BTS.Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Since their debut in 2013, the South Korean boy band, whose name is an acronym for Bangtan Sonyeondan (which roughly translates to Bulletproof Boys), has topped the charts with their catchy pop music, collaborated with some of the biggest names in the industry and grown one of the largest fanbases, affectionately dubbed ARMY.
TheGrammy-nominated group is comprised of seven members: RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook. In the years since they exploded onto the scene, many of the members have gone on topursue solo projects, in addition to creating hits like “Butter” with their bandmates.
While they are mainly known for their collective success, which includes their variouscharitable endeavors, each artist has begun to pave their own path and develop their individual fandoms.
“We do make sure that one person doesn’t stand out,” Jungkook toldMiss Voguein 2018. “But then we are really unique. We all have our style, so I think we all stand out. We each have our own roles and positions in the band and then we work together to make sure we all try hard for the Army.”
Here’s everything there is to know about the seven members of BTS.
RM, 28
Han Myung-Gu/WireImage
RM (whose full name is Kim Namjoon) is the band’s leader and main rapper. Born on Sept. 12, 1994, RM grew up in Ilsan, South Korea, and began rapping at a young age. He made some waves in the underground rap scene — performing under various names, including Large, Stealo and Runch Randa — and eventually caught the eye of the South Korean record label Big Hit Entertainment (later rebranded into HYBE), who formed BTS and recruited him to be the first official member in 2010.
RM added that his mom bought him all 10 seasons of the hit show on DVD. “So firstly, I watched them with the Korean subtitles, and then next time, I watched with the English subtitles, and then I just removed it.”
During their annual FESTA dinner in June 2022, BTS shared that they would betaking a breakto pursue solo projects and figure out their next steps as a band.
“I always thought that BTS was different from other groups, but the problem with K-pop and the whole idol system is that they don’t give you time to mature,” RM said during the event. “You have to keep producing music and keep doing something.”
HYBE later clarified in a statement that the groupwas not taking a hiatusand would remain active “as a team while taking individual journey to further achieve personal growth.”
RM made his official solo debut with his first studio album, INDIGO, in December 2022.
Jin, 30
Frazer Harrison/Getty
Often referred to as “Worldwide Handsome,” Jin joined the group in 2013 as one of the four main vocalists. In 2017, Jin graduated from Konkuk University in South Korea, according toa tweetfrom BTS' official Twitter page, with a degree in acting and art.
Jin is also BTS' resident foodie. He previously had his own food web series, Eat Jin, and he is the co-owner of a Japanese restaurant called Ossu Seriomushi, located in Seoul, South Korea. In August 2022, Jin made use of his time off from BTS and got back in the kitchen, receiving a cooking lesson from celebrity chef and South Korean television personality Lee Yeon-bok, perBillboard.
During an interview withWeverse Magazine, Jin opened up aboutfinding his confidenceas an individual, outside of BTS.
“It used to be that any time I had to do something, I thought it was such a big deal. Like, how can I handle something this big right now,” Jin told the outlet. “I would always feel discouraged, but my personality has changed a lot now, I think. I think the biggest change in my mind is that now, even if there’s a major project in the works, I think I can do it now.”
He added, “Now, instead of, ‘How can I handle this?’ it’s ‘I can handle this!’ when I’m making songs for other people to listen to.”
Suga, 30
Suga Instagram
Suga (whose full name is Min Yoongi) was born on March 9, 1993, in Daegu, South Korea. Prior to joining BTS, he made a name for himself as an underground rapper — performing under the stage name Gloss — and a producer.
These days, in addition to his involvement with BTS, Suga performs as a solo rapper under the alias Agust D, which is a play on his stage name and a reference to his hometown. He is also a commercial producer under the name “By Suga.”
Of his different aliases, he toldGQAustalia, “All three are me. They each take up a third of myself, and one isn’t more reflective of me than another. I simply give people a choice. These three sides of myself are incredibly different, so I’m giving people a choice to see me as they want.”
In April 2022, Suga produced and was featured on “Gangnam Style” singerPsy’s comeback song"That That."
“At first, because he’s many years my senior and someone who’s well-respected in the business I was quite nervous,” Suga said of the collaboration, adding, “it felt like working with a childhood friend so it made the songwriting process that much more fun … We became besties in a way.”
Suga made his foray into the fashion world in January 2023, when Italian fashion house Valentino announced him as their latest brand ambassador. Suga joined the company’sDi.Vasambassador group, which stands for Different Values, perWWD.
Pierpaolo Picciolo, Valentino’s creative director, described Suga to the outlet as a “multifaceted artist” who expresses himself with “authenticity and energy.” He added, “He perfectly embodies everything that DI.VA.s testimonials stand for: diversity, inclusivity, creativity, and passion.”
In September 2023, Suga became the third member of BTS toenlistin the South Korean military.
J-Hope, 29
Christopher Jue/Getty
In 2019, J-Hope teamed up with singerBecky Gto release the song “Chicken Noodle Soup.” The “Shower” singer opened up about her collaboration with J-Hope during an interview withTeen Vogue. “We were one of the first to do Korean, Spanish, and English. It’s really badass,” she told the outlet.
