namjoon biography

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Kim Nam-joon (김남준), better known by his stage name RM (short for Real Me [8] , formerly known as Rap Monster (랩몬스터) and Runch Randa (런치란다)), is a South Korean rapper-songwriter and record producer under Big Hit Music . He is a member of the boy group BTS , and has the positions of leader and rapper .

As a solo artist, he has released his first mixtape RM , on March 20, 2015 and his second mixtape Mono , on October 23, 2018. He then made his official solo debut with his first studio album Indigo on December 2, 2022.

In 2020, RM was promoted to full member of the Korea Music Copyright Association . [9]

• 1 Early life
• 3.1 2010-2013: Big Hit Entertainment and debut with BTS
• 3.2 2014-2016: First solo collaborations, RM, and Problematic Men
• 3.3 2017-2021: Second mixtape Mono and further collaborations
• 3.4 2022: Solo debut
• 4 Artistry and impact
• 5.1 Studio albums
• 5.2 Mixtapes
• 5.3 Digital singles
• 5.4 Collaborations
• 5.5 Features
• 5.7 Solo songs credited as BTS
• 5.8 Unofficial songs
• 5.9 Original songs
• 5.10 Adapted songs
• 5.11 Cover songs
• 6.2 Variety shows
• 6.3 Music shows
• 6.4 Music videos
• 7.1 Concert participation
• 8 Endorsements
• 9 Photobooks
• 10 Producing and writing credits
• 11 Awards and nominations
• 15 Video Gallery
• 16 References

Kim Nam-joon was born on September 12, 1994, in Dongjak-gu, South Korea, and grew up in Ilsan-gu, where his family moved when he was four or five. He is the elder of two siblings and has a younger sister.

As a child, RM largely learned English by watching Friends with his mother. [10] As a student, he actively wrote poetry and often received awards for his writings. He posted his work to an online poetry website for roughly one year, where he received moderate attention. Through this, RM grew interested in pursuing a literary career but decided against it. At the age of 11, RM became interested in hip-hop music after hearing Epik High 's "Fly" in fifth grade. He found that the song had provided him comfort, and, due to this, decided to look further into the genre. Following an introduction to American rapper Eminem by his schoolteacher, RM grew interested in lyricism, printing lyrics he felt were "cool" and sharing them with his friends. RM transitioned to writing lyrics then, stating that his poetry became lyrics when it combined with music. In 2007, as a first-year middle school student, RM began rapping in local amateur hip-hop circles, creating his first self-composed recording for the first time using the program Adobe Audition (then called Cool Edit). He later participated in his first concert in 2008. RM eventually became more active in the underground Korean hip-hop scene under the moniker "Runch Randa", releasing a number of tracks and collaborations with other underground rappers, such as Zico .

In school, RM scored in the top 1% of the nation in the university entrance examinations for language, math, foreign language and social studies and had an IQ of 148. [11] RM's parents were strongly opposed to his interest in a musical career due to his academic achievements, and initially, RM decided to set music aside to focus on his studies. In order to convince his mother to allow him to be a rapper, he asked her if "she wanted to have a son who was a first-place rapper, or a 5,000th-place student".

RM selected the name "Rap Monster" during his time as an idol trainee. Though commonly misunderstood that the name means that he "raps like a monster", it actually derives from the lyrics of a song he wrote, inspired by San E's "Rap Genius". The lyrics contained a segment where San E declares he should be called a "rap monster" as he "raps non-stop". He adopted the stage name because he felt it was "cool". [12] RM has described himself as having a love-hate relationship with the name, feeling that it was not selected for being of "incredible value" to him.

He formally changed his stage name to "RM" in November 2017, as he determined that "Rap Monster" was no longer representative of who he was or the music that he creates. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight RM stated that "[the name] could symbolize many things. It could have more spectrums to it. "Real Me" was provided as a possible current meaning.

2010-2013: Big Hit Entertainment and debut with BTS

RM promoting 2 Cool 4 Skool in June 2013.

In 2009, RM auditioned for Big Deal Records, passing the first round along with Samuel Seo but failing the second round as he forgot all his lyrics. However, following the audition, rapper Sleepy exchanged contact information with RM, who he later mentioned to Big Hit Entertainment producer Pdogg. In 2010, Sleepy contacted RM, encouraging him to audition for Big Hit CEO Bang Si-hyuk. Bang offered RM a spot at the record label, and, without his parent's knowledge, RM accepted the offer immediately. The interaction caused Bang and Pdogg to start production of a hip hop group, which eventually became idol group BTS. RM joined Big Hit Entertainment shortly after at age 16. [13] During his career as an idol, he enrolled at Global Cyber University.

RM trained for three years with fellow rapper Min Yoon-gi and dancer Jung Ho-Seok, who later became known as SUGA and j-hope respectively. [14] [15] During his three year trainee period, RM performed on five pre-debut tracks credited to BTS in 2010 and 2011. He also worked as a songwriter for girl group Glam and helped pen their debut single, " Party (XXO) ", an explicitly pro-LGBTQ song which was praised by Billboard as "one of the most forward-thinking songs out of a K-pop girl group in the past decade." [16] On June 13, 2013, RM made his debut with BTS, and has since produced and written lyrics for a variety of tracks on all of BTS' albums. On August 29, 2013, RM performed the intro track to BTS' first extended play O!RUL8,2? , which was released as a trailer ahead of the EP's September 11 release and marked his first solo released collectively as "BTS". [17]

2014-2016: First solo collaborations, RM, and Problematic Men

RM promoting Problematic Men in 2015.

On August 5, 2014, Big Hit Entertainment released a trailer for BTS' first studio album Dark & Wild , which was set to release on the August 20. The rap track, later released as collectively under BTS " Intro: What Am I To You ", was a solo performed by RM. Through reality television show American Hustle Life that was used to produce Dark & Wild, [18] RM formed a working relationship with Warren G, who offered to give BTS a beat. In an interview with Korean magazine Hip Hop Playa, Warren G stated that he had befriended BTS through the program and had kept in touch with the band after they returned to South Korea. On March 4, 2015, RM released a single with Warren G entitled, " P.D.D (Please Don't Die)" ahead of his first solo mixtape RM, following an offer by Warren G to collaborate. This track reflected how RM felt towards those who hated and criticized him at the time, which he used to find very upsetting.

That same March, RM collaborated with hip hop project group MFBTY along with EE and Dino J as a feature for the song " Buckubucku ". He featured in the music video for "Buckubucku," and also had a cameo in another MFBTY music video for their song, "Bang Diggy Bang Bang". RM first formed a lasting working relationship with MFBTY member Tiger JK during a TV show in 2013 when Tiger JK was promoting his song "The Cure", telling the rapper that he grew up listening to him. [19]

RM was cast as a regular on the Korean variety program Problematic Men where cast members are given a variety of puzzles and problems to solve and work through them by talking about their own thoughts and experiences. The program began airing on February 26, 2015, however RM left the show after 22 episodes due to BTS' 2015 Red Bullet world tour . [20]

RM shooting " Do You " music video in 2015.

On March 17, 2015, RM released his first solo mixtape, RM , which ranked 48th on Spin's "50 Best Hip Hop Albums of 2015". The mixtape featured a variety of topics such as RM's past on the track " Voice " and the idea that "you're you and I'm me" in the track " Do You ". When discussing his work on the track " God Rap ", RM described himself as an atheist, believing that the only thing that determines his fate was his own self. The entirety of his work on the mixtape took around four or five months, with RM working on it in between BTS' activities. The following year, RM recalled that he had largely written about the negative emotions he had been carrying, such as anger and rage, but stated that the songs are not "100% under [his] sovereignty" and that he felt many parts of the mixtape were "immature". He also added that he hoped his next mixtape to be something he worked on by himself. Following the mixtape, RM featured along with Kwon Jin-ah on Primary 's " U " that April. [21] That August, RM collaborated with Marvel for Fantastic Four's soundtrack in Korea, releasing the digital single, " Fantastic " featuring Mandy Ventrice through Melon, Genie, Naver Music, and other music sites. In August 2016, vocal duo Homme released a single titled "Dilemma" which was co-produced by RM and Bang Si-hyuk.

2017-2021: Second mixtape Mono and further collaborations

In March 2017, RM collaborated with American rapper Wale on a special socially-charged track called " Change ", released as a free digital download along with an accompanying music video filmed about two weeks prior to the track's release. [22] The pair first formed a relationship over Twitter with Wale reaching out to RM in 2016, having seen RM's cover of his track "Illest Bitch". RM decided on the topic of "Change", saying that though the two rappers were extremely different, their commonality lay in the fact that both America and Korea had their political and social situations and both of them wanted the world to change for the better. [23] That December, RM featured on a remix of Fall Out Boy 's song " Champion ". [24] The track reached number 18 on Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles and helped RM reach number 46 on the Emerging Artists Chart for the week of January 8, 2018. On December 27, RM made history as the first K-pop artist to chart on the Rock Digital Songs chart, coming in at number two on the list. [25]

RM shooting " Persona " comeback trailer in 2019.

In 2018, RM released his second mixtape entitled Mono that October, which he referred to as a "playlist". He became the first Korean artist to rank number one on the Emerging Artists Chart in the United States with the playlist. [26] The playlist was critically well-received, with RM laying "his deep insecurities bare on songs like ' Tokyo ' and ' Seoul '". [27] The track "Seoul" was produced by British electropop duo Honne . He first discovered RM after seeing him recommend their music on Twitter and eventually met him in Seoul following one of their concerts. The interaction caused the duo to want to collaborate with RM. [28] That November, RM also collaborated with Tiger JK on his last and final album as Drunken Tiger before retiring the name, featuring on the track " Timeless ". Tiger JK originally expected RM's lyrics to contain self-praise, which was the trend of rap at the time, but RM wrote the lyrics to leave behind the historical meaning of Drunken Tiger's name.

On March 25th, 2019, Honne announced that RM had provided a feature on their remake of " Crying Over You ◐ " alongside singer BEKA, which released on March 27th. Honne had originally released "Crying Over You ◐" in 2018, with just BEKA providing a feature. The song was originally slated for a January 2019 release but was postponed due to "unforeseen circumstances". Chinese singer Bibi Zhou was added to the Chinese release, appearing with RM and replacing BEKA. The same day as release, Big Hit Entertainment released the song " Persona " as a trailer for BTS' upcoming studio album Map of the Soul: Persona , performed as a solo by RM. [29] Persona debuted at 17 on Billboard's YouTube Song Chart. [30] Three months later, on July 24, 2019, RM featured on the fourth official remix of Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road," entitled " Seoul Town Road ", "infuse[ing]...his English-language verse with a surprisingly good Southern twang". On December 29, it was announced that RM would be featuring on Younha's forthcoming track, " Winter Flower ", to be released on January 6. RM also features on " Don't ", the title track of Korean singer eAeon's second solo album released on April 30th, 2021.

2022: Solo debut

During BTS' ninth anniversary celebrations in June 2022, RM announced that the band members would be devoting more attention to individual music endeavors going forward and that future projects would be released as commercial albums, complete with promotional activities, instead of as free or unpromoted mixtapes. He subsequently appeared as a featured artist on the single "Sexy Nukim" by alt-K-pop group Balming Tiger in September, and released his debut solo studio album, Indigo , led by the single "Wild Flower", on December 2. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, making him the highest-charting Korean soloist in chart history.

Artistry and impact

RM is a baritone. In 2017, American hip-hop magazine XXL released a list entitled "10 Korean Rappers You Should Know", which included RM. Writer Peter A. Berry promises that "Rap Monster rarely fails to live up to his name." He describes the young star as "one of the region’s most dexterous rappers, capable of switching flows effortlessly as he glides across an array of diverse instrumentals." Crystal Tai from South China Morning Post stated RM received a lot of praise for his natural flow and lyrics and that he's got some " My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy mixed with Earl Sweatshirt and Chance the Rapper" in him. In January 2020, he was promoted from associate to a full member of the Korea Music Copyright Association.

In a survey conducted by Gallup Korea , RM ranked as the 12th most preferred idol of the year for 2018. He ranked 11th in 2019. In 2018, RM was awarded the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit by the President of South Korea along with the other members of BTS, for his contributions to Korean culture. In December 2020, the Arts Council of Korea named him one of its ten 2020 Patrons of the Arts, in recognition of his donation of 100 million won to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art for the printing and distribution of various rare art books to schools and libraries in rural and mountainous regions.

