A Guide To BTS- 7 Boys Who Took Over International Pop Music
If you’re looking to learn more about each of the BTS members, here’s a profile on each of the men driving the global sensation from South Korea! Meet Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook!
The Korean craze has hit the world, and it is here to stay. Whether you are new to Korean pop culture or you already know your way around it, you’ve definitely heard the name “BTS” being thrown around. This South Korean boyband has gained international stardom and every member of the band has girls (and guys too) going gaga over them. So if you’re wondering who the “Bangtan Boys” are, then we’re here to give you an insight into their personal lives and dreams.
The group debuted in 2013 but was training with Big Hit Entertainment for several years prior to their first album being released. Each BTS member was specifically selected to complete the group which is made of rappers, dancers, and vocalists.
Nowadays, the group is known for their massive fan base and their global outreach — but that wasn’t always the case.
The BTS members each struggled in their own way to make it to where they are today, despite all of the odds against them. Each member has their own individual personality and talents that help make BTS so amazing! Here are the seven members of BTS and the story of their incredible rise to international stardom:
Table Of Content:
1. Jin (Kim Seokjin)
Stage Name: Jin
Full Name: Kim Seokjin
Position: Vocalist
Birthday: December 4, 1992
Age: 28
Height: 179 cm (5’10.5”)
Kim Seokjin or “Jin” (stage name) is currently the oldest member of the boyband at 28. He is known for his charming personality and hilarious dad jokes. Jin is also a huge fan of the camera and is known for blowing kisses and winking at the camera (*swoons*). He’s known as “Worldwide Handsome” and for a good reason. Not only is this man an incredible entertainer but his cooking skills are equally as top notch and he often shares some of his culinary secrets with his fans in a series of videos called “Eat Jin”. Yes, the way to this man’s heart is through his stomach and he is a self-confessed foodie! Infact, Jin and his older brother even own a restaurant in South Korea’s capital, Seoul. Talk about a love for food!
Although he initially had dreams of being an actor, his immense vocal talent is what got him noticed and he was discovered by a staff member of Big Hit Entertainment. During an emotional interview, Jin had revealed that the reason he had joined BTS was to make his family, especially his mother, proud of him. He recounted how his mothers friend’s used to brag to her about how talented and successful their kids were and Jin felt like his mother had nothing to say about him. By joining BTS, he wanted to prove that he was equally as talented (if not more) as any of his mom’s friends’ kids. Jin isn’t just a singer, however, he is also a talented self-taught guitarist and can sing and play the guitar at the same time.
Fun facts about BTS member Jin:
- He’s from a well off family and has one older brother, his mom and his dad.
- Jin once studied abroad in Australia, though he still gets self-conscious when speaking English (he’s really good at it though).
- He likes to collect Super Mario related toys and still likes to play video games in his free time.
- Jin is one of the few members of BTS that has his license and can drive (as seen on Bon Voyage season 3).
- He enjoys snowboarding and recently picked up the hobby of fishing as well.
- Jin and his brother own a restaurant together in Seoul.
- He has explained that he likes to be silly because he enjoys making others happy.
- Jin self-taught himself how to play the guitar and can even sing while playing.
- For his most recent birthday in 2019, Jin donated food and other items to an animal welfare center.
2. Suga (Min Yoongi)
Stage Name: Suga
Full Name: Min Yoongi
Position: Rapper
Birthday: March 9, 1993
Age: 28
Height: 174 cm (5’8.5″)
Min Yoongi or “Suga” is the second oldest member of the boyband and is also known for being the “mom friend” or big brother figure of the group. Although Suga is known for being quite the introvert, he is actually pretty warm, caring and kind once you get to know him. Sugar has incredible rapping skills and when he initially signed with Big Hit Entertainment, he thought he’d be signing on as a producer. Sugar had spoken up about coming from a financially unstable background and facing a lot of mental health issues. He is vocal and extremely honest about his own struggles with mental health and had spoken about his family not supporting his dreams initially. Although Suga is known for having a tough boy persona, he is actually quite a softie on the inside and is known for being extremely affectionate.
