RM’s World Cup Sneakers Just Sold for Nearly $20,000

BTS made headlines yesterday by announcing they’d be boycotting the 2026 Grammys, in response to the recently announced “Best Asian Pop Music Performance” category. But that wasn’t the only big news for the band this week: They also raised a cool $19,800 raised for charity, thanks to a pair of boot-like sneakers worn by RM during this month’s World Cup halftime show. The chunky kicks were sold—alongside a slew of signed football jerseys and Madonna’s gloves—as part of an auction organized by Global Citizen, FIFA, and Christie’s in support of expanded education and football access for children around the world.RM’s sneakers hailed from the Los Angeles footwear label AKME. Riko Uchida, the brand’s founder, says she was thrilled to learn a while back that a BTS member had purchased a pair of AKME shoes from the Seoul streetwear shop Samplas, but she never expected to later see her work worn during the first-ever halftime show in World Cup history.For the performance, BTS was outfitted by their longtime stylists Hardstyle, the duo of Peri Rosenzweig and Nick Roya. According to Uchida, the pair reached out to AKME to request a shoe fitting for the band, resulting in the models Untitled-03 (worn by RM) and Low Top Boot (worn by Suga) being pulled for the halftime performance.AKME Untitled-03 Courtesy of AKMEAKME Low Top Boot Courtesy of AKMEUchido considers all of AKME’s shoes to be distorted and reinvented versions of familiar footwear classics. RM’s Untitled-03 boot, for example, combines a work-boot-esque structure with athletic and technical elements; the silhouette boasts a sturdy Vibram rubber sole, hardy leather uppers, and a zip-front closure. For the shoe’s geometric accents, foam detailing, and four-way stretch, Uchido took inspiration from the beloved Studio Ghibli film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.BTS’s halftime performance outfits consisted entirely of indie brands, several of which were included in the Christie’s auction. In total, the auction helped raise over $650,000.“As an independent brand, the dedication we pour into every product, and the consistent sacrifices we make to keep creating something great, are what make moments like this feel worth it,” Uchida says. “We’re just so happy to see our shoes on BTS, on a stage this big.”Luckily, there’s no need to drop 20 Gs if you’re after a pair of AKME shoes yourself. The Untitled-03 boots are made to order and cost $700, a slightly more approachable price tag for non-global superstars.Meanwhile, following their landmark World Cup performance, BTS has resumed their sold-out Arirang World Tour, in support of their blockbuster fifth album Arirang. Later this fall, RM will also be curating an exhibition of his personal art collection at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.