Discography

See also: BTS Discography

Studio albums

• Indigo (2022)
• Mono (2018)

Digital singles

• " Bicycle " (2021)

Collaborations

• " Perfect Christmas " (with Jo Kwon, Lim Jeong-hee, Joohee and Jung Kook ) (2013)
• " P.D.D " (with Warren G) (2015)
• " Change " (with Wale) (2017)
• Lee Seung Gi - " 널 웃게 할 노래 (Feat. 방탄소년단, 하림) (A Song Make to You Smile (Feat. BTS and Hareem)) " (with j-hope and Hareem) (credited as BTS ) (2011)
• MFBTY - " 부끄부끄 (Buckubucku) (feat. EE, Rap Monster of BTS, Dino-J) " (2015)
• Yankie - " 튀겨 (ProMeTheUs) (Feat. Dok2, Juvie Train, Double K, Rap Monster of BTS, Topbob, Don Mills) " (2015)
• Primary - " U (Feat. Kwon Jin Ah & Rap Monster) " (2015)
• Gaeko - " 코끼리 (Gajah) (Feat. Rap Monster) " (2017)
• Fall Out Boy - " Champion (Remix) " (2017)
• Drunken Tiger - " Timeless (feat. RM of BTS) " (2018)
• Honne - " Crying Over You ◐ (feat. RM & BEKA) " (2019)
• Lil Nas X - " Old Town Road (feat. RM of BTS) (Seoul Town Road Remix) " (2019)
• Younha - " 雪中梅 (Winter Flower) (Feat. RM) " (2020)
• Agust D - " Strange (feat. RM) " (2020)
• eAeon - " 그러지 마 (Don't) (feat. RM) " (2021)
• Balming Tiger - " SEXY NUKIM (Feat. RM of BTS) " (2022)
• So!YoON! - " Smoke Sprite (feat. RM of BTS) " (2023)
• " Fantastic " (feat. Mandy Ventrice) (2015)
• " All Night " from " BTS World OST Part.3 " (with SUGA and Juice Wrld) (credited as BTS ) (2019)

Solo songs credited as BTS

See also unit songs credited under BTS: Units

• " Intro: 2 Cool 4 Skool " from 2 Cool 4 Skool (2013)
• " Intro: O!RUL8,2? " from O!RUL8,2? (2013)
• " Intro: What Am I To You " from DARK&WILD (2014)
• " Reflection " from WINGS (2016)
• " Trivia 承: Love " from LOVE YOURSELF 結 'Answer' (2018)
• " Intro: Persona " from MAP OF THE SOUL : PERSONA (2019)
• " Young Forever (RM Demo Ver.) " from Proof (2022)

Unofficial songs

See also: Unofficial songs

Original songs

• " Monterlude " (2014)
• " Unpack Your Bags " (with DJ Soulscape) (2014)
• " 아라요 (I Know) " (with Jung Kook ) (2016)
• " Always " (2017)
• " 네시 (4 O'CLOCK) " (with V ) (2017)
• " 땡 (DDaeng) " (with SUGA and j-hope ) (2018)

Adapted songs

• " Rap Monster " (2012)
• " 학교의눈물 (School of Tears) " (with SUGA and Jin ) (credited as BTS ) (2013)
• " 닥투 (You) " (2013)
• " Favorite Girl " (2013)
• " Like A Star " (with Jung Kook ) (2013)
• " 비싼여자 (Expensive Girl) " (2013)
• " 어른아이 (Adult Child) " (with SUGA and Jin ) (credited as BTS ) (2013)
• " Something " (2013)
• " Too Much " (2013)

Cover songs

• " Fools " (with Jung Kook ) (2015)
• " 우산 (Umbrella) " (with Yuiko) (2016)
• " Santa Claus Is Coming To Town " (with Jimin ) (2019)

Filmography

Variety shows, music shows, music videos, concert participation.

• 2015 All Force One: Hot & Cool (2015)
• SUGA | Agust D TOUR (Guest; August 6, 2023)

Endorsements

On April 3, 2023, Bottega Veneta revealed that they have selected RM as their first-ever brand ambassador. [31]

• K’hawah Coffee (2015)
• Bottega Veneta (2023–present)
• Me, Myself, and RM 'Entirety' (2022)

Producing and writing credits

◯ = Participates as writing/composer/producer , ✖ = Not participated as writing/composer/producer , W = Writing , C = Composer , P = Producer , R. = Reference

Awards and nominations

• He is the fourth oldest and the fourth youngest in the band. That make him the middle member of the band.
• He is 29 years old in the US age and 31 years old in the Korean age.
• His zodiac sign is Virgo.
• His favorite number is 1.
• His favorite items are clothes, a computer and books.
• Some of his role models include Kanye West and A$AP Rocky.
• He has composing and writing credits for more than 170 songs.
• RM used to be called "Dance Prodigy" to tease him for his lack of dancing skills. [233]
• RM wrote the lyrics of No More Dream because he had no dreams when he was in school.
• The BTS members said if RM wasn't human he'd be: a Tibetan Fox ( Jungkook ), A Lion that even if you catch it, it breaks everything and escapes again ( Jimin ), A Monster ( SUGA ), a soccer player ( V ) and a rock ( j-hope ).
• RM has a younger sister.
• RM likes fashion and in the past would tweet "Kim daily" with photos of his outfits. [234]
• His favorite foods are meat (especially Samgyeopsal) and Kalguksu (Korean knife noodles).
• He taught himself how to speak English by watching the American sitcom Friends.
• He is the only member who continues to study Japanese after debut.
• His favorite colors are black, pink and, purple.
• According to him, Jin and j-hope are the scaredy-cats of the group.
• Jimin once called him a gorilla because he's always angry.
• He is known to break everything.
• On November 13, 2017, he announced on Fancafe that he had officially changed his stage name to RM.
• His producing studio is called ' RKive ' (formerly called Mon Studio).
• He previously decorated his studio in black & white monochrome only. After the name changed, he started incorporating colors.
• His favorite dance move is swinging his arms from side to side(The floss).
• He is a great fan of the computer game ‘ MapleStory '.
• He is a great supporter of the LGBTQ+ community.
• RM's BT21 character is a Koala named Koya. Koya is always seen thinking with a sleepy expression. Koya has a purple nose because of the infamous saying V said in a concert, "I purple you”,Which shows their love and support to ARMY.
• His favorite character is Ryan from Kakao Friends/Talk.
• He has lost his passport multiple times.
• BTS was built around RM. He is the first member to have been scouted and the only member to have been with the company since 2010.
• His ideal type is someone who is tall, feminine, smart, and has a nice voice.
• RM had to quit Problematic Men because of how popular they got. However, he made a brief appearance for the 1 year anniversary of the show as the cast called him.
• RM revealed that he spent most of his life as 'RM' and barely got to be Kim Namjoon. He admitted being very occupied and busy with idol life is hard, barely being able to spend time with family, friends, and do activities as a "normal" person would be able to do. He also mentioned that he feels sad and lonely at times and a way to cope with it is to express his thoughts and emotions through music. (Burn The Stage EP. 3 & 6)
• He claims to have never been successfully able to blow a bubble with bubblegum. [235]
• As of 2020, he is the only member who doesn't have a driver's license.
• While his main goal in life is to truly love himself, RM acknowledges that loving yourself is not a final destination, but a state of mind to try to achieve consistently.
• When asked what is his favorite hair color that he's tried before, he said he likes silver the most. [236]
• RM likes to collect figures and toys of different kinds. They can be seen throughout his studio on shelves inside of glass cases or scattered about in his room.
• If he was a girl, he said he would date j-hope because he is like the mother at the dorm.
• He likes clear weather.
• Namjoon’s father calls him Jooni Mini.
• Namjoon was once a center in a basketball team.
• RM gets panicked when he can’t find his lip balm.
• Namjoon said if he didn’t live in Korea he would want to live in Australia.
• RM's favorite quote is 'Team work makes dream work'.
• Hobbies: Surfing the web, walking in a park, cycling, photography, mountain climbing.
• He did ice skating for about 4 years and is good at it. [237]
• RM’s TOEIC (The Test of English for International Communication) score was 900.
• His image before debut was a neat and quiet student.
• His Spotify playlist is called: RM’s Heavy Rotations
• Has a total of 2 ear piercings. (1 on the right, and 1 on the left)
• As a leader, he really dislikes Maknae line being disruptive during award ceremonies.
• Over time, he delegates the interview duties to Suga when he realized the questions are too insensitive.