Suga is also known for his music composition skills and he can play the piano as well. In Suga’s free time, he enjoys sleeping and eating his brother’s delicious cooking. Known for his diligence and incredible work ethic, Suga can often be found working late hours at the music studio. He used to be an underground rapper before he was signed on to be a member of BTS. Suga is a huge fan of basketball and his stage name is inspired by his former position as a shooting guard (SG). Although Suga attended a school that specialized in teaching english when he was younger, he is still nervous to speak it.
Fun facts about BTS member Suga:
- His family struggled financially when Suga was younger, and he has one older brother, his mom and his dad.
- Before moving to Seoul, Suga used to attend a school that specialized in teaching English but he gets nervous speaking it still.
- In his free time, Suga mostly likes to sleep but he also enjoys spending time with his older brother who cooks for him.
- Suga’s family has a male mini poodle named Holly who he loves to take pictures with and spoil with toys.
- He is actually very sweet, patient, and caring, even though his stage persona is often portrayed as being tough.
- Suga’s stage name originates from his love of basketball and stands for his former position as a shooting guard (SG).
- He’s used the stage name Agust D for his solo work and it’s from “Suga” spelled backward and “DT” for Daegu Town where he grew up.
- Suga can compose music on the spot, can play the piano, and is said to have a perfect pitch (aka absolute pitch).
- For Suga’s most recent birthday in 2019, he made a sizable donation to the Korea Pediatric Cancer Foundation under the name of ARMY.
3. J-Hope (Jung Hoseok)
Stage Name: J-Hope
Full Name: Jung Hoseok
Position: Rapper, Dancer
Birthday: February 18, 1994
Age: 27
Height: 177 cm (5’9.7”)
J-Hope can win thousands of ARMY members’ hearts with his smooth and unique dance moves. He is known for being super goofy and if you’re ever looking for a pick-me-up, you should definitely check out compilation videos on him. He is one of the best dancers in BTS and often takes on the dance teacher mode when he is training with the gang. Besides being an incredible dancer and singer, J-Hope has a special place in his heart for fashion and enjoys experimenting with bold and unique styles. Luckily for J-Hope, his sister owns a fashion label and we bet he gets to try her designs before anybody else does!
Although J-Hope didn’t really know how to rap before he joined BTS, he was trained by the other members of the Bangtan Boys and is now excellent at rapping. Although J-Hope is mostly known for his rapping and dancing abilities, he has started to sing as well lately. J-Hope is a vibrant soul and likes to light the room bright with his presence. It’s always a good time when J-Hope is in the room and his goofy personality often gets ARMY members in splits.
Fun facts about BTS member J-Hope:
- J-Hope is close to his older sister who runs a fashion company called Mejiwoo, as well as his mother and father.
- J-Hope is another one of the few members who are one has his license and can drive.
- J-Hope auditioned for JYP before Big Hit, but he didn’t make the cut.
- Jimin and J-Hope are the only members of BTS who still share a room in their current dorm, they said they wanted the big closet that came with the master! 🤣
- Although he mainly raps, J-Hope is also an exceptional singer and will sometimes show off his skills in BTS songs.
- His family has a pet Shih Tzu named Mickey who he’ll often take pictures with when he’s home.
- With his energetic personality, J-Hope often helps set the mood for the others when they’re feeling down.
- J-Hope often leads the group in dance practices which is where his more serious side will come out.
- For his most recent birthday in 2019, J-Hope made a donation for low-income students at his former school in Gwangju through ChildFund Korea.
