"This is liquor made by BTS Jin himself."
Janja Lula da Silva, the First Lady of Brazil, who visited South Korea with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, held a special 'K-Food Diplomacy' meeting with Baek Jong-won, CEO of The Born Korea. This event drew attention not only for K-Food but also for the presence of global superstar BTS.
On the 23rd, Janja shared a video of the dinner with Baek on her social media. This meeting reportedly took place at Janja's active request, as she has shown a special affection for Korean cuisine.
The meeting between the two took place at the restaurant 'Gunmong' in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. This restaurant is run by Chef David Lee, who gained significant attention for his appearance on the Netflix show 'Black and White Chef: Culinary Class War', and the choice of location reflecting culinary trends also caught the eye.
On that day, Baek Jong-won presented an unforgettable gift to Janja. It was the traditional liquor 'Aigin' containing BTS's eldest member Jin's autograph. Baek explained the significance of the gift, saying, "Jin asked me to make sure to deliver this liquor he made himself to you, Madam." He added, "Jin was also deeply impressed by your activities for marginalized communities and expressed his respect," creating a warm atmosphere.
In a friendly atmosphere, the two shared in-depth opinions on the globalization strategy of Korean cuisine using K-sauces and ways to spread Korean food in Brazil. Janja emphasized the importance of cultural exchanges at the civilian level and officially invited Baek to visit Brazil in October. Baek gladly accepted, promising to act as a bridge for cultural exchange between the two countries.
Immediately after the meeting, Janja tagged Baek and BTS Jin on her account, leaving a message of gratitude saying, "I will be waiting for you in Brazil," raising local expectations.
Meanwhile, Baek Jong-won also attended a state dinner held at the Blue House guesthouse on the same day at the official invitation of the Brazilian side. The dinner was attended by President Lee Jae-myung, President Lula, and major business leaders including Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, and Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group, strengthening the commitment to economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries.