Video Gallery

• ↑ "Before BTS, RM was originally known as Runch Randa in the Korean underground scene[...]" from Billboard
• ↑ Soompi: BTS Challenges The Cast Of JTBC’s “Ask Us Anything” To Guess Their Nicknames
• ↑ RM's Profile on Naver (deleted)
• ↑ RM's post in Weverse (October 24, 2020)
• ↑ RM's profile BTS Official Fanclub Japan
• ↑ RM's post in Daum Cafe (May 14, 2019)
• ↑ YouTube: BTS (방탄소년단) MBTI Lab 1
• ↑ BTS Answers Fans' Biggest Burning Questions – And RM Reveals Why He Changed His Name From Rap Monster!
• ↑ BTS’s RM And J-Hope, Jay Park, And More Promoted To Full Members Of The Korea Music Copyright Association
• ↑ Get To Know BTS: Rap Monster
• ↑ Rap Monster Is Proving Assumptions About Korean Idol Rappers Wrong
• ↑ BTS Answers Fans' Biggest Burning Questions -- And RM Reveals Why He Changed His Name From Rap Monster!
• ↑ K-pop star Rap Monster of BTS is breaking genre’s squeaky-clean mould, and fans can’t get enough
• ↑ How BTS is changing K-pop for the better
• ↑ Get To Know BTS: J-Hope
• ↑ 10 K-Pop Videos for LGBTQ Pride Month
• ↑ BTS to Drop 1st mini-album Next Month
• ↑ What Will Korea's Hottest New Rap Group Learn About Hip-Hop from Coolio on Their Trip to America?
• ↑ Korean rap is your new favourite thing
• ↑ The ‘Problematic Men’ Show Their Real Selves
• ↑ Wale & BTS' Rap Monster Team Up for Politically Tinged 'Change': Watch
• ↑ BTS Talk Writing Process, Choreography & Wale Collaboration w/ @RobertHerrera3 (9:43)
• ↑ RM From BTS Featured on Fall Out Boy 'Champion' Remix Out Tonight
• ↑ BTS' RM Hits the Bubbling Under Hot 100, Rock Charts & More With Fall Out Boy Remix
• ↑ RM Of BTS Rules Emerging Artists Chart, Billie Eilish Rises to No. 2
• ↑ BTS' RM Just Dropped His Solo Playlist Mono And It's Like Free Therapy
• ↑ Honne on Their New Album, 'Love Me/Love Me Not'
• ↑ BTS A.R.M.Y. Reacts to 'Map Of The Soul: Persona' Trailer: 'A Masterpiece'
• ↑ BTS Chart History
• ↑ Bottega Veneta names BTS' RM first-ever brand ambassador
• ↑ Information of the Song "Ashes" on Melon (Credited as BTS)
• ↑ "PARTY (XXO) - 100000378510" on KOMCA
• ↑ "I LIKE THAT - 100000418729" on KOMCA
• ↑ Information of the Song "We Are Bulletproof Pt.2" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "No More Dream" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Like" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Outro: Circle Room Cypher" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Intro: O!RUL8,2?" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "N.O" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "We On" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "If I Ruled the World" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Coffee" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "BTS Cypher, Pt. 1" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Attack on Bangtan" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Satoori Rap" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Intro: Skool Luv Affair" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Boy In Luv" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Where You From" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Just One Day" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Tomorrow" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "BTS Cypher, Pt. 2: Triptych" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Spine Breaker" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Jump" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Miss Right" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Like (Slow Jam Remix)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Intro: What Am I To You" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Danger" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "War of Hormone" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Hip Hop Phile" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Let Me Know" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Rain" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "BTS Cypher Pt.3: Killer" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Can You Turn Off Your Phone?" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Embarrassed" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "24/7 = Heaven" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Look Here" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "So 4 More" on Melon
• ↑ Track Info of "P.D.D" on Genius
• ↑ Information of the Song "Bucku Bucku (MFBTY feat. EE, Rap Monster & Dino-J)" on Melon
• ↑ Track Info of "Voice" on Genius
• ↑ Track Info of "Do You" on Genius
• ↑ Track Info of "Awakening" on Genius
• ↑ Track Info of "Monster" on Genius
• ↑ Track Info of "Throw Away" on Genius
• ↑ Track Info of "Joke" on Genius
• ↑ Track Info of "God Rap" on Genius
• ↑ Track Info of "Rush (feat. Krizz Kaliko)" on Genius
• ↑ Track Info of "Life" on Genius
• ↑ Track Info of "Adrift" on Genius
• ↑ Track Info of "I Believe" on Genius
• ↑ Information of the Song "ProMeTheUs (feat. Dok2, Juvie Train, Double K, Rap Monster, Topbob & Don Mills)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Fantastic (feat. Mandy Ventrice)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "U (feat. Kwon Jin-ah and RM) " on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "No More Dream (Japanese Ver.)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Boy In Luv (Japanese Ver.)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "N.O (Japanese Ver.)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Danger (Mo-Blue-Mix) (Feat. Thanh)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "I Need U" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Hold Me Tight" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Dope" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Boyz with Fun" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Converse High" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Moving On" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Run" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Butterfly" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Whalien 52" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Ma City" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Silver Spoon" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Autumn Leaves" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Fire" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Save Me" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Epilogue: Young Forever" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Love is Not Over (Full Length Edition)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "I Need U (Urban Mix)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "I Need U (Remix)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Run (Ballad Mix)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Run (Alternative Mix)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Butterfly (Alternative Mix)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Dilemma" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Intro: Boy Meets Evil" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Blood Sweat & Tears" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Begin" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Reflection" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Awake" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Lost" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "BTS Cypher 4" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "21st Century Girl" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "2! 3! " on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Interlude: Wings" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Spring Day" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Not Today" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Outro: Wings" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "A Supplementary Story: You Never Walk Alone" on Melon
• ↑ RM, Wale - Change on Soundcloud
• ↑ Information of the Song "" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Come Back Home" on Melon
• ↑ 네시 (4 O'CLOCK) - R&V on Soundcloud
• ↑ Information of the Song "Intro: Serendipity" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "DNA" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Best of Me" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Dimple" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Pied Piper" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "MIC Drop" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Outro: Her" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Sea" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "MIC Drop (Steve Aoki Remix)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Crystal Snow" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Intro: Singularity" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "FAKE LOVE" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "The Truth Untold" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "134340" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Paradise" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Love Maze" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Magic Shop" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Airplane pt.2" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Anpanman" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "So What" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Outro: Tear" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "FAKE LOVE (Rocking Vibe Mix)" on Melon
• ↑ 땡 - RM, SUGA, J-HOPE on Soundcloud
• ↑ Information of the Song "Euphoria" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Serendipity (Full Length Edition)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Trivia 承: Love" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "I'm Fine" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "IDOL" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Answer: Love Myself" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "DNA (Pedal 2 LA Mix)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "MIC Drop (Steve Aoki Remix) (Full Length Edition)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "IDOL (Feat. Nicki Minaj)" on Melon
• ↑ "Tokyo" on Soundcloud
• ↑ "Seoul (prod. HONNE)" on Soundcloud
• ↑ "Moonchild" on Soundcloud
• ↑ "Badbye (with eAeon)" on Soundcloud
• ↑ "Uhgood" on Soundcloud
• ↑ "Everythingoes (with NELL)" on Soundcloud
• ↑ "Forever Rain" on Soundcloud
• ↑ Information of the Song "Waste It On Me" on Naver
• ↑ Information of the Song "Timeless (Feat. RM of BTS)" on Melon
• ↑ Track Info of "Promise" on Genius
• ↑ Information of the Song "Intro: Persona" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Boy With Luv (feat. Halsey)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Mikrokosmos" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Make It Right" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "HOME" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Jamais Vu" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Dionysus" on Melon
• ↑ 이 밤 by JIN of BTS on Soundcloud
• ↑ Euphoria (DJ Swivel Forever Mix) by JK on Soundcloud
• ↑ Information of the Song "All Night" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Heartbeat" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Seoul Town Road (Old Town Road Remix)" on Melon
• ↑ "Winter Bear" on Bangtan Blog
• ↑ Information of the Song "Make It Right (feat. Lauv)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Make It Right (feat. Lauv) (EDM Remix)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Make It Right (feat. Lauv) (Acoustic Remix)" on Melon
• ↑ Unstable Mindset Track List Announcement
• ↑ Information of the Song "Interlude: Shadow" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Black Swan" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "My Time" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Louder than bombs" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "ON" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "UGH!" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "00:00 (Zero O'Clock)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Inner Child" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Moon" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Respect" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "We are Bulletproof: the Eternal" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Strange (feat. RM)" on SoundCloud
• ↑ Information of the Song "Boy With Luv -Japanese ver.-" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Make It Right -Japanese ver.-" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Dionysus -Japanese ver.-" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "IDOL -Japanese ver.-" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Airplane Pt.2 -Japanese ver.-" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "FAKE LOVE -Japanese ver.-" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Black Swan -Japanese ver.-" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "ON -Japanese ver.-" on Melon
• ↑ Korean Music Copyright Association (KOMCA). Enter "IN THE SOOP" or "100003014323" in the field "Title and/or Alternative title" and hit enter.
• ↑ Big Hit Entertaiment's Tweet (November 13, 2020)
• ↑ Information of the Song "Fly To My Room" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Blue & Grey" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Skit" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Telepathy" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Dis-ease" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Stay" on Melon
• ↑ Abyss by Jin of BTS on Soundcloud
• ↑ Christmas Love by Jimin of BTS on Soundcloud
• ↑ Information of the Song "Don't (feat. RM)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Butter" on Melon
• ↑ TXT Offical's Tweet: "The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE - Tracklist"
• ↑ Information of the Song "0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You) (Emocore Mix)" on Melon
• ↑ "Bicycle" on SoundCloud
• ↑ Information of the Song "0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You) feat. pH-1, Woodie Gochild, Seori" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "Butter (feat. Megan Thee Stallion)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You) feat. MOD SUN" on Melon
• ↑ 227.0 227.1 227.2 Description of the Song "My Universe" on YouTu
• ↑ Information of the Song "Butter (Holiday Remix)" on Melon
• ↑ Information of the Song "0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You) feat. Ikuta Lilas (Japanese Ver.)" on Melon
• ↑ 230.0 230.1 on Twitter: #BTS #방탄소년단 #BTS_Proof Tracklist CD 1 (May 8, 2022)
• ↑ on Twitter: #BTS #방탄소년단 #BTS_Proof Tracklist CD 2 (May 9, 2022)
• ↑ 232.0 232.1 232.2 232.3 232.4 232.5 232.6 232.7 232.8 on Twitter: #BTS #방탄소년단 #BTS_Proof Tracklist CD 3 (May 10, 2022)
• ↑ https://bts-trans.tumblr.com/post/55777234812/interview-130718-rap-monster-suga-j-hopes
• ↑ https://twitter.com/search?lang=en&q=%22%EA%B9%80%EB%8D%B0%EC%9D%BC%EB%A6%AC%22%20(from%3Abts_twt)&src=typed_query
• ↑ https://www.vlive.tv/video/68148
• ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PhPYr_9zRY
• ↑ https://www.vlive.tv/video/25588
• SuperStar BTS
• Puzzle Star BT21
• LINE Hello BT21
• BTS Universe Story
• Rhythm Hive
• BTS Island: In the SEOM
• Hip Hop Monster
• 1 Begins ≠ Youth

See pics for more RM

Korean: 아르엠

South Korea

• Introduction

RM (아르엠) formerly Rap Monster (랩몬스터), is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, and and music producer under Big Hit Entertainment . RM is the main rapper and leader of the worldwide sensation boy group BTS . RM was born on September 12, 1994 with the name Kim Nam-Joon (김남준). At a young age, RM has always been interested in poetry and hip hop music which paved the way for his passion in writing his own lyrics and music. RM continued to pursue his music, becoming an underground rapper and auditioning for different entertainment companies. After a referral from Sleepy , a South Korean Hip Hop artist, RM auditioned and was offered a spot in Big Hit Entertainment. Eventually, RM debuted as the leader of BTS. With hard work and unwavering passion, RM and the rest of his members went on to become one of the most sought after artists of their generation, known not just in South Korea but all over the world. RM released his first solo mixtape, " RM ," in 2015. In 2017, he announced the change of his stage name from Rap Monster to RM, and expressed that his new stage name "could mean anything you want to," like for example, Real Me.

• Discography

Right Place, Wrong Person

Come back to me

• Music video views

Music video "I'm Goddamn Lost" BTS's RM Releases "LOST!" Music Video

News bts's rm dominates itunes charts across the globe with "come back to me", music video bts's rm unveils "come back to me" m/v, news bts's rm to pre-release "come back to me", news rm gears up for solo comeback with 2nd full album "right place, wrong person".

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Kim Nam-joon (Korean: 김남준), known professionally as RM (formerly Rap Monster), is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is the leader of the South Korean boy band BTS .

RM released his first solo mixtape, RM, in 2015, followed by his second mixtape, Mono, in 2018. The latter became the highest-charting album by a Korean soloist in the United States in history when it peaked at number 26 on the Billboard 200. RM made his official solo debut in 2022 with the release of his studio album Indigo, which featured contributions from Erykah Badu and Anderson .Paak. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, becoming the highest-charting album by a Korean soloist of all-time. He has also collaborated with artists such as Wale, Younha, Warren G, Gaeko, Krizz Kaliko, MFBTY, Fall Out Boy, Primary, and Lil Nas X.

RM Details:

Rm early life and education:.

Kim Nam-joon was born on September 12, 1994, in Sangdo-dong, Dongjak District, Seoul, South Korea, and grew up in Ilsan District, Goyang, where his family moved when he was aged four or five. He has a younger sister and is part of the Gangneung Kim clan. As a child, RM largely learned English by watching the American sitcom Friends with his mother. As a student, he actively wrote poetry and often received awards for his writing. He posted his work to an online poetry website for roughly one year, where he received moderate attention. As a result, RM expressed interest in pursuing a literary career but later decided against it. When he was twelve years old, he studied in New Zealand for four months.

At age 11, in fifth grade, RM became interested in hip-hop music after hearing Epik High’s “Fly”. Finding that the song had provided him comfort, he decided to look further into the genre. He was introduced to the music of American rapper Eminem by his school teacher, which first sparked RM’s interest in lyricism. He would print out lyrics that he felt were “cool” and shared them with friends. RM began songwriting at that time, stating that his poetry became lyrics when combined with music.

In 2007, as a first-year middle school student, he began rapping in local amateur hip-hop circles, creating his first self-composed recording with the program Adobe Audition (then called Cool Edit) and later participating in his first concert in 2008. RM became more active in the underground Korean hip-hop scene under the moniker Runch Randa, releasing several tracks and collaborations with other underground rappers such as Zico.

As a student, RM had an IQ of 148 and scored in the top 1% of the nation in the university entrance examinations for language, math, foreign language and social studies. Because his parents had been strongly opposed to his interest in a musical career due to his academic achievements, RM initially decided to set music aside to focus on his studies. He eventually convinced his mother to allow him to be a rapper, asking her if “she wanted to have a son who was a first-place rapper, or a 5,000th-place student”.

In March 2019, after graduating from Global Cyber University with a degree in Broadcasting and Entertainment, RM enrolled at Hanyang Cyber University’s Master of Business Administration program in Advertising and Media.

In 2009, RM embarked on his journey into the music industry by auditioning for Big Deal Records, where he passed the initial round but stumbled in the second round due to forgetting lyrics. However, this setback led to a pivotal encounter with rapper Sleepy, who later introduced RM to Big Hit Entertainment producer Pdogg. Encouraged by Sleepy, RM auditioned for Big Hit Entertainment CEO Bang Si-hyuk in 2010, resulting in an immediate offer to join the record label at the age of 16, which he accepted without his parents’ knowledge. Under the mentorship of Bang and Pdogg, RM underwent three years of training alongside fellow rappers Min Yoon-gi (Suga) and Jung Ho-seok (J-Hope), laying the foundation for what would become the idol group BTS.

During his trainee period, RM contributed to BTS’ pre-debut tracks and worked as a songwriter for girl group Glam, co-writing their debut single “Party (XXO),” which was lauded for its progressive stance on LGBTQ issues. RM made his official debut with BTS on June 13, 2013, and has since played a significant role in the group’s success, producing and writing lyrics for numerous tracks on their albums. Notably, he showcased his solo talents by performing the intro track for BTS’ first EP O!RUL8,2?, marking a milestone in his career shortly after his debut.

In 2014, RM collaborated with Warren G for the rap track “P.D.D (Please Don’t Die),” expressing his feelings towards criticism and negativity. This collaboration stemmed from RM’s participation in the reality TV show American Hustle Life, where he formed a connection with Warren G. Additionally, RM joined forces with hip hop project group MFBTY for the song “Bucku Bucku,” showcasing his versatility by featuring in both the track and its music video.

RM’s solo endeavors continued with the release of his first mixtape, “RM,” in March 2015. The mixtape received critical acclaim and addressed various themes, including RM’s past, personal identity, and philosophical beliefs. Despite his success, RM acknowledged areas for improvement, expressing his desire for more autonomy in his future projects. Following the mixtape’s release, RM collaborated with artists like Kwon Jin-ah on Primary’s “U” and Yankie’s “ProMeTheUs,” showcasing his ability to adapt to different musical styles and contexts.

