President Lee Attends Stray Kids Concert in Mexico: "A Big Concert Was My Childhood Dream"

Meeting with 10 Local Youth Before the Concert
"Culture Connects Nations...May This Be a Lifelong Memory"
Audience Chants "Corea"
Spotlight on Presidential Couple, Shaping a Heart
First Lady Kim Hyekyung Waves a Light Stick in Response

On the 25th (local time), President Lee Jaemyung met with Mexican youth and emphasized the significance of cultural exchange between Korea and Mexico through K-pop, stating, "Culture not only connects people to one another, but also bridges nations."

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung are holding a meeting with Mexican K-POP youth fans at the GNP Stadium in Mexico City on the 25th (local time). 2026.9.26 Yonhap News Agency

During his state visit to Mexico, President Lee held a meeting with 10 local youths at the GNP Stadium in Mexico City prior to the Stray Kids concert that evening. After the conversation, President Lee and First Lady Kim Hyekyung watched the concert together with the youths.

The meeting took place in a box seat that provided a full view of both the stage and audience. On the walls and screen, the phrase "K-Pop, sharing dreams and connecting cultures" was displayed in Korean and Spanish. For many of the invited youths, it was their first time attending a large-scale K-pop concert.

President Lee greeted the youths by saying, "Hola, amigos" (Hello, friends). When the interpreter was momentarily unavailable, he joked, "You don't really think I'm going to continue in Spanish, do you?" which drew laughter. President Lee said, "I'm truly grateful that you love Korean K-pop so much," recalling his own childhood.

"When I was young, my dream was to go to a big concert hall and enjoy a performance, but I didn't get to fulfill that dream as a young person," President Lee shared. "I sometimes wonder what it would have been like if I had achieved that dream in my youth," he added. "Congratulations to all of you for having this opportunity today. I'm sure it'll become a cherished lifelong memory, so I hope you have a wonderful time at the concert."

First Lady Kim Hyekyung also expressed, "I hope tonight's performance becomes an unforgettable night in your lives," and added, "Thank you so much for loving Korean K-pop."

The formal atmosphere quickly lightened as the topic turned to the members of Stray Kids, whom many of the teens admired. When President Lee asked, "Why do you like K-pop?" the students shyly looked at each other at first. One student replied, "I got to know K-pop through friends, and as I became familiar with Stray Kids and other K-pop stars, I started to really like it."

When First Lady Kim asked, "Is there a Stray Kids member you particularly like?" five or six raised their hands at once. When "Felix" was mentioned, she laughed and responded, "Oh, me too. Felix." Other students named Seungmin, Bang Chan, Hyunjin, and so on. When First Lady Kim referred to Bang Chan's nickname among fans, "Bangberji," Park Jinyoung, Co-Chair of the Korean Popular Culture Exchange Committee, also responded with amusement.

K-dramas were also brought up. When First Lady Kim asked whether they'd seen any Korean dramas besides K-pop, Claudia Curiel de Icaza, Mexico's Minister of Culture, eagerly raised her hand. One student mentioned that she is drawn to her favorite Korean dramas "because you can learn about love and separation," causing the audience to laugh.

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung wave cheering sticks and greet local spectators at the Stray Kids concert held at the GNP Stadium in Mexico City on the 25th (local time). 2026.9.26 Yonhap News Photo by Yonhap

When President Lee and the First Lady appeared on the balcony of the concert hall with the youths after the meeting, shouts of "Corea" (Korea) erupted from the audience. Together with cheering youths and Minister Curiel, President Lee and First Lady Kim chanted "Corea" and greeted the crowd.

When Co-Chair Park Jinyoung introduced President Lee and the First Lady in Spanish, saying, "Thank you sincerely for loving and supporting K-pop more passionately than anyone else," the crowd once again chanted "Corea." As the spotlight shone on the presidential couple, President Lee raised his arms above his head and made a heart shape, while First Lady Kim responded by making a finger heart with her light stick.

As Stray Kids took the stage, First Lady Kim stood up, waved her light stick enthusiastically, and recorded the stage and audience with her mobile phone. President Lee watched her with a smile and applauded. First Lady Kim sat next to Minister Curiel, waved their light sticks together, and took photos. The event was also attended by Minister Choi Hwiyeong of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Lee Jaejeong, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, Park Jinyoung, Co-Chair of the Korean Popular Culture Exchange Committee, and Minister Curiel.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.