At first glance, the images looked like something out of a fan’s wildest dream: BTS leader RM standing side by side with South Korea’s newly inaugurated President Lee Jae Myung, in full photobooth-style glory. But the moment the photos hit social media, fans and netizens everywhere froze — is this a clever edit or a real moment captured in time?
The jaw-dropper moment took place during the launch of the Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange in Goyang, at the K-culture experience zone. President Lee, alongside J.Y. Park (founder of JYP Entertainment), stepped into a photobooth that used a virtual “Photoism” frame featuring RM. Although RM himself was nowhere to be seen in person, the digital insert made it appear like he was there.
Lee struck playful poses — finger hearts, thumbs up — glancing over at the virtual RM face framed beside him. The resulting four-cut images were later shared by the president’s social accounts, triggering an immediate stir online.
Then came the punchline: when RM caught wind of the photos, his reaction left fans in stitches. On Weverse, he responded:
“Oh my god. Is this photoshopped?”
He wasn’t alone in his bewilderment. Social media users piled into the comments section, calling the images “ridiculously surreal,” “too perfect to be real,” and “like they Photoshopped a dream.” One commenter joked, “He wasn’t even there — but they made it look like he was living his best life.”
The spectacle highlights the intersection of politics, pop culture, and digital wizardry. While President Lee’s move may be seen as a lighthearted nod to K-pop’s global influence, it also offers insight into how leaders aim to connect with younger, digitally savvy audiences. As Lee himself declared at the event, his administration pledges to support Korea’s cultural industry — “to grow it into a core industry that carries the future of the Korean economy.”
Regardless of your take — whether you find it endearingly playful or slightly uncanny — the moment has already gone viral. For RM, it’s a surreal twist: seeing yourself digitally standing beside the President, only to wonder if it’s all just a trick of pixels.