In August 2016, RM collaborated with Marvel for the soundtrack of “Fantastic Four” in Korea, releasing the digital single “Fantastic” featuring Mandy Ventrice. This collaboration highlighted RM’s growing influence beyond the music industry. Furthermore, RM’s involvement in co-producing Homme’s single “Dilemma” in August 2016 underscored his talent as a producer, contributing to the success of other artists’ projects.

In March 2017, RM teamed up with American rapper Wale for the socially-charged track “Change,” highlighting their common desire for global transformation. This collaboration stemmed from Wale reaching out to RM on Twitter after noticing RM’s cover of one of his tracks, “Illest Bitch.” Shortly after, RM featured on “Gajah” with Gaeko of Dynamic Duo, showcasing his versatility by collaborating with artists from different backgrounds.

RM’s collaboration with Fall Out Boy on the remix of “Champion” in December 2017 made history as he became the first K-pop artist to chart on the Rock Digital Songs chart, further expanding his influence beyond traditional hip-hop and pop audiences. In October 2018, RM released his second mixtape, “Mono,” which he described as a “playlist.” This project received critical acclaim for its introspective themes and vulnerability, with tracks like “Tokyo” and “Seoul” laying bare RM’s deep insecurities.

RM’s collaboration with British electropop duo Honne on the track “Seoul” exemplified his ability to forge connections with artists globally, further enhancing his international appeal. Continuing his streak of collaborations, RM featured on Tiger JK’s track “Timeless” in November 2018, offering introspective lyrics that departed from the trend of self-praise in rap.

In March 2019, RM collaborated with Honne and singer BEKA on the remake of “Crying Over You,” showcasing his versatility by exploring different musical styles. RM’s solo track “Persona,” released as a trailer for BTS’ EP “Map of the Soul: Persona,” debuted at number 17 on Billboard’s YouTube Song Chart, further solidifying his solo success.

RM’s collaboration with Lil Nas X on the remix of “Old Town Road,” titled “Seoul Town Road,” demonstrated his ability to seamlessly blend different musical elements and genres. Further showcasing his collaborative spirit, RM featured on Younha’s track “Winter Flower” in January 2020 and eAeon’s lead single “Don’t” in April 2021.

In June 2022, during BTS’ ninth anniversary celebrations, RM expressed a need for introspection regarding his role within the group and as an individual, coinciding with the band’s announcement of a shift towards individual projects. Following this declaration, BTS took a hiatus from group activities, allowing RM to explore solo endeavors. In September, he collaborated with the “alternative K-pop group” Balming Tiger on the single “Sexy Nukim” and later released his debut solo studio album, Indigo, on December 2. The album, featuring the lead single “Wild Flower,” attained commercial success, reaching number three on the Billboard 200 chart and establishing RM as the highest-charting Korean soloist in chart history at the time.

In 2023, RM sought inspiration for his second solo album in Spain, where he reflected on his journey to find his identity after a decade of adhering to K-pop trends as a member of BTS. He disclosed his decision to abstain from new projects in light of his impending mandatory military service. Despite this, RM continued to make notable appearances, such as featuring on the single “Smoke Sprite” by So!yoON! and being named the first celebrity brand ambassador for Bottega Veneta. Additionally, he collaborated with Colde on the single “Don’t Ever Say Love Me,” showcasing his versatility and influence across various music genres and fashion realms.

RM Personal Life (Girlfriend):

Rumour has it that RM married his girlfriend secretly, at the beginning of 2020, and several fans have even come to believe they parented children together. But RM has never revealed the identity of his rumored girlfriend.

In an interview, RM has been sporting his ring publicly on his left finger. Apparently, in Korean culture, wearing a ring isn’t always indicative of marriage, but sometimes, couples exchange rings after dating for a certain amount of time, so marriage isn’t necessarily in the cards.

Also, he’s been spotted with fellow K-pop singer, Hwasa, but no relationship between them has been confirmed. So according to the source and not having official data RM is single now and his ideal type is “sexy, even to a brain. Someone that is thoughtful and confident.”

RM underwent septoplasty for his nasal septum deviation in 2018 and temporarily withdrew from band activities while recovering from the operation.

Since 2018, RM has lived in Hannam-dong, Seoul, South Korea with his bandmates. In November 2019, he bought a property in the Yongsan District of Seoul for ₩4.9 billion (US$4.2 million), then sold it the following year for ₩5.8 billion (US$4.91 million) He later bought another home in Hannam-dong worth US$5.7 million.

RM Military service:

On November 22, 2023, Big Hit announced through Weverse that RM, along with bandmates V, Jimin, and Jungkook, had started the enlistment process to carry out his mandatory military service. He began his military service on December 11, as an active duty soldier.

RM Discography:

Studio albums.

• Indigo  (2022)
• RM  (2015)
• Mono  (2018)

RM Filmography:

Rm tv series / web series:, rm (bts) photos:.

RM (BTS) Filmography:

Similar Peoples

J-Hope (BTS)

Sanjeev Baraili

Phiroj Shyangden

Fatima Pinto

Neetesh Jung Kunwar

Belu Blanco

Sajja Chaulagain

Shambhujeet Baskota

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Get To Know BTS: Rap Monster

K-Pop boy band BTS is one of the most popular acts in the world, but you may not know all there is to each of the members. Here's your guide to the leader, Rap Monster.

By Tamar Herman

Tamar Herman

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After their global popularity led  BTS  to becoming the first ever K-pop group to win a Billboard Music Awards at this year’s BBMAs — a feat that no other Korean aside from Psy has achieved — all eyes are on the septet. With their trend-setting approach to K-pop and their charismatic, but relatable, personalities, the boy band is the most visible Asian act in the US right now.

See latest videos, charts and news

Rap Monster

While their ever-loyal ARMY knows everything that there is to learn about the BTS guys, there’s a lot to this South Korean act that newcomers may not be familiar with. Never fear,  Billboard ‘s basic guide to the BTS members is here to help.

BTS frontman Kim Namjoon was born Sept. 12, 1994, and has been impressing with his skills as an underground rapper before BTS was even founded. Since the group’s first release in 2013, Rap Monster has led the group to great heights. Check out five quick facts about Rap Monster below.

Trending on Billboard

1. The Group Leader

K-pop acts typically have a member responsible for making sure that things get done and go the way they’re supposed to and Rap Monster definitely lives up to the title of “leader.” He was the first person brought on as part of the group that would later become BTS, and has provided a stalwart foundation for the group. 

2. Raps Like a Monster

The name says it all, doesn’t it?  One of BTS’ rappers, Rap Monster also writes music and is known for putting his creative touch on a lot of their songs. But, despite his stage name, Rap Monster doesn’t only rap; he recently sang on one of the song’s the group members released during their recent fourth anniversary event.

BTS Celebrates Anniversary With 3 New Songs

3. Gets Around With Collaborations

He’s worked with some of Korea’s most popular hip hop and indie artists, like MFBTY, Primary, Don Mills and Gaeko . Earlier this year he teamed up with Wale for the politically-charged “Change.”

4. He Learned English by Watching Friends

Rap Monster does the majority of BTS’ English-language interviews because he’s the only member fluent in the language. He’s self-taught and has said that he learned while watching  Friends . He told Yahoo that Chandler is his favorite character and that he’s a fan of Ross and Rachel’s romance. If it’s at all shocking that he learned English through a sitcom, just consider that Rap Monster is recognized in Korea for having an above-average IQ.

5. He Was an Underground Rapper Before BTS

Before BTS, RM was originally known as Runch Randa in the Korean underground scene and was also part of the Daenamhyup crew. Rap Monster’s always held on to a bit of that anti-mainstream attitude, especially with his expressive 2015 mixtape.

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‘RM is the starting point of the life I lead today’: Why BTS cherishes their ‘God of destruction’

Rm, the rapper and frontman of the k-pop global sensation, is cherished by army for his stable leadership, compassionate nature towards his team members. on his birthday today, here's what makes the bts leader special..

BTS’s Kim Namjoon, or rather RM (Rap Monster) as he’s better known as, turns 27 today. The rapper and frontman of the K-Pop global sensation, is cherished by ARMY for his stable leadership, compassionate nature towards his team members, and his evocative speeches about self-love , and fighting stereotypes . Of course, his impeccable rapping and dancing skills are just the icing on the cake. Going by the numerous videos and lives, it’s evident that the group worships their leader and hangs on to his every word. That doesn’t stop them from teasing him and calling him the ‘god of destruction’ as he tends to be very clumsy backstage.

Like his friends on the BTS journey, RM has been through the entire spectrum too, dealing with brutal trolling, hate, accusations of chartbeat manipulations as well as plagiarism, and even death threats at one point. However, he has managed to keep his cool when handling the negativity spewed against him. In fact, in an old video, RM reads out all the hurtful comments against him, where they attacked him for his lyrics, and said  he can never be a K-Pop idol. RM reads the comments and then tells the trolls, “I will prove it to you.” Well, apart from the stupendous success of BTS, he has his own thriving solo career and has released his own mixtape.

Humble beginnings

The power of words is a sword that RM has wielded since his childhood. As a student, RM was always fond of writing poetry and even won several awards. At the age of 11, he found his passion for hip-hop after listening to Epik High’s ‘Fly’. Later, he discovered Eminem and grew interested in lyric-writing. By 2007, he started rapping in local amateur circles and even crafted his own self-composed recording for the first time.

He transitioned into becoming an underground rapper and went with the name ‘Runch Randa’, and released tracks and collections with other underground rappers. His parents did not approve of his passion for music and his subsequent sidelining of his academics.  In order to convince his mother to allow him to be a rapper, he asked her if “she wanted to have a son who was a first-place rapper, or a 5000th-place student.”

Auditioning for Big Hit

RM’s path to BTS wasn’t entirely smooth, either. In 2009, he auditioned for Big Deal records, clearing the first round but failed the second, as he forgot all the lyrics. However, as luck would have it, a fellow rapper pushed him to audition for Big Hit (Now HYBE), and he was offered a spot by the record label. Without consulting his parents, he accepted the offer, and the production of the hip-hop group began, which is now BTS. He began as a trainee with Min Yoongi (now known as Suga) and dancer Jung Hoseok (Now J-Hope).

Why the name RM

During his time as an idol trainee, he decided to go with the name RM. While it is a common misunderstanding that it means ‘Rap like a monster’ it is actually derived from the lyrics of a song that he wrote, inspired by San E’s Rap Genius. He later mentioned that he had a love-hate relationship with the name.

He changed the name to RM formally in 2017 as it no longer described his personality. ‘Real Me’ was provided as the best meaning

Why the rest of the BTS members look up to him

From protecting Jin on stage, having adorable and encouraging group hugs to holding an exhausted V after a night of endless performances, RM is loved by BTS and ARMY for always looking out for his teammates and making sure that they’re not physically drained by the constant flurry of performances and interviews. And, they have his back too, as they know it gets tiring for him to keep translating everything into English for them, especially after a hard day.

The rest of the team have detailed their emotions for RM in several interviews, and expressed their gratitude for the way he helps them out with speaking in English, among many other virtues. In fact, After RM’s UN Speech, Jimin told J-Hope, “If we didn’t have RM, the thought of it just kills me. We didn’t do anything, it was all our leader. What would have happened if RM didn’t know English? We should just be thankful for his existence.”

The youngest member Jungkook, had once said, “RM is the starting point of the life that I lead today. He’s someone closest to me that I can learn a lot from. In addition to appearances and musicality, he also has a ‘sexy’ mindset. Rather than incorporate his style, I think I have found a certain potential within me, while talking with RM, or seeing the way he thinks acts, speaks or engages with music.”

RM is said to be grounded as well, as Jimin once said. “Although his position is a leader, I think he’s a member like everyone else. At the center, he makes us look back on our sense of responsibility and importance of the team. That side of him always amazes me, how great he is. It’s amazing how he looks and thinks deeply of himself as a singer.” His lyric-writing ability leaves his friends impressed, as Jin once said, “It makes me wonder how he could have such thoughts, such sensibility.”

Needless to say the Bangtan Boys have his back as well, be it J-Hope saving him from talking when drained in interviews, or just teaching him a game of pool, or just standing by him during difficult times.

Happy birthday Namjoon!

Chunky Panday shared a funny anecdote about bribing Salman Khan to take him to a store in South Africa during a show. Akshay Kumar also narrated the same story, calling Chunky a "smart businessman." Chunky was last seen in the comedy series Pop Kaun? meanwhile Salman Khan's next project is Sikandar.

