BTS Makes History As Youngest Cultural Merit Medal Recipients In South Korea & Fans Are So Proud

Congrats, BTS! The group was awarded the Cultural Merit Medal in South Korea on Oct. 23, making the BTS members the youngest recipients ever. Fans were so excited for BTS and wrote the sweetest messages.

Congratulations are in order for BTS! The band members — RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, V, Jimin, and Jungkook — each received South Korea’s Order of Cultural Merit Medal. The award is given to a person “who has rendered outstanding meritorious services in the fields of culture and art in the interest of promoting the national culture and national development.” The singers all attended the ceremony and looked so proud. The band members all got to make speeches as they received their medals.

RM gushed that he would like to “attribute all this glory to ARMYs,” according to BTSARMY_Salon, who transcribed the speeches. Jin noted in his speech that fans have told them they’ve started to learn Korean by singing their songs. “I felt very proud. We will do our best to promote our culture,” he said. V adorably said that “I’m not able to express my feelings well but I’d like to say that I thank you and love you so much.” Suga called the achievement a “huge honor.” Jimin thanked everyone for “being with us and this award belongs to you,” while Jungkook said that “this award is still more than we deserve but we will accept it gratefully as to work harder.” J-Hope gushed over receiving the “prestigious award with efforts from so many staffs, blood and sweat from BTS, and powerful cheers from ARMYs around the world.

Fans couldn’t contain their excitement over BTS’s latest accomplishment. “Im really happy. Like really really happy,” one fan tweeted. “I can’t even explain how happy I’m.. they made me feel happy just by that.. I’m thankful for them.” Another fan wrote, “It’s still incredible for me to be proud of people that I don’t know personally, but I can say with a big heart that I’m so pruod [sic] of you guys, the seven guys how have helped me so much in this past couple of years with their music. Congratulations.”

One fan tweeted: “I am beyond proud to be an Army. #BTS has given Army the strength to speak themselves to be able to accept and love themselves. We can all play a part in shaping society to be it’s best. Hand in Hand BTSXARMY can do it. This award was earned.” How sweet! Congrats again to BTS!