US EditionJapanese and South Korean leaders jam to K-pop hits at a summit
The drum session symbolized a warming of ties as the leaders pledged deeper security and economic cooperation amid regional tensions, with Lee learning drums in under 10 minutes.
- On Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung played drums together in Nara between their joint press event and dinner during Lee's two-day stay.
- In recent months, Takaichi and Lee signalled a warmer approach to reset ties through personal rapport, aiming to deepen security and economic cooperation and continue shuttle diplomacy with a planned visit by Takaichi to South Korea.
- Takaichi led the session by showing Lee how to play the drums, praising his quick progress as they drummed to two K-pop tracks, including BTS's Dynamite and Kpop Demon Hunters.
- The leaders posted images showing themselves in matching blue sports tops on X after the jam, and Lee reflected Wednesday morning that despite different tempos, they pledged to build a future-oriented relationship.
- Amid broader diplomatic strains, including tensions with China over Taiwan, the playful exchange offered a softer tone contrasting historical grievances shaping Tokyo and Seoul ties.
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Approach via Jamsession: Japan's Sanae Takachi and South Korea's Lee Jae-myung play drums together. Apparently, the two want to show that they are on the road at the same time, also politically.
Japanese and South Korean leaders bang out surprise K-pop drum duet
Tokyo — The leaders of Japan and South Korea have shown an unusual level of harmony, banging out a drum set duet to K-pop hits during a summit on Tuesday. The leaders, whose nations have had tense relations in the past, agreed to deepen cooperation between letting loose for the surprise cultural exchange. The musical performance by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung followed a summit in Japan’s ancien…
In times of lightning strikes and tariff-crack diplomacy, Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, and South Korean president Lee jae-Myung, have sat down together for a while to play drums. The brief essay of musical diplomacy between leaders of two countries that have not always gotten along well has taken place on Tuesday, at a break from the summit between the two held in the Japanese city of Nara, during South Korean Lee’s state trip to the …
Japan's Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, played drums at a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
"Do you imagine that Sánchez and Feijóo are leaving on Monday after their meeting playing guitar?", they joked in Hoy por Hoy this Tuesday after learning that the leaders of Japan and South Korea have decided to play drums together to stage their alliance.
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