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RM, the leader of Korean band BTS: Poet, rapper, artist turns 29

Understanding Kim Namjoon, the glue that holds together the famed 'Bangtan Boys'

In an old video that is often shared ahead of RM’s (born Kim Namjoon) birthday, he reads a series of hurtful comments attacking him and his newly formed band, BTS. The comments tell him repeatedly that he can never become a K-Pop idol. With narrowed eyes, RM tells the haters, “I’ll prove it to you.”

A decade later, a journey streaked with glowing awards, pitfalls and numerous highs and tasked with leading a global sensation, it’s probably safe to say that RM had the final say. The crown gets heavier as he often says, but as he maintains, had it not been for BTS , he might not have remained in the music industry.

His path to BTS itself, is a story on its own.A child who loved his poetry, he didn’t have any musical plans before entering adolescence. The power of words always wielded a sword over him, and he could never shake it off. At the age of 11, his tryst with music began after listening to rapper Epik High’s ‘Fly’. He discovered his interest in American rapper Eminem who was sweeping the charts by the early 2000s, and this pushed him to write his own lyrics.

By 2008, RM was rapping in local amateur circles and established himself as an underground rapper with the name ‘Runch Randa’. He grew busy, releasing tracks and collections for other rappers. Much to the chagrin of his parents, his academics were sidelined and they were far from approving of his passion for music. As he once recalled, in a bid to convince his mother to allow him to be a rapper, he asked her if “…she wanted to have a son who was a first-place rapper, or a 5000th-place student?”

He began auditioning for companies, including Big Deal records, where he famously failed the audition because he forgot all the lyrics. Pushed to audition for Big Hit, he impressed CEO Bang Si-Hyuk, and was offered a spot instantly. Without consulting his parents, he accepted the offer, and the production of the hip-hop group began, which is now BTS. He began as a trainee with Min Yoongi (now known as Suga) and dancer Jung Hoseok (Now J-Hope).

And today, he stands as the leader of a band that is often said to have revolutionised K-Pop. Despite being the fourth youngest, he commands a team that had seemingly done the unthinkable for K-Pop: Broken into the West, been nominated for all the prestigious award shows, including the American Music Awards and the Grammys.

They have spoken at the United Nations several times and even visited American President Joe Biden in 2022. The flames of fame have been burning bright for years, but somewhere it burned a little too bright for RM, who has always been transparent with the fandom, called ARMY.

The smooth, concise RM that we see in interviews or even the passionate, angry one we seen on stage, slips away, and we see a vulnerable Kim Namjoon. He doesn’t appear to mince words. During the emotional BTS 2022 Festa, their 9th anniversary, a rather tearful RM told his team members that he feared that the band had lost its way, and he didn’t know what kind of message they were sending with their recent songs, which were raging on the Billboard charts. He revealed that he felt ‘trapped’ within himself. He couldn’t shed it off, because the world wouldn’t let him. “We’ve lost our direction, and I just want to take some time to think,” he had said.

As he explained to American musician Pharrell Williams later, the past decade had been too “intense and hectic” and he wanted to just step away for a while. RM isn’t exaggerating, as he was the one always translating for members abroad in interviews and stood as the representative of the team. In fact, as documented in the memoir, Beyond The Story, a rather wearied RM recalls a day where he had to translate, and navigate through 11 interviews, to the point of fatigue and exhaustion. He also has the Herculean part of steering them through controversial waters. In one particular interview in the US, the band was asked about “the next K-Pop band” that could break into the US. As the members are about to answer, RM tells them quietly to be careful in Korean, and instantly they pick up the hint, and playfully answer, “BTS.”

It's no doubt why his members rally around him and do their best to support and help him whenever they can.

While Jungkook’s profound awe and admiration for RM is well documented, the others hold him in a place of respect and listen to him, even though he might be younger than them. They don’t take his English skills lightly, as an irritated J-Hope once signalled to the translator to do their job, as RM was too tired to find the right words in an interview. “We wouldn’t be anywhere without RM,” J-Hope and Jimin had said after their United Nations visit in 2018. “RM is the starting point of the life that I lead today,” Jungkook had once said.

There’s always love and awe surrounding RM, coming from ARMY and his members. He’s thankful as he says, among other emotions, but it’s his own song-writing and art he returns to, when he needs to center himself. RM turns into Namjoon when it comes to expressing himself in his songs.

Responsible for writing most of the hits in BTS, RM also has his own solos, where he pushes his boundaries and tests his own creativity. His songs from 2015 show his growth and exhibit his sharp wordplay, dry and scathing humour. In 2015, RM, expressed his own rage at naysayers with the song Joke, a brutal stream of consciousness, hitting back at the haters who had mocked BTS. In 2018, he rapped Ddaeng with Suga and J-Hope, where he seemed to have had the most joy.

Here, he plays around with the meaning of Ddaeng, an onomotapoeic word with multiple meanings in Korean, in different contexts, from a doorbell to a buzzer in quizzes. Quiet and scathing, his verse had more than seven meanings of Ddaeng and he changed with other phonetically sounding words such as eoltang (which means ridiculous in Korean) and thang (English, for thing). Another instance of his wordplay is in his verse, Trivia: Love. The lines read, “I’m just a person, person, you erode all my sharp edges, you make me into love, love love.” Here, he plays around with the Korean letters in the two words, Person (sa-ram) and love (sa-rang). In the Korean alphabet, ‘m’ is shown by a rectangular figure, while ‘ng’ is in a circular shape. So, if the ‘sharp edges’ of a rectangle are eroded, it becomes a circle. And so, the person, becomes love.

In 2022, he released the album Indigo, which was another raw insight into himself, as Namjoon, the person and RM the artist. He took fans into his ‘real world’, a world that was untouched by success. As he says in the song Yun, “I want to be a human before I do some art.” He also refuses to be ‘locked in a frame’, as the song Still Art says. An art connoisseur who finds peace in paintings, as he keeps sharing on social media, it’s no surprise that art found its way into his songs. On the other hand, in Wild Flower, he lays himself bare as he just begs the world to let him be himself. He just wants to escape to the fields of flowers, and hopes his loved ones find him there.

Through his songs in the past decade, RM has shown the various shades of Namjoon; the loneliness, the dreams, hopes, tackling fame, and the exhaustion of holding on to his identity.

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Kim Namjoon Biography, Wiki, Height, Age, Girlfriend & More

Kim Namjoon aka RM (born 12 September 1994) is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, composer, and producer. He’s best known as a member of the ‘Bangtan Boys’ or (BTS) hip-hop group.

Kim Namjoon Biography

It’s also popularly known as ‘Rapmon’ by its South Korean fans. Kim is the key rapper of BTS, and he is also the chief. Two mixtapes were released in 2015 and 2018 by RM and Mono as solo artists.

He was born in Ilsan-gu, South Korea. Kim’s family settled in South Korea at the time of his birth and is a well-known and wealthy family in the region. He has a family of four members, including his father, his mother, himself, and his younger sister.

His parents’ identities have not yet been disclosed. His father is an SK Telecom employee, while his mother is a realtor. He’s got a sister named Kim Geongmin who’s very close to him.

He studied and completed high school at Apgujeong High School. He is currently enrolled in the Global Cyber University. He was a major in electrical engineering.

He also studied in New Zealand for six months but returned to his home country. In TOEIC, he scored 900 points. It has high-level intelligence with an IQ of 148.

As a reader, he wrote poetry actively and also won awards for his writings. He gained moderate attention via the online poetry website where he published his work.

Kim Namjoon Wiki

Biography of kim namjoon.

In the world of music, he began his career under the name of Runch Randa as a solo underground musician. After hearing High’s epic “Fly” at just 11 years of age, he became involved in hip hop music.

Through this song, he felt comfortable and so went deeper into the genre. After his school teacher exposed Eminem to an American rapper, RM became more interested in lyricism.

RM then went on to write lyrics saying that his poetry had become lyrics when paired with music. In 2007, RM began rapping in local amateur hip-hop circles with a self-composed song.

On June 12, 2013, he made his debut with the hip-hop boy band BTS. He was the first BTS member to join. He said that raping helped him relieve the burden of his studies.

In 2015, he was released his 1st single entitled P.D.D. together with Warren G. Some days later, he released his first solo mixtape. ‘RM’.

On October 23, 2018, he made a comeback with the “Mono” mixtape. He even released three MVs: “Moonchild”, “Forever Rain”, and “Seoul” off of his mixtape.

Besides this, RM has composed and produced more than 100 songs to date. He has worked with several artists such as Wale, Warren G, Gaeko, Krizz Kaliko, MFBTY, Fall Out Boy, Primary, and Lil Nas X. He doesn’t reveal any information regarding his dating life. So currently he is believed to be single.

You can read this about Min Yoongi (Suga).

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Tracing namjoon’s journey to superstardom and his indelible impact on feminism and art.

• - As army would say, a man written by women

• September 12, 2023

There are musicians whose music is basically our entire playlist. We listen to it on loop, doing that thing where we start it again if we have not paid attention the first time around. One of those names is Grammy-nominated artist Kim Namjoon, aka RM of BTS . Namjoon started his journey as an underground rapper from Seoul (known by various stage names: Largo, The Nexist, Stealo, and Runch Randa) who wanted to make his mark on the radar, but he went on to become one of the icons of K-pop, some would say the reason K-pop has become a global phenomenon.

His current popularity is testament to the fact that Namjoon is the backbone of the world’s biggest boy band at the moment. It is said that back when he was approached to go solo in his career or choose BTS , he immediately chose BTS . Although it was a prank, this single incident answered everyone’s question about his loyalty to his group members. His band members are never shy about expressing their love for him, who has always put the group first, be it handling rude interviewers or negative comments from haters.

A Lyrical Genius

Namjoon plays a major role in BTS’s discography as well as some of the member’s solo projects. Namjoon has a strong hold on creative wordplay that has been showcased in numerous songs in BTS’ catalog. For instance, a classic example can be these lyrics from We Are Bulletproof Pt. 2 : Told me it’s impossible but, look carefully, I put a period in impossible, I’m possible.

And the wordplay isn’t limited to his music. It transcends to other areas of his life as well. His Instagram username rkive, which is cheeky because it reads as RM’s archives.

One of my personal favourite songs is Seoul , where he opens up about his love-hate relationship with the place he calls home, which he introduces as having a “harmony” that’s “familiar to me, or projecting his torn feelings towards the South Korean capital. “ I already love even your fumes and the nastiness .” The lyrics hit home.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by RM (@rkive)

With his debut album, Indigo , he set a new record as the longest-charting album by a Korean soloist in Billboard history. Described as “the last archive” of Namjoon’s twenties, ‘Indigo’ wholeheartedly and imaginatively captures the uncertainties and unpredictability of life while celebrating it.

Art and Literature Advocate: Namjooning

What is Namjooning ? A non-army might be confused, but fans know that it’s a simple act of appreciating art, visiting museums, reading, communicating with nature, taking other forms of self-care, and being kind to people you love without sacrificing yourself. RM is an art enthusiast.

He has donated several times to Korea’s National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art ( MMCA ) Foundation to support the printing of rare and out-of-print art books. The money was used to print and reissue books on Korean modern and contemporary art and distribute them to about 400 public libraries and schools throughout the country.

In addition to his foreign tours and commercial appearances, the K-pop star is a well-known art enthusiast who routinely visits museums and galleries and shares images of himself with artwork on social media. His visits to art institutions have created this whole phenomenon of museum visits among BTS fans, who tour the locations after viewing RM’s social media posts. RM was first drawn to the art and literature world because of boredom, which he explains in a thoughtful podcast episode of  I ntersections: The Art Basel Podcast .

When it comes to his love for books, Namjoon’s list is an eclectic mix, featuring genres from fictional novels to romance to poetry and timeless classics to self-improvement essays. Namjoon was also recently announced as the first celebrity ambassador of the luxury fashion maison Bottega Veneta.

Feminist Icon In The Making

South Korea is a considerably conservative country where undermining women or casual sexism is quite common. When BTS released War of Hormone during their debut days, it consisted the generic and sexist trope of objectifying women, painfully common in pop culture. In an interview, Namjoon voiced that he realised was being part of the problem his country was facing, reinforcing stereotypes. Sure the threat of being cancelled but loomed large but there was more to this than just bad press. What won hearts is that he looked for sources to unlearn on how all these years of misogyny in society work inside a man’s mind. And he actively took steps to correct it.

“Love, not just between the man and women, or genders.” pic.twitter.com/yyGSZChEjh — rest (@RMMUSlC) March 20, 2020

In an industry that conveniently distances itself from sexist or misogynistic accusations without actual work, this was a breath of fresh air. Namjoon took this issue head on and admitted that the band now runs the lyrics of all their new songs past feminist professors of gender studies to make sure that they don’t repeat their past mistakes.

