[News Terms] Jeong Eui-seon and BLACKPINK Receive the Order of the British Empire

The Order of the British Empire awarded to BLACKPINK by King Charles III of the United Kingdom is an honor given to citizens of Commonwealth countries who have made significant contributions to British society or foreigners recognized for their substantial contributions to the Commonwealth in various fields such as politics, economy, and cultural arts.

Girl group BLACKPINK is holding up the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) medal they received from King Charles III at a cultural and arts encouragement event held at Buckingham Palace in London, UK, on the 22nd (local time). From left to right: Lisa, Ros?, Jisoo, Jennie. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Established in 1917 by King George V of the United Kingdom, the order is awarded in both civilian and military divisions. Each division is composed of five ranks, with a maximum number of recipients allowed for each rank. However, honorary awards given to foreigners are not included in these limits.

Recipients of the first and second ranks are entitled to the titles Sir (for men) or Dame (for women). The first rank (Knight or Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire, GBE) and the second rank (Knight or Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, KBE or DBE) are considered titular honors that confer knighthood.

Recipients of the third rank (Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE), fourth rank (Officer of the Order of the British Empire, OBE), and fifth rank (Member of the Order of the British Empire, MBE) append the respective post-nominal letters to their names. For example, David Beckham, who received the fourth rank in 2003, is styled as ‘David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE’.

Honorary awards given to foreigners are not included in the order’s official rolls. This means that even if foreigners receive the first or second rank, they do not receive the knighthood titles. However, they may still use the post-nominal letters corresponding to their rank.

Recipients of the Order of the British Empire are nominated by UK government agencies and selected through a rigorous review process by the British royal family. BLACKPINK received the fifth rank of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of their role as promotional ambassadors for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), hosted by the UK.

Earlier, on the 14th, Chung Eui-sun, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, also received the Order of the British Empire from King Charles III. He was the first Korean to receive the honor since King Charles III’s accession. Notably, Chairman Chung’s award carries additional significance as it was received 46 years after his grandfather, Chung Ju-yung, the founding chairman, was honored with the Order of the British Empire in 1977, marking a generational legacy.