By Jae-Ha Kim
Kocowa.com
June 1, 2020
Graduates in 2020 are getting the short end of the stick, with very little pomp and circumstance, due to the coronavirus pandemic. For high school and college students, a graduation ceremony is a rite of passage, but it’s one they won’t get to celebrate together with their classmates this year.
But thanks to former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, they will be honored in “Dear Class of 2020,” a multi-hour event that’ll be streamed on YouTube. And guess who has been invited not only to perform at the bash, but also give a commencement speech? BTS! They have top billing, alongside the Obamas, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Lady Gaga and Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai.
[기사] The Obamas to Headline YouTube Virtual Graduation Ceremony With #BTS, Lady Gaga & Morehttps://t.co/oq4s8WHx6a
— BigHit Entertainment (@BigHitEnt) May 6, 2020
The lineup is a wonderful mix of beloved politicians, activists and pop stars. The fact that a Korean group was selected to participate speaks not only to BTS’ popularity, but also their worldwide reach. And anyone who heard RM’s moving speech at the 2018 launch of Generation Unlimited at the United Nations knows they are the perfect choice to honor graduates and encourage them to reach their full potential in the next phase of their lives.
As RM so beautifully said, “No matter who you are, where you’re from, your skin color, gender identity — Just speak yourself.”
KOCOWA would also like to congratulate all the 2020 graduates for their hard work and determination! We wish you the best of luck as you move forward. We hope that you achieve all the goals you have set for yourselves, but that you also carve out some time to relax and enjoy yourselves.
Of course, we can’t resist offering some suggestions for our favorite Korean programming, which just happen to have school and graduation themes running throughout:
The cast: Kim Hye-Yoon, Rowoon, Lee Na-Eun, Lee Jae-Wook
A K-Drama set within a drama, “Extra-Ordinary You” tells the story of a group of rich high school students whose lives have been intertwined for centuries — and are at the mercy of the artist who created them.
“Weightlifting Fairy, Kim Bok-joo”
The cast: Lee Sung-Kyung, Nam Joo-Hyuk, Kyung Su-Jin, Lee Jae-Yoon
Set in college where the titular heroine is an athletic star, “Weightlifting Fairy, Kim Bok-joo” is a feel-good comedy that also tackles some serious issues, such as body shaming, child abandonment and bullying.
The cast: Lee Sung-Kyung, Nam Joo-Hyuk, Kyung Su-Jin, Lee Jae-Yoon
Set in college where the titular heroine is an athletic star, “Weightlifting Fairy, Kim Bok-joo” is a feel-good comedy that also tackles some serious issues, such as body shaming, child abandonment and bullying.
The cast: Cha Eun-Woo, Lee Seung-Gi, Yang Se-Hyung, Shin Sung-Rok. Former members: Lee Sang Yoon, BTOB’s Yook Sung-Jae. This reality series shows a different kind of graduation that will delight viewers.
Episode 97: Wanna One‘s Lee Dae-Hwi graduates from high school. A highlight was when his teacher and he good naturedly talk about how he wasn’t the best student, but how he had a kind heart and almost always had a smile on his face.
Episode 145: . Former “Produce 101” winner and I.O.I member Jeon Somi was awarded an Achievement Award at her high school graduation. Fellow idol graduates also included ITZY‘s Ryujin and Chaeryeong.
Again… Kudos to all the graduates! Fighting!
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