Namjoon got a lot of heat for promoting the book Kim Ji-young, Born 1982,  which is considered one of the best feminist books to come out of South Korea. He was listed under the celebrity feminist list, where a bunch of men trash celebrities for promoting feminist agendas.

When BTS joined the United Nations to promote the launch of the “Love Myself” campaign, Namjoon gave an eye-opening speech tracing his journey around self-love and gender equality, offering a glimpse into Namjoon’s persona. This pop icon from Korea is getting ready for his new lyrical era before his official military enlistment and comeback with the group in 2025.

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The Untold Truth Of BTS Leader – Kim Namjoon (RM rapper)

Just a simple reminder that article is created and owned only by kpopwiki.org . Article cannot be re-published in any other pages or documents. Copyright is protected by DMCA. All found copies will be reported. Original source: https://kpopwiki.org/the-untold-truth-of-bts-leader-kim-namjoon-rm-rapper/

• 1.1 Educational Background
• 2.1 First Steps – Training and Debut
• 2.2 First Solo Releases, Collaborations, Variety Show, and BTS First Studio Album
• 2.3 BTS Mainstream Success in South Korea and Asia
• 2.4 Second Mix Tape
• 2.5 BTS Conquered the World, Biggest Boyband in the World
• 3 Personal Life
• 4 Hobbies, favorites, rumors, and interesting facts
• 5 Appearance
• 6 Net worth

Early Life and Family

Educational background.

First Steps – Training and Debut

First Solo Releases, Collaborations, Variety Show, and BTS First Studio Album

BTS Mainstream Success in South Korea and Asia

View this post on Instagram . ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ . . . . #bangtan #kimnamjoon #jungkook #v #jhope #jimin #jin #suga #bts #redvelvet #rapmonster #bt21#army #korean #kpop #txt #taehyung #nct #exo #shinee #superm #bias #straykids #korea #runbts #bangtanboys#blackpink #dynamite #ateez #rm @bts.bighitofficial @rm_bighitentertainment A post shared by Rap Monster (@rapmonster_r_m) on Aug 23, 2020 at 12:23pm PDT

Second Mix Tape

Happy birthday 🎉🎂🎊 I love you ☺️💜 #RM #Rapmon #RMBirthday pic.twitter.com/644EtblJmj — Ly (@Ly54418876) September 11, 2020

BTS Conquered the World, Biggest Boyband in the World

Personal Life

Hobbies, favorites, rumors, and interesting facts

• Known nicknames: Rap Mon, Pink Mon, Leader Mon, and The Destroyer. He earned the last one due to his habit of accidentally destroying objects around him.
• He is considered one of the progressive thinkers in South Korea, as he strongly supports LGBT rights.
• In his free time, if given the chance, he loves to walk in the park or trek in the mountains, and take pictures.
• His younger sister shares the same age as the youngest member of BTS, Jungkook, but he would never introduce her for a date.
• Favorites: Meat and Kalgusu – or Korean Knife noodles (Food); Pink, Purple, and Black (Color); Clear Weather (Climate); One (Number)
• Two important things he’d like to take everywhere he goes: books and a laptop.
• He has an American Eskimo pet dog named Rap Mon.

View this post on Instagram . ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ . . . . #bangtan #kimnamjoon #jungkook #v #jhope #jimin #jin #suga #bts #redvelvet #rapmonster #bt21#army #korean #kpop #txt #taehyung #nct #exo #shinee #superm #bias #straykids #korea #runbts #bangtanboys#blackpink #cypher #ateez #rm @bts.bighitofficial @rm_bighitentertainment A post shared by Rap Monster (@rapmonster_r_m) on Aug 6, 2020 at 4:02pm PDT

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You need to update soo much, like his fantastic latest (1st “official) Solo album. INDIGO hit #3 BB200 Solo Album Dc. 2022, his 1st 2015 Mixtape hit America’s Spin City Mag. Top 100 Rappers to watch, 2nd 2018 Mixtape hit #26 (all 3 critically acclaimed), in between, 2015 he wrote an OST Song for big movie “Fantastic 4”, collab’d w/many Amer. + Korean Rappers/Artists,,..Billboard named RM #3 +Suga #9 “Top 10 Songwriters-2020”, also u skipped his childhood> award-winning genius child poet/writer, on-line as well, at 11, wrote: “The Re-Unification of S. & N. Korea” published in local paper, then still 11, heard Epik High’s Rap/Hip-Hop + poems became lyrics/beat/melodies + young underground rapper/producer Runch Randa, solo (+ w/grp Daenamhyup) + recorded collabs w/ ZICO, etc!! He’s 2nd Most Prolific + Youngest to now have 213+KOMCA Writing credits, has many ideas for song concepts + video concepts..Working on 4th Album, , Always Writing + Reading + Bi- king! Avid Art Collector, espec. Korean artists who he feels need global recognition (like Yun, whose Art is featured on his album cover + collab’d w/Erykah Badu, Anderson Paak, Tablo from. Epik High, etc! It’s a Masterpiece album..The lyrics..OMG!!, etc!…………………………… Need NO Reply👌

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Kim Namjoon

Namjoon is a member of the south korean boy band bts and is a prominent rapper, songwriter, and record producer. kim nam-joon is another name for namjoon. namjoon is known by the moniker rm, which stands for rap monster..

The South Korean boy band BTS is led by Kim Nam-Joon. Namjoon was born in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea, on September 12, 1994. Namjoon will be 26 years old in 2021. Namjoon was born and reared by his parents in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

Kim Namjoon’s Early Life, Education, Age

Namjoon and RM are two nicknames for Kim Nam-Joon (formerly as Rap Monster). He was born in Ilsan-gu, South Korea, on September 12, 1994. He is 26 years old as of 2019. Kim Geong Min’s family consists of his mother, father, and sister.

RM acquired English with his mother from an early age by watching the American television series “Friends.” He was enthralled with uniforms in elementary school and aspired to be a security guard in the future. He had the impression of a tidy and polite student before his debut. He was a great performer on the national school test throughout his school years. He even had a TOEIC score of over 900 and a high IQ of 148.

RM was a prolific poet as a student, winning several accolades for his work. Through an internet poetry website where he shared his work, he garnered some notice. RM became interested in a writing career as a result of this, but ultimately decided against it. After hearing epic High’s “Fly” in fifth school, RM got fascinated in hip-hop music at the age of 11. He found solace in the song that he delved more into the genre.

RM developed an interest in lyricism after being exposed to Eminem, an American rapper, by his high school instructor. RM then moved on to composing songs, claiming that when his poetry was merged with music, it became lyrics. He began to print the lyrics and distribute them to his pals.

RM began rapping in local amateur hip-hop circles with his self-composed tape in 2007, while he was a first-year middle school student. He just graduated from Global Cyber University with a bachelor’s degree in Broadcasting and Performing Arts.

Kim Namjoon’s Height and Weight

With a height of 181 cm, Namjoon is the tallest member of BTS. He is one of the band’s largest members, weighing roughly 67 kg. His eyes and hair are also brown in tone.

Kim Namjoon’s Professional life and career

Kim Namjoon began his music career as a solo underground musician under the stage name Runch Randa long before he became RM. On June 12, 2013, he made his debut as a member of the Korean boy band BTS. He was the very first member of BTS to join. Rapping, he said, helped him cope with the stress of his academics.

His first song, ‘No More Dreams,’ was inspired by the days when he stayed up late studying for his examinations. RM has worked on every BTS album since his debut. In March 2015, RM and Warren G released their first song, P.D.D (Please Don’t Die). He released his debut solo mixtape a few days later. ‘RM’. With the release of his “Mono” mixtape on October 23, 2018, he made a return.

He even released three music videos from his mixtape: “Moonchild,” “Forever Rain,” and “Seoul.” In addition, RM has written and produced over 100 songs to date. Wale, Warren G, Gaeko, Krizz Kaliko, MFBTY, Fall Out Boy, Primary, and Lil Nas X are among the musicians with whom he has collaborated.

RM was elevated from associate to full member of the Korea Music Copyright Association in January 2020, with fellow BTS member J-Hope. They were joined by bandmate Suga, who had been recognized as a full member in 2018. On January 6, 2020, he was featured on Younha’s song “Winter Flower,” which was published.

Kim Namjoon’s Salary and Net Worth

BTS has a net worth of around $60 million. In addition, RM has an estimated personal net worth of $8 million.

Kim Namjoon’s Nominations and Awards

He has performed at a number of events and has received several honors. BTS, RM’s band, was the first K-pop act to win a Billboard award. They’ve won Billboard’s Top Social Artist Award three times in a row since 2017, knocking out US faves like Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande. On the BBMAs, Kim Namjoon was seen alongside BTS.

He and his band made a historic performance at the United Nations, where he delivered a statement encouraging young people to “Find Your Voice.” The President of South Korea awarded RM and his bandmates the fifth-class Hagwan Order of Cultural Merit in 2018.

Kim Namjoon’s Private life

The media has no knowledge on his dating life when it comes to his personal life. As a result, he is said to be unmarried right now. He’s the only BTS member who hasn’t been linked to any relationship rumors. He, on the other hand, admitted to having a girlfriend in high school.

Kim Namjoon’s Scandal

He was said to have undergone heart surgery at the age of 15 with a 30% chance of survival (although that’s only a hearsay).

Kim Namjoon’s Social Media

Namjoon has a large fan base and is well-known not just in South Korea, but also across the globe. He has around 5 million Instagram followers under the name @btsnamjoon.

BTS’s official Twitter account, for example, has roughly 22 million followers. Aside from Twitter, RM and his bandmates are often active on Weverse, a platform built expressly for his company Big Hit Entertainment to engage with their fans.

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Kim Namjoon 김남준 biography

DOB: 12th September 1994

Place: in Sangdo-dong, Dongjak District, Seoul, South Korea (grew up in Ilsan District, Goyang)

Joined:  The 1st to join in 2010 – moved into dorms 14th August 2010

Role:  He is the Main rapper   and leader of South Korean boy band BTS (Bangtan Sonyeodan – 방탄소년단  also known as the Bangtan Boys or Bullet Proof Boy Scouts.

Known as : Runch Randa (pre 2010), Rap Monster (2010 – 2017), RM (2017 – present)

Commendations : He currently has 218 writing credits ( Komca credits ), recipient of Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation (2016), Presidential Commendation (2017) Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit (5th class) (2018) Special Presidential Envoy for Future Generations and Culture (2021) Game Changer Award by Asia Society (2020) James A. Van Fleet Award by The Korea society (2020)

Currently: completing mandatory military service – due to be discharged 11th June 2025

“Our tomorrow may be dark, painful and difficult. We might stumble and fall down, stars shine brightest when the night is darkest”

— Kim Namjoon – 2020 speech to UNGA

Namjoon is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, and record producer born in Sangdo-dong, Dongjak District, Seoul in South Korea. Namjoon always displayed high levels of intelligence (IQ148) and he is known for his philosophical and thoughtful lyrics. In 2007 aged 13,  Namjoon was a part of the underground rap scene in Seoul and he went by the name Runch Randa. Namjoon quickly developed a reputation for his lyricism and after his audition with BIG HIT Entertainment he was described by the founder and CEO, Bang Si-Hyuk, as being ‘reflective, sophisticated and philosophical’  Namjoon was the first of the BTS members to join Big Hit in 2010 aged 16 and he moved into the dorm on 14th August 2010. When he joined he chose the name Rap Monster in 2017 he changed it RM because he felt that Rap Monster no longer represented who he was.

“ If You are having a hard time for different causes in the future, I hope our story in 2020 will become a small comfort to you. “ Kim Namjoon – 2020 Youth Day

Namjoon trained under Big Hit for 3 years and in that time he developed his skills in dancing, writing and producing. During this time wrote several songs

“ Love U Hate U ” performed by 2AM written by Rap Monster, “Hitman” Bang, Supreme Boi, Jung Hun-Chul in their 2010 album Saint O’Clock.

“ I Like That ” performed by Glam written by  Rap Monster, “Hitman” Bang, Pdogg, Cole David Byron for a Non-album single in 2012

“ Party (XXO) “performed by Glam written by Rap Monster, “Hitman” Bang, Wonderkid, Pdogg, Nakas Georgios, Lundvik John Hassimfor a Non-album single in 2012

“Adult Child ” performed by Rap Monster, Suga, Jin written by Rap Monster, Suga for a Non-album single

“If we helped your dream and your life a bit by our existence, our music, our performance, our pictures or videos, even if it’s not big, if we could reduce your pain from 100 to 99, 98 or 97 then our existence was worth it.”