Of their language barrier, she added, “I’m so happy that it happened the way it did. To this day, it’s one of those, ‘I see you, you see me, and even though we may not necessarily have the deepest conversations, we get it’ [relationships].”
The duo performed the song at Lollapalooza 2022 during J-Hope’s historicheadlining set, which made him the first South Korean artist to headline a main stage at a major American music festival.
The month prior, he released his debut solo albumJack in the Boxand opened up toRolling Stoneabout his solo career. “Since I’m the first one to go solo, I feel a sense of responsibility andthere’s definitely some pressureas well,” he told the outlet. “Jack in the Boxis filled only with things I personally wanted to do, almost to the point where I worry to myself, ‘Did I focus too much on solely what I wanted to do?’ I think that’s where the half nervousness comes from.”
He added that his bandmates RM and Jungkook were some of the first people to listen to the album and were incredibly supportive of it. “[RM] said, ‘Wow, I didn’t think you’d do music like this. I have a bit of brain freeze. And it’s so you. The fact that you brought this music at this time… I really respect it, and I love that it’s so you,’ " he recalled of RM’s reaction to the album.
Later in the interview, he said that while his solo career has been “fun” and “challenging,” he misses his bandmates, explaining that his rehearsals can sometimes feel “lonely.”
Another female artist that J-Hope is close with isLizzo. In April 2022, Lizzo spoke about their friendship and revealed that J-Hope is “a great texter, expressive. He doesn’t leave you on read.” She added of BTS, “Good people, like really good energy.”
On New Year’s Eve 2023, J-Hopeperformed in Times Squarein New York City forDick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest.
In February 2023, J-Hope became thesecond member of BTS to enlist in the South Korean military.
Jimin, 27
Jimin Instagram
Jimin (whose full name is Park Jimin) was born on Oct. 13, 1995, in Busan, South Korea. He is another one of the group’s main dancers, and he studied dance in high school. He was the last to join BTS, becoming a member of the group in 2013.
In recent years, Jimin has also ventured out independently and taken on new projects. In early January 2023, he was featured on South Korean singer Taeyang’s song “Vibe.” Just a few days later, Dior announced Jimin as theirnew global brand ambassador.
The artist celebrated the news on Instagram, writing, “So thrilled to start a journey with @Dior!” He added in Korean, “Honored to be Dior’s Global Ambassador! Stay tuned for a lot of things to come!”
Jimin has kept plans of a solo album close to his chest, however, in an interview withW Koreaon Jan. 23, 2023, he hinted that there is an album in the works. “Lately, I am working on a solo album. That’s what I have been up to. Nothing special … " he said subtly.
V, 27
V (whose full name is Kim Taehyung) was born on Dec. 30, 1995, in Daegu, South Korea. He grew up singing and playing the saxophone, and he eventually joined BTS after auditioning for Big Hit Entertainment in 2013.
After making his official debut with BTS, V also took on acting projects and debuted as an actor in the historical dramaHwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth.V also starred onIn the Soop: Friendcation, a reality show on Disney+ that followed the singer and his real-life actor and musician friends, includingParasitestar Choi Woo-shik, while they were on vacation. BTS originated the franchise with 2020’sBTS In the Soop.
On his 25th birthday in December 2020, Vreleased the song"Snow Flower,” which is a collaboration with singer-songwriter, producer and rapper Peakboy. Upon its release, he also discussed an upcoming solo mixtape.
“This year feels like a stopped moment, and as the end of the year nears, I think there will be a lot of people with increased anxiety and depression. As [the mixtape] was late, I made [the song] in a hurry, feeling sorry for ARMY,” he said. “For today, I hope that white flowers will come down to your hearts and feel some warm comfort and happiness.”
In December 2021, when the BTS members joined Instagram, Vbroke two Guinness world recordsin the process. The singer broke the record for the fastest time to reach both 1 million followers and 10 million followers.
That same month, he released the holiday song, “Christmas Tree,” which immediately topped the Billboard charts and earned him his first solo No. 1, perBillboard. The following year, hereleased a coverof the Christmas song “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” on Dec. 23, 2022.
V is reportedly single. However, he’s rumored to be dating Jennie fromBlackpink. The pair werespotted holding handson a stroll through Paris in May 2023.
Jungkook, 25
The Chosunilbo JNS/Imazins/Getty
Jungkook (whose full name is Jeon Jung-kook) was born on Sept. 1, 1997, in Busan, South Korea. He is the youngest member of BTS and ARMY affectionately call him “Kookie” or “Golden Maknae,” which translates to “golden youngest.”
ABC/Paula Lobo
While his solo album is still in the works, he has released a few solo tracks, including “My You,” “Still With You,” and “Dreamers,” which was part of the 2022 FIFA World Cup official soundtrack.
In July 2023, Jungkook made hissolo performance debutatGood Morning America’s Summer Concert Series in New York City. He performed three songs, including his single “Seven,” before severe weather rolled over Central Park.
A few months later, Jungkook became the fourth member of BTS toenlistin the South Korean military.
source: people.com
