Lee, Takaichi play 'Golden,' BTS's 'Dynamite' on the drums during president's Japan summit

The melody of “Golden” (2025), an original track from the Netflix animated hit “KPop Demon Hunters” (2025), rang out as President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi played the drums at the close of their summit in Nara.

President Lee Jae Myung, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi play the drums during Lee's visit to Nara, Japan, on Jan. 13. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

The melody of “Golden," an original track from the Netflix animated hit “KPop Demon Hunters" (2025), rang out as President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi played the drums during their summit in Nara, Japan, on Tuesday.

The brief performance unfolded during a closed-door informal gathering held after the leaders’ official talks, according to Kim Nam-joon, South Korea’s presidential spokesperson. He said the Japanese side had prepared the joint drumming session without notifying Seoul in advance, presenting it as a “surprise event.”

The unusual moment followed a day of formal discussions that aimed to shape a new chapter in the relationship between the two countries, which marked 60 years since the normalization of diplomatic ties last year. In a joint press statement, the leaders outlined areas for expanded cooperation intended to deliver tangible benefits to citizens of both nations.

Kim said the drumming session was designed to “symbolize the rapport and personal chemistry between the leaders,” turning the meeting venue into what he described as a “space for cultural exchange.”

President Lee Jae Myung, left, holds up drum sticks that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gifted to him during Lee's visit to Nara, Japan, on Jan. 13. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Takaichi, who has long been known in Japan as a drum enthusiast, was the drummer in a heavy metal rock band during her school years. Before the performance, she presented Lee with a pair of drumsticks.

The two leaders sat side by side behind drum sets manufactured by Pearl, a Japanese musical instrument company, and wore matching blue uniforms prepared by the Japanese side. The uniforms featured the national flags of both countries and the leaders’ names written in English, a design Kim said reflected their friendship and mutual respect.

President Lee Jae Myung, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi play the drums during Lee's visit to Nara, Japan, on Jan. 13. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

In addition to “Golden,” the leaders also drummed along to “Dynamite” (2020), a song by boy band BTS. Afterward, they signed each other's drumsticks.

“I realized a lifelong dream today,” Lee said. “I have wanted to play the drums since I was young.”

President Lee Jae Myung, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pose for a photo during a drumming session at Nara, Japan, on Jan. 13. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Beyond the symbolic display, the summit focused on broadening cooperation beyond trade, with the two leaders agreeing to pursue closer coordination in areas such as economic security, science and technology and shared social challenges.

They also agreed to strengthen joint efforts to combat transnational crimes, including scam-related offenses.

President Lee Jae Myung, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi shake hands after concluding a joint press conference at Nara, Japan, on Jan. 13. [NEWS1]

“The two sides also made meaningful progress on historical issues,” Kim said.

In South Korea, historical disputes rooted in Japan’s colonial-era actions have long shaped public opinion and constrained diplomacy, requiring leaders to balance reconciliation efforts with domestic demands for accountability.

The two sides agreed to pursue DNA testing to identify remains of victims from the 1942 flooding at the Chosei coal mine in western Japan, which were discovered in August last year, according to Kim. Among those workers were 136 South Koreans who were subjected to forced labor.

The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to regional peace and stability, including efforts toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, cooperation on each country's North Korea policy and responses to broader regional and global challenges.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY JUNG SI-NAE [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]