— Kim Namjoon

121217 닥투 – RAP MONSTER of 방탄소년단.

121222 Bangtan Soundcloud opens- RM uploads 1st track ‘Rap Monster’ 

121222 Let’s Introduce BANGTAN ROOM by 방탄소년.

On 130107 RM uploaded his first log log

“ Once this ends I would like it if Kim Namjoon could be Kim Namjoon and that everyone of you can be yourselves too. “ Kim Namjoon –

On 13th June 2013 RM along with other members debuted with the album ‘2Cool 4Skool’ for which Namjoon helped to write several tracks. The lyrics of the album primarily reflected on the misunderstanding and prejudice towards them, criticism of the society that diminishes their dreams, and their anxiety and determination towards their future. During the production of the album, Suga and Rap Monster rewrote the lyrics of “No More Dream” more than 20 times ( 1 )

On 11th September, 2013 the day before Namjoon’s 19th birthday (international age) the group released O!RUL8,2? (Oh! Are you late, too?) their first extended play album. Once again, Namjoon contributed (along with other members) to the writing of most of the tracks on the album.

From Debut to present, Namjoon has participated in the writing of the majority of songs and albums released by BTS.

pre debut and in the early years after debut Namjoon developed a strong social media profile and uploaded several logs every month on YouTube and posting on twitter.

As the only member who was fluent in English, he was often relied on to translate during interviews and messages the group received from international fans. This was often a difficult task and many forget that he was only 18 (international age) when the group debuted.

“If you want to love others then you should love yourself first”

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When RM shared story of how his underground rapper name became 'Runch Randa' years before he joined BTS

Happy birthday rm: did you know the bts leader's underground rapper name was runch randa here's how he decided on that particular name..

BTS leader Kim Namjoon , known by his stage name RM, is celebrating his 28th birthday (international age, he's 29 according to Korean culture). RM became a part of BTS in 2010 and debuted with group members Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook in 2013. But did you know that before joining BigHit Music, RM was an underground rapper under the name Runch Randa? The rapper revealed the same in 2020. (Also Read | BTS: Birthday boy Kim Namjoon changed his stage name from Rap Monster to RM for this reason )

Speaking on an episode one of BTS ’ collaboration, The MapleStory Originals, Once Upon a Time, RM had said, “MapleStory was a game that influenced me the most. Many of you don't know this but I changed my name to RM. I'm not Rap Monster anymore, I'm RM. Anyways, my name was Runch Randa before. Now, where did I get the name Runch Randa from?"

He continued, “I was looking to come up with a rapper name back in 2007. And I had a friend back then who taught me about rap, about Garion, Eminem, and Outsider. I shared a MapleStory account with that friend and the character’s name was Runch Randa. I was thinking of a name and just went with that.”

As RM finished his story, Jimin joked that BTS exists because of MapleStory. While the other members came up with their own reason on why RM chose that name, Jin told him, "You must have created that character during lunch."

Under the name Runch Randa, RM released tracks with other underground rappers. RM met Untouchable’s Sleepy at the audition, who connected him to producer Bang Si-Hyuk and was asked to audition for BigHit Entertainment (now called BigHit Music). RM was the first one to be recruited into the seven-member group and has led BTS ever since. He was launched with the stage name Rap Monster, which he changed to RM in 2017. BTS has released several albums and won many awards worldwide.

On his birthday, the official Twitter account of BTS shared his picture and wrote a note wishing him a 'happy birthday'. Earlier on Sunday, RM took to Instagram Stories and posted several pictures featuring the rapper and wrote, "(My) friend sent. Thank you."

Dedicated professionals who write about cinema and television in all their vibrancy. Expect views, reviews and news. ...view detail

• Kim Namjoon

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From Tragedy to Triumph: Uncovering the Untold Story of BTS RM’s Inspirational Journey 

Anchal Ojha

Rap Monster  

RM is from BTS, also known as Rap Monster. He is a famous K-Pop rapper, songwriter, and producer. He is most famous as an individual from the hip-hop group, ‘Bangtan Sonyeondan’ (BTS). Likewise, he is prominently known as ‘Rapmonster’ by his South Korean fans.  

RM is known for his exceptional talent as a rapper. And his ability to speak multiple languages fluently including English, Japanese, and Korean. He is also recognized for his intellectual curiosity. And has spoken about his love for books and his interest in philosophy. 

Early Life and Childhood  

Kim Nam-joon, also known as RM, is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was born on September 12, 1994, in Ilsan-gu, Goyang, South Korea. RM is best known as the leader and main rapper of the global K-pop sensation, BTS.  

He went to Global Cyber University and majored in Broadcasting and Performing Art. RM was among the top rankers in the national school exam. And had a TOEIC score of more than 900, which is honourable. He additionally had an exceptionally high IQ. 

He learned his local language and Japanese in school. Furthermore, He got familiar with English by watching famous American sitcoms like ‘Friends’. He also studied in New Zealand and self-educated himself in English, which he considered essential. 

Considering his academic performance, his parents expected him to require everyday work. He was making songs that were very remarkable in school. Despite his reverence for music and organization, he kept winning, and he convinced his parents to allow him to become a full-time rapper. 

As per him, rapping helped him move past the pressure of his studies, and the lyrics of his music ‘Not More Dreams’ were roused constantly when he worked hard into the night for his exams. 

When did RM start rapping?  

In any case, he took to rapping at a young age and chose to make it his profession. He began as an independent artist and sang with a couple of local groups before joining the ‘BTS.’ After joining the ‘ BTS ,’ he turned into the head of the gathering and the main rapper and lyricist. He has teamed up with well-known Korean and global rappers to deliver music that has turned into a web sensation on the web.  

His endorsements include ‘K’hawah’ coffee and various South Korean items. He is a natural face on South Korean TV with his television show, ‘Hot Brain: Problematic Men,’ and has been highlighted in various magazines as one of South Korea’s most encouraging rappers. He is dynamic via online media and has an immense fan following. 

RM started his music career as an underground rapper under the stage name “Runch Randa.” He gained recognition in the Korean hip-hop scene as a member of the group “Daenamhyup” and released several solo tracks before joining BTS. 

Career  

Kim Nam-Joon started his career in music as an independent artist under the stage name of ‘Runch Randa.’ In 2008, he sang with the group ‘Zico,’ which was one of the rising stars in the hip-hop community of South Korea around then. Likewise, he was essential for a Korean hip-hop group called ‘Daenamhyup’ for quite a while. 

Later in 2013, he joined the famous K-pop gathering, ‘BTS’ also called the Bangtan Sonyeondan and became known as ‘Rap Monster’ among his fans. He introduced a single collection with BTS named ‘2Cool 4 Skool’ with the hit track ‘No More Dream’ in June 2013. From there on, he composed the lyrics for various tracks of BTS and turned into the head of the group and the main rapper. 

Other than BTS, he has teamed up with various Korean and unfamiliar specialists to deliver the absolute most famous singles and recordings of rap music that turned into a web sensation somewhere in between 2014 and 2016. These include ‘Please Don’t Die’ with Warren G, ‘Bucku’ with the hip-hop group MFBTY’s, and the soundtrack of ‘Fantastic Four’ with Marvel. 

Debut and Solos of RM  

In 2013, RM debuted as the leader of BTS under Big Hit Entertainment. With his impressive rap skills and leadership, he played a significant role in the group’s success. RM’s thoughtful and introspective lyrics on topics such as self-love, mental health, and societal issues resonated with fans worldwide, earning him critical acclaim and praise. 

In addition to his work with BTS, RM has also released solo music, including his mixtape “RM” in 2015 and his first solo album “mono.” in 2018. He has collaborated with other artists, including Lil Nas X, HONNE, and Younha, among others. 

Personal Life  

Rap monster is not known to date anybody specifically, and his present status is single. He once said at an interview that if he at any point had a girlfriend not engaged with the business, he would need to continually apologize to her on account of his bustling timetable that gives him no time for things like dating. 

Awards & Achievements  

In 2013, Rap Monster was honored at the Golden Disk Awards and Melon Music Awards. Again, in the same year, he acquired acknowledgment at the Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards and Seoul Music Awards. 

Throughout his career, RM has received numerous awards and accolades, including the 2020 Korean Popular Culture and Arts Award for his contribution to the advancement of Korean culture and arts. He continues to inspire and connect with fans through his music and messages of self-love. 

Conclusion  

BTS RM’s journey from tragedy to triumph is a true testament to the power of perseverance, determination, and self-belief. Through his inspiring story, we have seen the incredible strength that can emerge from even the darkest of circumstances, and the transformative impact that can come from never giving up on your dreams.  

By uncovering the untold tale of BTS RM’s inspirational journey, we have gained a newfound appreciation for his leadership, his resilience, and his unwavering commitment to his craft. Let his story serve as a reminder to us all that no matter how hard things may seem, with the right attitude and mindset, we can all overcome adversity and achieve our own triumphs. 

Written By:

Anchal Ojha, a wordsmith at GrooveNexus, is a professional content writer with a passion for storytelling. Armed with a post-graduate degree in English literature from Banaras Hindu University. She shows a deep interest in language and literature. Fueled by her profound love for music and the entertainment industry, aspires to create a world, where words and melodies dance in harmony.

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What Makes BTS Kim Namjoon (RM) the Great Leader of the Millennial Era, Why He’s Chosen, & Moments He Uses His Leader Card

We discussed RM and his fun facts , achievements , and brilliance . However, haven’t you ever wondered what makes BTS Kim Namjoon (RM) a great leader of this millennial era and why he’s chosen in the first place? Check out the following updates and discussion about BTS Kim Namjoon (RM) as the great leader of BTS and the moments when he used his leader card on the members.

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BTS Kim Namjoon or RM: The Great Leader of the Millennial Era, Why He’s Chosen, and The Moments He Used His Cards on the Members

Over the century, the world has presented the people with numerous great leaders: Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, Bill Gates, Barrack Obama, Jack Ma, and Mark Zuckerberg. Most of them came from the fields of tech, business, and politics.

Little did they know that there was one more leader worthy of our complete attention in this millennial era who did not come from any business or political background: Kim Namjoon, or RM of BTS.

Born on September 12, 1994, with his birth name Kim Namjoon, RM has been leading both the BTS members and their faithful fans, ARMY, since the very beginning of their debut in 2013. Not only does he harbor brilliance with an IQ of over 140 and talents as a rapper, songwriter, and producer, RM has always been famous for being a great leader of this era.

For almost 10 years, RM has created a path for the BTS members to connect with the international audience through his powerful communication skills. And most of everything, as the team’s leader, he managed to keep them close together during difficult times. But that is certainly not all there is to it.

Today, we are going to dig even deeper about Kim Namjoon (RM) as the leader of BTS: why was he chosen, what makes him a great leader of the millennial era, and the moments when he used his leader card on his beloved BTS members.

Why Kim Namjoon (RM) was Chosen to Become BTS Leader

The Korean Kpop entertainment industry has a nick of assigning one leader for each of their groups. They have applied this system since the very beginning, and although some of the recent groups decided to skip the habit, most of the largest Kpop groups still have a leader.

As the Kpop group leader, you can say that their role is basically like the “Team Leader” in most Korean companies. After all, there is no way the company will be able to supervise all the members of every Kpop group they own. And managers, they tend to change over time. So that is why there has to be someone within the group who can manage and take care of the group members personally and internally.

Due to the Korean culture having high respect for age and seniority, most of these Kpop group leaders are the group’s oldest members. This system ensures that all the other members will follow the leader as their oldest with all their genuine respect and attitude.

That is NOT the case for BTS RM.

Although he was the third in BTS hyung line in terms of age, BTS Kim Namjoon (RM) became the BTS leader. Why? The reason was simple at the time: he was the first member to join BTS and the most fluent in English. Since he had the seniority and capability to communicate with the global audience, it seemed to be a good enough reason at the time.

Little did they know, it was only the beginning of BTS Kim Namjoon (RM)’s journey as the great leader of the millennial era.

What Makes BTS Kim Namjoon (RM) The PERFECT Leader?

1. kim namjoon (rm) marks the very beginning of bts.

One of the most critical factors about BTS RM that brought him to become a great leader of BTS is that he was the one marking the beginning of BTS.

As mentioned, RM was the first to join BTS. Before that, Kim Namjoon was an underground rapper known by various stage names: Largo, The Nexist, Stealo, and Runch Randa. He decided to audition for Big Hit Entertainment, and Bang Shi Hyuk (Bang PD) offered him a spot as a trainee. Once RM became an official Big Hit trainee, Bang PD and his long-time producer Pdogg decided to create a hip-hop idol group.

