Ever since BTS’ leader RM, aka Kim Namjoon, returned from the military, there has been a lot of talk about his struggle, and how the 18 months inside the unit may not have been as smooth as fans assumed. RM earlier admitted to breaking down at night and even seeking medical help. It takes us back to a year ago, when the rapper was gearing up for his second solo album, Right People, Wrong Place and had invited Jimin over to his place for a first listen of the pre-recorded tracks. That’s when the Filter looked concerned, almost instinctively sensing the pressure RM had been carrying, the weight of being a leader. As he listened to the lyrics, Jimin paused, wondering who RM was really referring to. “What kind of jerk made him write something this fierce?” he thought.
When Jimin felt ‘a little suffocated’ listening to RM’s track
Before enlistment, every BTS member kicked off their solo career. During one of their conversations, RM revealed he was actually supposed to enlist with Hobi but held it off after the Balming Tiger directors approached him with the idea to collaborate on a new record. “Namjoon’s albums are always kind of like a diary,” Jimin said. RM then explained the theme of his project, saying, “I think everyone goes through this at some point, whether you’re part of an organisation, society, or just an industry.” That’s when he started questioning himself, Am I the only one who feels like a stranger here, even when everything seems to be going fine? He added, “I’m the right person, but maybe I’m just in the wrong place.”
Later, in front of the camera, Jimin admitted, “I don’t know if I should say this, but when I heard the album, it felt like reading a diary. I had so much going on in my head, it felt a little suffocating.” He paused, then added, “He poured everything into that album. And I knew, I just knew, he was having a really hard time.”
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RM has never shied away from calling out the scrutiny BTS constantly faces and the unrealistic pedestal K-pop idols are expected to stand on, something he’s always been vocal about. The Indigo hitmaker opened up about the time BTS was going through a really rough patch, especially when the whole military enlistment exemption debate blew up in the country. He recalled being in public spaces, like a bar, and overhearing people talk about them without realising he was right there. “Is it really right for them to do that?” he remembered people whispering. “We heard that so many times. And around the same time, a lot was happening to me personally, I had so much in my head. I didn’t know what to do, so I just poured it all out and left a record,” he said, referring to his album before enlistment. Namjoon may have said those words a year ago, but fans still believe he’s carrying the weight, especially now with the pressure of rebranding the group once they return.
On the work front, BTS announced a spring comeback last year. The members are currently in the U.S., reportedly filming for new music.
