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| Rose of BLACKPINK. 2022.9.25/News1 ⓒ News1 Kwon Hyun-jin Reporter |
(Washington·San Francisco=News1) Reporter Na Yeon-jun, Special Correspondent Kim Hyun = Rose, a member of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK, turned heads by sharing her experiences related to mental health with the spouses of leaders attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
According to the White House, Jill Biden, wife of U.S. President Joe Biden, hosted a mental health event on the 17th (local time) at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, for the spouses of leaders participating in the APEC summit.
Rose was in attendance at the event, invited by Mrs. Biden, along with Mrs. Kim Gun-hee, the spouses of leaders from Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Mrs. Biden introduced Rose at the event, saying, “It’s an honor to introduce a young woman with amazing talent and courage,” and described her as a “global superstar who uses her platform as a force for good in the world. She’s an incredibly popular solo artist and the lead singer of the K-pop group BLACKPINK.”
Mrs. Biden added, “She is also an advocate who actively raises her voice for mental health, hoping to help others by bravely sharing her story.”
She continued, “I am grateful to her (Rose) for accepting my invitation, and to Mrs. Kim for supporting my efforts.”
According to the White House press corps, Rose said at the event, “I’ve come to realize that mental health is never an easy subject. It required a lot of patience and, above all, a lot of attention from me. Just as we eat food for better health and fitness, mental health, like physical health, requires deliberate effort to maintain.”
Rose added, “I hope we can always remember that our worth is not determined by where we are right now.”
Rose also shared her experiences with mental health related to social media at a roundtable discussion on the subject of ‘Loneliness and Isolation Surrounding Social Media and Its Impact on Mental Health.’
She said, “Reflecting on my experience, there are times when some of what I do never feels enough, and no matter how hard I work at something, there will always be someone who has their own opinion or enjoys driving the narrative. So, it comes to me as loneliness.”
Rose expressed that having a large following on social media makes her feel particularly vulnerable when people are critical.
She said, “Sometimes, I feel like I have a lot of people following me. They’re not always on my side. I just feel vulnerable to this massive following on this journey. So, I think social media affects me.”
However, Rose emphasized the importance of talking about these things no matter how difficult they may be.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Lee Do-woon, Rose shared that her journey to success as a singer was not easy, and she still faces challenges from time to time, but she has learned the importance of valuing herself.
Based on this, she expressed her hope that her music will inspire and comfort many people.
In response to Rose’s remarks, Mrs. Biden called it a “powerful message,” saying, “It’s inspiring to see her raising this important issue and helping others to come out of the darkness.”
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| Mrs. Kim Gun-hee is encouraging the choir at a luncheon with Korean compatriots held at a hotel in San Francisco, U.S. on the 15th (local time). (Provided by the Presidential Office) 2023.11.16/News1 ⓒ News1 Ahn Eun-na Reporter |
Mrs. Biden said, “Too often, we hide, keep secret, and ignore these issues, but we must bring them to light and speak honestly to begin healing.”
Following Rose, CEO Tim Cook said, “We feel a responsibility to be part of the solution,” and “We never want people to spend too much time on their iPhones.”
He said, “I think if you’re spending more time on your cell phone (than you should), you’re looking into someone else’s eyes, and you’re doing something wrong.”
To this, Mrs. Biden responded, “That’s very romantic.”
Mrs. Kim expressed agreement when Mrs. Biden said in the roundtable discussion that while modern technology has facilitated communication between people, efforts should now be made for mental health to combat feelings of isolation and anxiety.
Mrs. Kim noted, “Korea has the characteristic of being a competitive society where everyone is very conscious of each other.”
Furthermore, Mrs. Kim said, “Due to excessive competitiveness, a lot of emotions are involved, and therefore, we get tired more easily,” and “I hope these problems can be improved through various mental health programs.”
In addition, Mrs. Kim expressed gratitude to Rose for sharing her difficult story, encouraged her by acknowledging the great global influence of K-pop and Korean culture, including BLACKPINK, and expressed anticipation for the emotional impact of her music and positive messages in the future.
Following that, Mrs. Kim toured a demonstration of mental health-related technology for the Apple Vision Pro and Apple Watch, which are set to launch next year, at the Apple Experience Space. She also took a walk in Apple Park and visited Apple’s circular office building.
Mrs. Kim noted that Apple Park is an innovative building in terms of environmental aspects and appreciated the ‘serenity rooms’ designed for meditation and prayer in all buildings as part of the effort for mental health.
Mrs. Kim said, “I am impressed by Apple’s architecture, which aims for environmental friendliness and carbon neutrality, and the careful space creation that prioritizes the mental health of employees,” expressing her hope that more such spaces will be created in Korea.
Mrs. Kim and Mrs. Biden recalled their visit to the National Gallery in Washington D.C. during the state visit in April, where they viewed the works of Mark Rothko together, and also discussed the connection between Apple’s founder, Steve Jobs, and Mark Rothko.
Mrs. Biden expressed her gratitude for Mrs. Kim’s participation in the APEC Spouse Program, which focused on mental health, a field in which Mrs. Kim has been actively involved and interested.
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