Japanese and South Korean leaders jam to K-pop hits at a summit

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Forge Diplomatic Harmony Through Surprise K-Pop Drum Session

In an unexpected display of cultural diplomacy, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung shared a drumming session featuring popular K-pop hits following their summit in Nara, Japan’s ancient capital.

The Tuesday meeting in Takaichi’s hometown marked another step in strengthening bilateral relations between the two East Asian neighbors, whose historical tensions have often complicated diplomatic engagement. The leaders used the opportunity to discuss deepening cooperation on multiple fronts before engaging in their impromptu musical exchange.

Footage released Wednesday by the Japanese Prime Minister’s office shows the two leaders wearing matching personalized athletic jackets while drumming side-by-side to BTS’s global hit “Dynamite” and Kpop Demon Hunters’ “Golden.” The brief video quickly gained attention on social media platforms as a rare moment of personal connection between leaders of countries that have often maintained formal, sometimes strained, diplomatic relations.

The musical interlude was arranged by Takaichi, who is known to be a heavy metal enthusiast and was an active drummer during her college years. “Playing the drums has been my longtime dream,” President Lee later wrote on X (formerly Twitter), expressing gratitude for Takaichi’s hospitality in organizing the jam session.

Lee drew parallels between their musical collaboration and diplomatic aspirations, noting, “Like we respected our differences and harmonized our rhythms, I hope that Korea and Japan would deepen cooperation and move closer to each other step by step.”

Takaichi responded with her own message on social media, praising Lee as a quick study who “learned to play the drums in just a few minutes.” She emphasized their shared commitment to future collaboration, stating, “In order to develop Japan-South Korea relations in a forward-looking way and stably, we will continue our close communication between the two governments including by proactively carrying out our ‘shuttle diplomacy.'”

The musical diplomacy comes at a significant time for Japan-South Korea relations, which have experienced gradual improvement after years of tension over historical grievances stemming from Japan’s colonial rule of Korea (1910-1945). Recent administrations have worked to address contentious issues including wartime forced labor and the so-called “comfort women” controversy.

This summit continues the “shuttle diplomacy” approach, where leaders regularly visit each other’s countries, which has been revived after being suspended for several years. The practice aims to normalize high-level communication and build personal rapport between the nations’ leadership.

The meeting also reflects growing regional security concerns that have pushed the two U.S. allies toward greater cooperation despite their historical differences. Facing shared challenges from North Korea’s nuclear program and China’s growing influence in the region, Japan and South Korea have recognized the strategic importance of putting aside differences to address common threats.

Economic cooperation was likely another key topic during the summit, as the two countries represent major trading partners for each other and powerhouses in the global technology and manufacturing sectors.

While the drumming session provided a light-hearted moment in international diplomacy, it represents a broader effort to build people-to-people connections between the neighboring countries whose cultural industries—particularly K-pop from South Korea and anime from Japan—have achieved global popularity and now serve as soft power tools.

As both leaders return to their respective capitals, observers will be watching closely to see if this personal chemistry translates into concrete policy outcomes and sustained improvement in bilateral relations.