The King's Korean Speech: Charles makes references to K-pop culture (and even makes joke about Gangnam Style) at grand Buckingham Palace state banquet for South Korea's President on official visit

King Charles gave a reside pinch references to K-pop civilization astatine a expansive Buckingham Palace authorities banquet for South Korea's President tonight. 

Speaking to much than 300 authorities banquet attendees, including vocalist BLACKPINK, he welcomed them pinch a smattering of Korean: 'Yeong-gug-e osin geos-eul hwan-yeonghabnida [Welcome to Britain].'

Marking nan 140th day of Korea's negotiated narration pinch nan UK, nan King described it arsenic a 'partnership successful which adjacent individual connections, fostered complete galore decades, person blossomed coming into a existent consciousness of affection, aliases jeong, betwixt our societies astatine truthful galore levels'. 

And he moreover joked astir his ain sojourn to nan state successful 1992 pinch nan precocious Princess Diana, saying: 'Sadly, erstwhile I was successful Seoul each those years ago, I americium not judge I developed overmuch of what mightiness beryllium called nan Gangnam Style!'

The King highlighted nan 'remarkable journey' Korea has taken successful nan span of his lifetime, saying: 'Koreans person created a miracle.' 

He added: 'Even astatine nan clip of my past visit, that travel was intelligibly conscionable beginning. The Republic of Korea's thrust and power continued apace, and pinch it, nan effect connected British lives. From fridges and flatscreens to smartphones and semiconductors, it is clear that nan exemplary of business ratio I glimpsed successful Seoul 30 years agone has go nan epitome of technological productivity today. '

Highlighting nan 'artistic creativity' of nan country, he praised nan detonation of Korean culture.

'Korea has matched Danny Boyle pinch Bong Joon-ho, James Bond pinch Squid Game, and nan Beatles' Let It Be pinch BTS's Dynamite,' he said.

'Our cultures stock a singular expertise to captivate imaginations crossed nan world, transforming a alleged soft powerfulness into a shared superpower. I fear, though, that I americium improbable ever to travel successful King Sejong's footsteps and create a full caller alphabet!'

He besides praised Korea's committedness to nan situation contempt nan country's awesome changes.

'The Republic of Korea, arsenic 1 of very fewer countries which ended nan twentieth period pinch much trees than astatine nan century's beginning, has ever grasped this,' he said.

'And I americium delighted to observe your patient committedness to finance successful carbon-free technologies, civilian atomic and renewable energy, successful adjacent business pinch U.K. business and argumentation expertise successful captious sectors specified arsenic offshore wind.

'It is particularly inspiring to spot Korea's younger procreation clasp nan cause. I applaud Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rosé, amended known collectively arsenic BLACKPINK, for their domiciled successful bringing nan connection of biology sustainability to a world assemblage arsenic Ambassadors for nan U.K.'s Presidency of COP 26, and later arsenic advocates for nan U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.

'I tin only respect really they tin prioritise these captious issues, arsenic good arsenic being world superstars. '

The King said his precocious mother, who past visited successful 1999, was struck by nan warmth of nan invited she received and nan beauty of nan country.

And he said he looked guardant to a early pinch moreover person connections successful areas arsenic divers arsenic football, to education, subject and defence.

He besides highlighted nan adjacent links betwixt Korean and UK equipped forces.

'Seventy years ago, successful nan Korean War, British servicemen fought valiantly alongside your people, nether nan banner of nan United Nations, for nan state of nan Republic of Korea,' he said.

'Over 1,000 of them perished and astir 900 dishonesty interred coming astatine Busan. We are immensely proud to salute nan veterans of that conflict, and to retrieve those nary longer pinch us. All those who fought for nan endurance of your fledgling Republic are successful admiration of what your state has become.

'Through their ain sweat and toil, and nether nan protector of tyranny and nan ever-present threat of aggression, complete 7 decades Koreans person built a bastion of democracy, quality authorities and freedom. In a world wherever these values are challenged, sadly, arsenic seldom earlier successful our lifetimes, nan Republic of Korea and nan United Kingdom guidelines enarthrosis to enarthrosis successful defence of each that we clasp dear. '

The monarch concluded pinch different effort astatine Korean - utilizing nan words for cheers - saying: 'And so, Mr President, Madame Kim, it is pinch awesome pridefulness and pleasance that I propose a toast to nan adjacent 140 years of Korean-British relations. Wihayeo! '

The king's attempts astatine Korean intelligibly delighted nan President and earned an unprecedented information of applause.

There were beautiful words, too, from nan President of Korea, who said he was 'deeply touched' by nan 'kind preparations and nan warmth of your hospitality'.

He added: 'Under Your Majesty's reign, nan UK - pinch its renewed vigour- is flourishing successful awesome strides.

'Your Majesty's splendid activity is not only bringing nan group of nan Commonwealth together but animating nan very tone of nan Commonwealth of Nations.

'Along pinch nan profound respected dignity that Your Majesty is showing to nan group arsenic Monarch, some nan British group and nan group crossed nan globe are appreciative of your down to world character. We each salary tribute to your warm-hearted passion towards protecting nan environment, caring for nan astir susceptible members of society, and inheriting a amended early for our youth.

'To me, adjacent friend, nan United Kingdom, you tin ne'er beryllium old.'

The King has started putting his ain stamp connected nan royal tableware utilized for authorities banquets.

Charles's CIIIR cypher has been added to nan delicate glasses - six astatine each mounting - and broadside plates of nan 1953 Coronation Set, replacing nan precocious Queen's EIIR cypher.

However, pinch 171 guests eating pinch nan King and Queen successful honour of nan South Korean President, nan mammoth task of removing nan original markings and re-etching aliases embossing has yet to beryllium completed.

Glasses connected nan apical conception of nan horseshoe-shaped array - wherever nan King, Queen, Prince and Princess of Wales, nan president and first woman Kim Keon Hee were seated - featured nan updated glasses, but nan remainder of nan glassware has yet to beryllium rebranded successful honour of nan King's reign.

Most of nan achromatic china broadside plates - edged successful golden - show nan King's caller aureate cypher successful nan middle, but a remaining 17 - astatine nan 2 tail ends of nan horseshoe - still bore nan precocious Queen's EIIR astatine nan top.

Guests including K-pop stars Blackpink - made up of set members Jenni Kim, Jisoo Kim, Lisa Manobal and Rose Park - and Birmingham City footballer Cho So-hyun dined connected a paper of lukewarm tartlet of soft poached ovum and spinach puree, bosom of Windsor pheasant pinch croquette of celeriac and calvados condiment and salad, pinch a mango crystal pick bombe for dessert.

The King and Queen continued nan precocious Queen's contented of personally inspecting nan array connected Tuesday day to make judge everything was successful order.

The in-house Palace florists created displays of vibrant purple, reddish and pinkish blooms and foliage from Windsor Home Park and nan Orchid Garden astatine nan glasshouses successful Windsor.

After nan banquet, nan flowers will donated to Floral Angels, a kindness of which Camilla is patron, based astatine New Covent Garden Flower Market.

The flowers will past beryllium delivered to hospices, aged attraction homes and shelters.

Also connected nan array were pieces from George IV's silver-gilt Grand Service, comprised of much than 4,000 items.

Pink sugar-crafted centrepieces, representing nan Hibiscus Syriacus - nan nationalist flower of nan republic of Korea - were presented alongside petit fours.

Footage of nan delicate pinkish floral decorations being manus made successful nan Palace kitchens were shared connected nan royal family's societal media account.

'The Kitchens person been engaged putting finishing touches to dishes that will beryllium served astatine tonight's State Banquet,' nan station said.