New York (GNP): American streamer IShowSpeed had an unplanned brush with K-pop royalty during the FIFA World Cup final, meeting all seven members of BTS backstage at MetLife Stadium in a moment that quickly became one of the tournament’s most-shared viral clips.
The 21-year-old streamer, whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr., encountered the group in a hallway outside the stadium suites while livestreaming the final on YouTube. He was watching the match from a suite during extra time, with the score still tied at 0-0, when someone off-camera alerted him that BTS were nearby. Speed left the stream immediately to find them.
Upon spotting members RM and J-Hope, Speed could be heard repeatedly shouting his excitement and asking for a photo. J-Hope was the first to greet him, extending a hand before the two embraced. Speed then greeted each member of the group in turn, RM, J-Hope, Jin, Suga, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, with hugs and handshakes, capping the encounter with one of his signature backflips that drew laughter and applause from the group. Jungkook was seen jumping with excitement during his hug with Speed.
The group posed together for a photo before parting ways, with Speed repeatedly expressing disbelief at the encounter and telling the band he was a “big fan.” RM responded that he enjoyed watching Speed’s content. Within a minute, Speed had returned to his seat in time to watch Spain defeat Argentina to lift the World Cup trophy.
Speed later posted the encounter on Instagram, where BTS members RM and J-Hope responded in the comments, and V wrote that the group had been equally amazed to meet him.
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The meeting capped an eventful World Cup for both parties. Speed spent the tournament travelling across North America, livestreaming matches and documenting fan experiences, and also performed his song “World Cup (Champions)” at the tournament’s closing ceremony. BTS, meanwhile, performed their hit “Dynamite” during the World Cup half-time show, a segment produced by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin that also featured Shakira, Madonna and Justin Bieber.
The band’s stadium appearance came shortly after the European leg of their ongoing Arirang world tour, which concluded with two sold-out shows in Paris on July 17 and 18 drawing a combined 92,000 fans, including French President Emmanuel Macron among the audience. BTS are next scheduled to tour North America and South America before returning to Asia in November, with four Singapore concerts set for December 17, 19, 20 and 22.
Managing Editor at Global News Pakistan (GNP), with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Riphah International University, graduated with a Gold Medal. Reach out at sabahtareengnp@gmail.com
