UNITED NATIONS – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he is jealous of South Korean rapper Psy.
The UN chief joked during a meeting with the rapper that he felt overshadowed by the star, whose video has scored over half a billion views on YouTube.
“I’m a bit jealous. Until two days ago someone told me I am the most famous Korean in the world. Now I have to relinquish. I have no regrets,” Ban said.
The two lavished praise on each other at UN headquarters Tuesday, with Ban even risking a few of Psy’s trademark dance moves from the viral smash video Gangnam Style.
“So now you have first and second famous Korean in the same building,” Psy told reporters at a photo opportunity with the UN chief.
Psy also had nothing but praise for Ban.
“For all the Koreans he is the guy, you know, in everyone’s heart in Korea, the best among the best. To be here and he knows me, even the thing that he knows me is so touching right now, and he’s saying he saw my video. He counted my video views,” Psy said. “This is much more better feeling than when I did No. 2 on Billboard.”
Earlier, Ban met supersonic skydiver Felix Baumgartner and spoke admiringly of his death-defying leap last week from a balloon 24 miles above the Earth. Baumgartner, whose jump broke the sound barrier and set a world record, offered to give Ban skydiving lessons.
It was a break from the conflict and wars the UN chief usually deals with. Ban’s spokesman, Martin Nesirky, told reporters the secretary-general thinks it’s important to engage different parts of society.