4. RM (Kim Namjoon)
Stage Name: RM
Full Name: Kim Namjoon
Position: Rapper, Leader
Birthday: September 12, 1994
Age: 26
Height: 181 cm (5’11.3”)
RM aka Kim Namjoon is the leader of BTS and he runs a tight ship. RM stands for Rap Monster and he has also released a few rap songs outside of BTS, namely Do You and Change. RM is the leader for a reason as he is known for being super empathetic and having a really high IQ. Infact, RM taught himself how to speak English by watching the popular American sitcom, F.R.I.E.N.D.S. During RM’s initial days, he struggled to come to terms with his identity. He was also not considered as attractive as the rest of the members of BTS by some industry members as he didn’t fit conventional standards of Korean male beauty. He used to be an underground rapper and many within that genre thought poorly of him for deciding to join a Korean pop group. However, RM has proven all the haters wrong with his immense success with BTS.
For all you nature and art lovers out there, RM loves to get lost in the greenery and he enjoys visiting art museums. He also enjoys reading and is fluent in English, having studied in New Zealand when he was younger. RM is heavily involved in the songwriting process and has allegedly contributed the most amount of lyrics to their music. He likes to spend time in the studio even when he is not writing or helping BTS make more music. He is quite clumsy and one of his popular nicknames is, “God of destruction.” This is because he tends to accidentally break things around him a lot.
Fun facts about BTS member RM:
- Although he’s the leader of BTS, RM is actually in the middle of the group age-wise.
- In his family, RM has one younger sister plus his mom and dad.
- RM enjoys reading and shopping online in his free time, sometimes he just hangs out in his studio even when he’s not writing music.
- He has a large collection of Kaws figurines which he shows off at his studio.
- RM is fluent in English and once studied abroad in New Zealand!
- Out of all the members of BTS, RM has written the most lyrics for their songs.
- One of his nicknames is “God of Destruction” because he’s constantly accidentally breaking everything around him.
- RM’s family has a white dog named Rap Mon after his former stage name.
- For his birthday in 2018, fans adorable adopted a koala at Brisbane’s Australian Zoo and named her Koya, after his BT21 character!
5. Jimin (Park Jimin)
Stage Name: Jimin
Full Name: Park Jimin
Position: Vocalist, Dancer
Birthday: October 13, 1995
Age: 25
Height: 173cm (5’8.1″)
Out of all of the members of BTS, Jimin had the least vocal cord training and practice. In fact, he almost didn’t make the cut! However, he proved everyone wrong by polishing up his notes and now he can even hit super high notes while performing live with the rest of the members of BTS. Jimin, however, is a god on the dance floor. His smooth moves can be seen in songs like Mic Drop and Dynamite. Jimin is probably one of the most affectionate members of the boys and he is often spotted openly displaying his affection towards his friends. He is super empathetic and if he notices that one of the members of BTS is feeling gloomy, he will be the first to selflessly rush to their side and help console them.
Jimin is a social media addict and is often seen posting on BTS’s Instagram page and sharing hilarious behind the scenes shots of the crew. He loves interacting with ARMY and is very fond of all of his fans. When he isn’t singing and dancing with his crew, Jimin can be spotted cruising to the nearest travel destination and going on shopping sprees. Jimin is close with his family and has a younger brother who looks uncannily like him. Jimin is the opposite of a lone wolf and hates spending time alone or by himself. He is also a professional ballet dancer and has the most dance training out of all the members of BTS. He enjoys reading webtoons and comic books.
Fun facts about BTS member Jimin:
- Jimin has one younger brother, who looks so much like him, and is close with his parents.
- Although he’s the shortest member of the group, Jimin has a powerful stage presence that captivates everyone.
- Jimin hates to be alone and prefers to spend as much time with the other members as he can.
- In his free time, Jimin enjoys reading books, comics, and webtoons.
- He also likes to draw and has shown off some of his drawings to fans in his V Lives.
- Jimin was trained in both contemporary dance and ballet before joining Big Hit.
- Many fans refer to him as Mochi (a rice cake) and earned the nickname for his cute qualities.
- Jimin’s song “Promise”, which he wrote himself, broke the record for most streams on SoundCloud in 24 hours!
