BTS Joins Lady Gaga, Others In Sending Their Best Wishes to The Graduating Class of 2020
A virtual graduation ceremony was hosted by YouTube earlier today to celebrate the graduating class of 2020, with BTS headlining as one of the most anticipated speakers and musical guests.
The event titled “Dear Class of 2020” had initially been scheduled for June 6, but was rescheduled to June 7 in observation of a George Floyd memorial service. It was a chance for celebrities, creators, politicians, and even a Nobel Peace Prize laureate to congratulate graduates on their achievement and wish them all the best in their future.
The ceremony was presented in five scheduled “blocks,” with the first four blocks containing commencement speeches and the final block holding musical performances. Speakers outside of BTS included Beyonce Knowles-Carter, Lady Gaga, Malala Yousafazi, Michelle Obama, and President Barak Obama. Other guest appearances included athletes Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Michael Jordan, musical artists Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, and Shawn Mendes, actors and comedians Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Rogan, Stephen Colbert, the entire cast of The Simpsons, and YouTube creators like The Try Guys.
Perhaps the most looked-forward-to parts of the entire ceremony were BTS’s member’s speeches and their group performance. The only Korean invitee, the group shared their personal academic stories as well as wished the graduating class all the best.
I really want and hope everyone to being well, but if you’re not, that’s ok too. I will always be here to comfort you with all my heart.
—Jimin
We may be alone now, but we will always be together. Right now we’re looking at each other through small cameras and small screens, but I have confidence that your future will bloom brightly and beautifully in spite of these adversities.
—RM
Eldest Jin also encouraged the graduates to “remember to breathe, and remember to take things one step at a time.” Suga, who has recently dealt with controversy regarding a song from his latest mixtape, shared that he knows what it’s like to have “felt as if I’ve fallen during a race” yet still keep going. He especially emphasized how one small person (including himself) could “dream the biggest dream, paint the greatest picture, and make endless possibilities come true.”
As the members noted, it is an unprecedented time in our world today, filled with more unknowns than ever imaginable. They all made sure everyone, whether they were graduating or not, knew that they are resilient and that the members will be cheering everyone on each step of the way.
We thank BTS and all others for taking the time out of their busy schedules to wish 2020 graduates all the best in their futures. Congratulations class of 2020, you did it!
Watch the entire live-stream below:
