'I had no damn idea you could sing:' S.Korean President Yoon's 'American Pie' stuns Biden
- 27 Apr 2023
There are several leaders who have shown their singing skills in the past. Boris Johnson with his 'Waltzing Matilda,' Barack Obama's 'Amazing Grace' and David Cameron's 'Doo doo, doo doo' are some examples. There is another surprise addition to the list: South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who stunned the august gathering at the White House, and Joe Biden, with a rendition of the timeless humdinger 'American Pie'.
At the end of a state dinner on Wednesday, Broadway stars Norm Lewis, Lea Salonga, and Jessica Vosk sang a handful of pieces for Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, along with visiting Yoon and his wife Kim Keon-hee.
After they sang songs from Les Miserables and Funny Girl, First Lady Jill Biden suggested a serenade of ‘American Pie.’
Biden suggested Yoon sing the song, but the South Korean President was initially hesitant. Then he agreed, belting out an all-time chartbuster much to the delight of the august gathering.
“I had no damn idea you could sing,” Biden joked, and then presented his counterpart with a guitar signed by Don McLean, who wrote the song.
“The next state dinner we’re going to have, you’re looking at the entertainment,” Biden told the crowd, according to the Independent.
Social media buffs however were overjoyed.
“If world leaders just competed in karaoke contests instead of on the battlefield, the world would be a way better place,” said one user.
Another wrote: “This is so wholesome.”
“This is just one example of how delightful South Korea and its people are,” tweeted another user.
“Random but I love how music crosses cultural barriers,” one comment read.
This is not the first time Yoon has sung publicly.
On his campaign trail in 2021, he appeared on the famous South Korean TV show All the Butlers and wowed its celebrity hosts with a sparkling cover of K-pop ballad “No one else” by Lee Seung-chul.
