South Korean singer Taehyung has sampled ceviche in Lima ahead of his pop group BTS playing their first concert in Peru. The musician tried the traditional seafood dish after fans recommended local food for his visit.
Taehyung, who is also known by his stage name V, shared images of his meal on social media. He then posted a message in Spanish on the fan platform Weverse to say he ate ceviche and the sweet potato was very good. He included unpublished photographs of his activities in the country.
Ceviche is widely considered the national dish of Peru. It typically consists of raw fish cured in fresh citrus juices and spiced with chili peppers and red onions. The dish is often served with slices of cooked sweet potato, known locally as camote, which helps balance the acidity of the lime juice.
The singer is spending a week in Peru with his bandmates RM, Suga, Jin, Jungkook, Jimin and J-Hope. The seven member group, also known as Bangtan, is scheduled to perform three sold out shows at the San Marcos Stadium in the capital city.
The concerts are part of the band's global Arirang tour. Formed in South Korea, BTS has become one of the most successful musical acts in the world. The group blends pop, hip hop and rhythm and blues, and they are known for their elaborate dance routines and highly organized international fan base.
Traditional dishes
The musician used Instagram to show his followers his dinner, which included ceviche and a plate of seafood rice. Seafood rice, or arroz con mariscos, is another staple of the country's coastal cuisine that combines rice with shrimp, squid, mussels and other shellfish colored with local spices.
He also posted pictures of traditional Peruvian desserts, including suspiro a la limeña, which he ate with his close companions. Suspiro a la limeña is a classic sweet from the capital made with a caramel base called manjar blanco and topped with soft meringue flavored with port wine and cinnamon.
Fans of the group, known collectively as Army, had spent the previous hours suggesting various Peruvian dishes for the artist to try during his stay. Weverse, where he posted his review of the meal, is a community application created by the band's management company. The platform allows artists to interact directly with their followers and host multimedia content.
Spanish messages
The vocalist has been making an effort to communicate in Spanish with fans in Latin America over recent weeks. His recent posts included local Peruvian slang such as the word causa, which is an informal term for a friend.
This approach to local culture follows similar efforts the singer made during a previous tour stop in Colombia. He has also told fans he wants to visit the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu while he is in Peru.
Machu Picchu is a fifteenth century settlement located in the Andes mountains in southern Peru. It is the most famous archaeological site in South America and a major destination for international visitors.
Followers from Peru responded quickly to his latest post about the sweet potato. Fans wrote comments on social media saying that Peru is key and that the singer is more Peruvian than the potato.
The group is now preparing to take the stage for their first live performance in the country. The San Marcos Stadium, where they will perform, is a major outdoor venue in Lima located on the campus of the National University of San Marcos, which is the oldest continuously operating university in the Americas.
