Japanese and South Korean leaders jam to K-pop hits at a summit

By Canadian Press on January 13, 2026.

TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese and South Korean leaders agreed to deepen cooperation between their countries before they let loose with their own surprise cultural exchange in a surprise jam session drumming to K-pop hits.

The musical performance between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung followed Tuesday’s summit in Nara, Japan, Takaichi’s hometown.

Wearing personalized athletic jackets, they sat side by side and drummed to hits such as BTS’ “Dynamite” and Kpop Demon Hunters’ “Golden” in a short video posted by Takaichi’s office Wednesday.

The jam session was a surprise by Takaichi, a heavy metal fan and an avid drummer in her college days.

Lee thanked Takaichi’s hospitality for arranging the jam session, as playing the drums has been his longtime dream.

Just like they respected each other’s differences and aligned their rhythms gradually, Lee said, he hoped South Korea and Japan will deepen their cooperation and become closer step by step.

Takaichi, in a video, complimented Lee as a fast learner, saying he learned to play the drums in just a few minutes.

“In order to develop Japan-South Korea relations in a forward-looking way and stably, we will continue our close communication between the two governments including by proactively carrying out our ‘shuttle diplomacy,’” Takaichi said.

Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press