeared on the TSX Stage with dancers.

“Let’s have fun”

He declared before starting with Standing Next to You as fans cheered.

“This place is amazing. It’s an honor to perform in New York’s Times Square,” the artist asserted before playing Yes Or No.

Fans received a 30-minute heads-up and filled the area next to the stage. “The view is incredible,” he added, performing tracks like 3D, Please Don’t Change, and Seven ft. Latto. Notably, Post Malone has formerly performed on this stage. Admirers are reacting to the animation, with one X user commenting,

"#JUNGKOOK GLOBAL CULTURAL ICON 🔥🔥🔥."

Many are using the terms “Prince of Korea,” “Global Superstar,” and “History Maker” to describe his "impact."

Some people define him as Korea’s "pride" and find the animation "cute."

BTS' Jungkook keeps dominating the headlines

BTS' Jungkook, on the other hand, keeps being in conversations. Recently, Charlie Puth reflected on his eight-year friendship with BTS on the Korean talk show 문명특급 MMTG.

The clips of Jungkook performing We Don’t Talk Anymore in the show with him and their 2022 collaboration, Left and Right were also featured. Elsewhere, Legendary ’80s singer Park Nam-jung also mentioned Jungkook on the YouTube channel, Sangsu-dong Studio. When asked if there is any artist he thinks is talented,

"Recently, Jungkook. His song — “3D”, right! It really caught my eye, similar to my kind of dance style," the 59-year-old stated.

Meanwhile, Seoul National University Hospital honored Jungkook on its “Major Donor Memorial Wall” for his 1 billion won donation to the Children’s Hospital in 2023.

During a recent livestream hosted by SEVENTEEN’s Mingyu and S. Coups, Jungkook made a surprise appearance in the comments. The two discussed SEVENTEEN’s North American tour, joked about time differences, and talked about possibly doing a joint livestream and dance challenge. Their friendly banter highlighted their close off-camera friendship as members of the ‘97 liners’ K-pop friendship group.

About the author

Shreya Jha specializes in K-Pop and K-Drama content at Sportskeeda. With a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, she brings a refined approach to Entertainment Journalism. Over the course of two years, she has worked with media agencies such as FandomWire and Animated Times, publishing over 2000+ articles.

Some of the highlights of Shreya's career include writing an exclusive piece on the Bvlgari Necklace and reviewing the Jaguar Type 00 for The Luxxe Mag. Entertainment is a space she resonates with the most. Some of the favorite aspects of her work comprise analyzing plot twists, discussing comebacks, and covering other pop-culture news in general.

Putting forward a sensitively-written article, by incorporating a multiplicity of perspectives is important to her. Outside of her professional commitments, she enjoys reading contemporary romance novels and performing Bharatnatyam. She admires Amelia Dimoldenberg for her deadpan humor.

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Edited by Shreya Jha