Since he was the first to join the group, it means that RM was the very sunbae among all the BTS members. And that is one factor that makes him eligible as a leader, especially in South Korea. Besides, RM joining Big Hit Entertainment as a trainee marked the very beginning of BTS. So he was basically the internal symbol of how the idea of BTS began in the first place.

Therefore, when he encountered an offer to choose between a solo career and BTS, Kim Namjoon chose BTS. Immediately, without a single pause. It was a prank, indeed. But Namjoon didn’t know it at the time. It proves how loyal and committed he is to BTS as the leader.

2. His Compassion and Dedication Bring BTS Members Closer Together

Now, when you’re the oldest or the most senior member of the group, does it automatically make you suitable for a leader position? Does it naturally make you a great leader?

No. Of course not.

Aside from the fact that he was the most senior member at the time, the reason why Namjoon was chosen as BTS leader was because of his compassion and dedication.

RM was the one who brought the members closer and glued them together as a group. In fact, there was a time when BTS almost disbanded due to budget issues, BTS members were scattered and losing faith in the group. One of the members even almost decided to leave altogether. But thank goodness, he didn’t. Why? Because RM was the one who managed to bring them together and convince them to pull through.

RM could have just ignored the issue since budgets were really the company’s problem. But thanks to his dedication to the group, its members, and the fans, added with his compassion about what they were going through at the time, BTS is still standing strong and powerful today.

“Namjoon takes care of and is very good to every single of the members. When the members have any worries, Namjoon will text the member personally in a private message. If not, he will look for them and speak personally to them, giving them some opinions and reminders.” Kim Taehyung, BTS V, about RM.

3. He Speaks with Powerful Words and Controlled Emotions

Next, what makes BTS Kim Namjoon (RM) a great leader, especially in this millennial era is that he speaks with powerful words and controlled emotions.

BTS members were just young teenagers when they debuted. And during the time their popularity began rising, RM was in his early 20s. Still, even when he was young, the way he spoke and communicated with the audience already seemed like a world leader.

If you look at his speech video, especially on formal occasions like awards and during the UNGA and the Mets Museum visit, you would see that every time BTS RM speaks, he keeps his emotions in control and choose his words carefully. He keeps just enough sprinkles of passion to make his words meaningful, but never too much that makes him seem too emotional. At such young age, RM already understands the notion that as a leader, he doesn’t speak only for himself. As the BTS leader, he represents the company, the group, and the entire ARMY fans.

A compassionate leader with a powerful speech, BTS Kim Namjoon (RM) already aces the reasons that made him a great leader. But that is NOT all there is to it.

4. His Leadership Puts the Group in Order

Life is NOT always sunshine and rainbow when you hold the leader position. Especially when you are a leader and Kpop group member, you really have to set yourself apart between friendships and order. And it proves to be extremely challenging when you’re always together all the time.

On the other hand, as the leader of BTS, Kim Namjoon (RM) always managed to put himself in the most appropriate circumstances among the members. There are times when he just doesn’t care about his leadership position and have fun with the other BTS members. And there are also times when we enjoy BTS members making a whole lot of fun of Namjoon, and Namjoon just seems to just voluntarily give up.

However, when in times when we need him the most, Leader Namjoon is always on stand by and all ready to get into action. And when he did, it was the moments when RM used his leader card and put the group in order.

On and off stage, when the group is in conflicts or fights, and when they started crumbling and falling apart, no matter how small or big the cases, Kim Namjoon (RM) leadership always managed to put BTS in order as a group, and that what makes him such a great leader.

Most Popular Defining Moment of RM as the BTS Great Leader

One of the most defining moments that makes him a great leader of BTS is when Kim Namjoon (RM) helped resolve the conflicts between BTS Jin and V. The two members had a fight before a performance, and Namjoon helped solve the situation with a conclusion that neither undermining Jin’s place as the oldest hyung or disregarding V’s arguments as one of the maknaes .

And most importantly, when Namjoon noticed that it was a big issue for V, he personally consoled and encouraged V.

“It’s not about Jin or V or RM, it is about BTS, and we will make it as BTS.” BTS RM.

5. BTS RM and His Humility and Kindness

Moreover, with such exceptional quality as a person, don’t you think that he would become proud and arrogant? Namjoon is a good-looking, intelligent, talented artist, and an excellent leader. Most people born this way would undoubtedly be very proud of themselves to the point of thinking they’re way better than other mediocre people.

Fortunately, that is not Kim Namjoon.

Between his wonderful traits as a person and great leader of BTS, Kim Namjoon (RM) remains kind and humble to almost everyone in his life. That is especially with fellow BTS members and his ARMY fans. There is no drop of superiority in every word he speaks or arrogance in how he behaves. RM remains the same humble and kind Kim Namjoon today, but with more maturity and, well—we have to admit—more refined muscle.

6. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

And finally, the ultimate reason that makes Kim Namjoon (RM) such a great leader of BTS is that he genuinely understands the power of teamwork.

We have seen many great leaders fall. Not only in general but in the world of Kpop as well. There are many Kpop group leaders who fail to maintain the group. Some others even left the group altogether, just like that.

Why? Because the most crucial idea that leaders forget when they’re at the top is that even when you’re such a great leader, you are nothing without your members. What defines you and determines whether you’re worthy of being a leader always comes back to the members.

Kim Namjoon understands this notion perfectly, making him stand solid and steady as the great leader of BTS. In every situation, you can see that he always tries his best to get every single member of BTS involved. As the most eloquent speaker of the group, he provides opportunities for all the members to speak their opinions, even when most of them usually avoid the speech mic like a stinky shoe.

He also makes sure that every BTS voice is heard and respected. And when the members were too nervous, Namjoon was there to back them up. He helped translate and convey the message the members wanted to tell.

Also, during problem-solving—the Jin and V fight, for instance—he got everyone involved in the process. He acted as the mediator and solved the problem together with the other BTS members.

Isn’t that the leader we all need, really?

Kim Namjoon’s Team: BTS Members AND ARMY

And on top of everything, what makes Kim Namjoon (RM) the ultimate great leader is that he doesn’t only get all BTS members involved but also the whole ARMY fans around the world.

During his every speech, especially in concerts, Namjoon always returns everything back to the ARMY fans. That is because Kim Namjoon (RM) knows that what makes him a great leader is none other than the BTS members and its loyal and powerful fans, ARMY.

“Through this Love Yourself Tour, I’m finding how to love myself. I didn’t know anything about loving myself. You guys [ARMY] taught me. Through your eyes, your love, your tweets, your words, and your everything, you guys taught me and inspired me how to love myself. It is our mission to define our way of loving ourselves. It’s never intended but it feels like I’m using you guys to love myself. So, I want to say one thing: Please use me. Please use BTS to find a way to love yourself. Because you guys taught me how to love myself every day.” BTS RM.

Moments When RM Used His Leader Card on BTS Members

So, what do you think? Would you please let us know your opinion: what more makes BTS Kim Namjoon (RM) a great leader and why he was chosen in the first place? Please write your thoughts in the comments and stay with Kpoppost and our  Instagram ,  Facebook , and  Twitter  for more BTS discussions and updates.

In the meantime, check out these moments when RM really used his leader card on the other BTS members. These are probably why Namjoon was chosen as the most suitable option for BTS great leader. It was hilariously outstanding!

RM Using Leader Card Moments on BTS Members

Moments when BTS Kim Namjoon (RM) used his leader card to put BTS members in order. Enjoy!

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• 4 EXCITING Facts on BTS Special Appearance in “A Business Proposal” Kdrama with the Cast – WHICH Episodes?
• BTS Jungkook Tested Positive for COVID-19 – What about The Grammy Awards Performance He Needs to Prepare?
• 8+ Things About Bicycle by BTS RM, A Gift from RM to ARMY

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A multi-talented mom-blogger who effortlessly combines her love for gaming, Kdramas, and motherhood. As an avid Kdrama lover, she unravels the captivating news and stories of Korean entertainment.

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• Kim Namjoon

Kim Namjoon - Updated May 2024

Table of Biography

• 0.1 Kim Nam Joon is a South Korean K-pop artist, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Kim Nam Joon is the main rapper and leader of the popular hip-hop boy group Bangtan Boys (BTS).
• 1 Early Life and Childhood
• 2 Education
• 3 Kim Namjoon – Awards
• 4 Kim Namjoon – Net Worth 2023
• 5 Career and Professional Life
• 6 Kim Namjoon – Personal Life
• 8 Social Media
• 9 Body Measurements

Kim Nam Joon is a South Korean K-pop artist, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Kim Nam Joon is the main rapper and leader of the popular hip-hop boy group Bangtan Boys (BTS).

Early life and childhood.

Kim Namjoon is better known as Namjoon and RM (formerly Rap Monster). Kim Namjoon was born on September 12, 1994, in Ilsan-gu, South Korea. As of 2023, he is 29 years old . His family is made up of his mother, father, and sister Kim Geong Min.

From an early age, RM learned English together with his mother by watching American Series “Friends”. During his primary school days, he was impressed by uniforms and dreamt of being a security guard in the future.

Before his debut, he had an image of a neat and quiet student. During his school time, he was among the top rankers in the national school exam. He even had a high IQ of 148 and a TOEIC score of over 900.

As a student, RM actively wrote poetry and often received awards for his writings. He received moderate attention through an online poetry website where he posted his work. Through this, RM developed an interest in a literary career but later decided against it.

At the age of 11, RM became interested in hip-hop music after hearing Epic High’s “Fly” in fifth grade. He felt comfort through the song and so he went further deep into the genre.

After being introduced to the American rapper Eminem by his school teacher, RM grew his interest in lyricism. RM then transitioned to writing lyrics stating that his poetry became lyrics when combined with music.

He even started to print the lyrics and shared them with his friends. In 2007, as a first-year middle school student, RM started rapping in local amateur hip-hop circles with his self-composed recording.

Recently he attended Global Cyber University and majored in Broadcasting and Performing Art.

Kim Namjoon – Awards

Kim Namjoon has performed at several events and has been honored with several awards to date. RM’s band BTS became the first K-pop group to win a Billboard award.

Since 2017, they have won the Billboard Top Social Artist Award three times in a row beating out US favorites such as Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande.

Caption: Kim Namjoon together with BTS on BBMA

He together with his band made a landmark appearance before the UN and gave a speech urging young people to ‘Find Your Voice’. In 2018, RM was awarded the fifth-class Hagwan Order of Cultural Merit by the President of South Korea along with his bandmates.

Kim Namjoon – Net Worth 2023

The band BTS has a net worth of around $60 million. And RM has a personal net worth of $8 million.

Career and Professional Life

Long before Kim Namjoon became RM, he started his career in the music world as a solo underground artist under the stage name Runch Randa.

He made his debut under the hip-hop boy band BTS on June 12, 2013. Also, he was the first member to join BTS. He stated that rapping helped him get over the stress of his studies.

The lyrics of his debut song ‘No More Dreams’ were inspired by the days when he worked late into the night for his exams. Since his debut, RM has worked on all of BTS’s albums.

In March 2015, RM released his 1st single entitled P.D.D (Please Don’t Die) together with Warren G. A few days later, he released his first solo mixtape. ‘RM’. On October 23, 2018, he made a comeback with the “Mono” mixtape.

He even released three MVs: “Moonchild”, “ Forever Rain ”, and “Seoul” off of his mixtape.

Furthermore, RM has composed and produced more than 100 songs to date. He has worked with several artists such as Wale, Warren G, Gaeko, Krizz Kaliko, MFBTY, Fall Out Boy, Primary, and Lil Nas X.

In January 2020 alongside his fellow BTS member J-Hope, RM was promoted from associate to a full member of the Korea Music Copyright Association.

They joined bandmate Suga who had previously been officially recognized as a full member in 2018.  He featured on Younha’s track “Winter Flower”, which was released on January 6, 2020.

Kim Namjoon – Personal Life

Looking inside his love life the media doesn’t have any information regarding his dating life. So currently he is believed to be single . Kim is the only member of BTS who hasn’t been caught up in dating rumors.

However, he revealed that he had had a girlfriend in high school.

He was rumored to have had heart surgery with a 30% chance of living at the age of 15 (but that’s just a rumor).

Social Media

Kim Namjoon has received a massive fan following and popularity not just in South Korea, but in other parts of the world too. On Instagram , he goes by the handle @btsnamjoon with almost 5 million followers.

For instance, BTS’s official Twitter account has around 22M followers. Other than Twitter, RM along with his members are often active on Reverse which was exclusively created by his label Big Hit Entertainment to communicate with their fans.

Body Measurements

Kim Namjoon is the tallest member of BTS with a height of 181 cm. He weighs around 67 kg and is one of the heaviest in the band. Likewise, his eyes and hair are brown.

Caption: Kim Namjoon’s body proportion

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