South Korean President Moon Jae-in is set to visit the United States next month, marking the first state visit to the US by a South Korean president in 12 years. The visit will include an official welcome ceremony, a summit meeting, and a presidential dinner.
The presidential dinner, which is being hosted by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, will reportedly feature a joint performance by Blackpink and Lady Gaga. The two artists previously collaborated on Lady Gaga’s 2020 album, “Chromatica,” with the song “Sour Candy.”
According to sources, a state visit typically includes a formal welcome ceremony, an official state dinner, high-level meetings, cultural events, and other ceremonies.
A spokesperson for the South Korean presidential office stated that “the cultural events have not been decided yet” when asked about the possibility of Blackpink and Lady Gaga performing at the dinner.
The presidential dinner is hosted by the inviting country and is typically organized by the host country, with the overall nature and invited guests being led by the host country.
YG Entertainment, the agency that represents Blackpink, stated that “the invitation to attend the presidential dinner is true, and it is being positively reviewed.” Blackpink is currently on a world tour and is scheduled to perform at Foro Sol, a large stadium in Mexico City, on the same day as the presidential dinner.
This is the second state visit hosted by the Biden administration, following French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit in December 2020. The dinner included prominent figures from politics, business, and entertainment, including Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Stephen Colbert, and Jennifer Garner, as well as jazz musician John Baptiste performing at the event.