- Sometime in 2018, Jimin secretly made a large donation to his hometown of Busan’s Metropolitan Office of Education and it was only revealed months later in 2019 that he’d done so!
6. V (Kim Taehyung)
Stage Name: V
Full Name: Kim Taehyung
Position: Vocalist, Dancer
Birthday: December 30, 1995
Age: 25
Height: 178 cm (5’10.1″)
V who is affectionately called TaeTae by his fans was actually the last person from the line-up of BTS to be revealed. V comes from an agrarian family and has often spoken up about how he would have probably pursued the same career path if he had not joined BTS. He is extremely attached to his family and has younger siblings. Due to this, he is good with kids and enjoys interacting with younger fans. His voice is extremely soulful and deep and thus stands out. So, the best way to describe V would be to call him unique. He enjoys visual arts and has even acted in a South Korean period film, Hwarang: The Beginning.
V is known for his vibrant and outgoing personality but he likes to keep much of his life private. He absolutely adores animals and has a pomeranian named Yeontan. V is a talented saxophone player and is also well versed in playing the piano. He also has an artistic eye and likes to paint when he has spare time. He is super social and can befriend anybody he meets.
Fun facts about BTS member V:
- V has a younger sister and a younger brother, as well as several young cousins.
- Thanks to all of his younger family members, V loves to be around babies and younger kids.
- V has said that his role model is his father, and used to constantly wear a watch that his father gifted him.
- Although V’s pet Pomeranian Tannie doesn’t live with the members full time, he’s often brought with them to various events and shoots. Tannie lives with V’s family whenever the members are traveling.
- V played the saxophone for many years and can also play the piano.
- After having a close relationship with his grandmother, V has said he picked up his fashion sense from her.
- Along with photography, V likes to paint in his free time.
- V came up with the term “I purple you” which is used by BTS and ARMYs as another way to say I love and trust you.
- For V’s birthday in 2018, many fans took to making donations to the World Wide Fund to help save endangered tigers.
7. Jungkook (Jeon Jeongguk)
Stage Name: Jungkook
Full Name: Jeon Jeongguk
Position: Vocalist, Dancer, Center
Birthday: September 1, 1997
Age: 23
Height: 178 cm (5’10.1”)
Jungkook is the youngest member of BTS and is known for being an all-round gem and super playful. He is also known for being quite athletic and enjoying the arts. Jungkook left his hometown at an early age and joined Big Hit after he was impressed by RM’s personality. He was also the only one of them who was sent to America to train in dance before he debuted. Jungkook was only fifteen years old when the group was first introduced and he has often spoken about how the other members of BTS helped raise him.
He is fascinated with capturing memories and is often spotted taking videos of the rest of the members of BTS and showcasing their life behind the scenes. He is a huge gamer and also enjoys taking photographs along with videos in his spare time. He also spends a lot of his spare time working out and enjoys being the spoiled little child of the group.
Fun facts about BTS member Jungkook:
- Jungkook is also the maknae of his family and has an older brother. He’s also said that his mother is older than his father.
- Jungkook has been pretty open about the fact that he disliked school when he went, aside from a few subjects.
- Aside from being gifted in singing and dancing, Jungkook also likes photography, videography, and gaming!
- Jungkook releases short films he calls G.C.F.s on BTS’ youtube channel which gives fans a behind the scenes look at the member’s lives.
- Jungkook is another one of the members of BTS who can drive and has his license.
- The other members of BTS claim that Jungkook might be their maknae but he doesn’t really act like one.
- Jungkook speaks formally to the other members but they say that he does so to get away with annoying his hyungs.
- He’s very athletic, can play multiple sports well and also enjoys working out.
- For Jungkook’s birthday in 2018, many fans made donations to Korean Kids and Orphanage Outreach Mission (KKOOM).
We hope you are now well-versed in who BTS are and can decide who your favorite member of the group is. Their impressive success on the international music sphere is truly something to look out for. Who is your favorite BTS member? Do let us know all of your thoughts on this article in the comment section below!