South Korea's Yoon rates his performance of 'American Pie' at White House: 'I sang very well'
While a nuclear defence agreement emerged as the centrepiece of Yoon Suk-yeol's visit to the United States, the South Korean leader said he thought his impromptu performance of American Pie at the White House state dinner went quite well.
Yoon also revealed that he was bewildered when US President Joe Biden asked him to belt out the iconic 1970s song by Don McLean late last month.
"When President Biden asked me to come up to the stage, I thought I would be given a guitar, but I was pretty taken aback when he asked me to sing," Yoon told members of his ruling People Power Party on Tuesday.
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"We know this is one of your favourite songs, American Pie," Biden had said to Yoon. "We'd like to hear you sing it."
The South Korean leader gamely took the microphone and crooned several stanzas of the song, sparking a resounding applause from the audience that included US First Lady Jill Biden and Hollywood A-listers such as actress Angelina Jolie.
The US leader then gave his South Korean counterpart a guitar signed by McLean, who could not attend the gathering.
"The next state dinner we're going to have, you're looking at the entertainment," an elated Biden said. "I had no damn idea you could sing."
Just minutes before Yoon's rendition of one of his favourite songs, Broadway stars, including Lea Salonga and Jessica Vosk, also sang American Pie.
"As shown in pictures, I thought I sang very well, as singers from Miss Saigon (Broadway musical) showed a surprised expression seeing me singing," Yonhap quoted Yoon as saying.
Yoon held a summit with Biden during his five-day state visit to the US that ended on April 28. The two leaders issued what was titled the Washington Declaration, boosting the US nuclear umbrella over South Korea, which is increasingly worried about North Korea's military manoeuvres.
A state visit, including an arrival ceremony on the White House's South Lawn and a sparkly state dinner, is the highest diplomatic honour the US bestows on its closest allies. Yoon travelled to the US to mark the 70th anniversary of bilateral ties between Seoul and Washington.
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
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