Talents Observed at an Early Age
RM spent hours playing with Legos as a child and building complex structures; his family thought he would become an architect or engineer. J-Hope was filmed dancing on the street when he was only 10 years old; that energy is still evident in his dancing today. SUGA, when he first encountered music in elementary school, his teachers said he could translate his mathematical intelligence into piano notes. Jin's family wanted to enroll him in acting school because even at that age, he didn't freeze up on stage and behaved naturally.
V grew up on his grandfather's farm, surrounded not only by nature but also by music; his first instrument was an old trumpet his grandfather gave him. Jungkook participated in a karaoke contest in elementary school and amazed his teachers; according to the judges, such powerful tone at that age was very rare.
Influences from Their Families and Surroundings
Jimin's mother had specifically supported him in taking ballet lessons; this support laid the foundation for his grace on stage today. SUGA's family was against his music career, and he secretly bought his first studio equipment with money he earned himself. V couldn't afford music lessons as a child due to his family's financial situation; it is said he started by borrowing a saxophone from a friend.
RM's family wanted him to succeed academically; his insistence on pursuing music was a major turning point for him. J-Hope's father was a teacher and initially opposed his son's desire to become a dancer, but later supported him by attending his concerts and sitting in the front row. Jungkook was inspired by his older brother's drawing skills and began experimenting with illustration at a young age.
School and Childhood Memories
Jin was not one of the most popular kids in school and was even known to be quiet at times due to his shyness. Jimin's classmates say that he would dance during recess and that everyone would gather around him. RM was known for talking very fast in school; he was asked to slow down during presentations so that everyone could understand him.
SUGA would secretly go to the studio after school to make music and return home late at night during his high school years. Jungkook was always referred to as “little Justin Bieber” at school concerts, and his teachers believed he was born to be on stage. V, despite being a quiet person during his school years, was known among his friends for his “changing facial expressions when he smiled.”
Unforgettable Moments from Their Trainee Days
J-Hope was about to give up during his trainee days when he found a note from his mother in his pocket that read, “Even on days when you can't dance, just walk.” Jimin joined the group later than the others during their trainee days and would practice for 20 hours a day to keep up with the others. RM took vocal lessons during his first year as a trainee; despite his rap background, he put in a lot of effort to improve his melodic tone.
Jungkook fell into a brief period of depression after returning from dance training in the US, saying, “I don't want to be an idol.” SUGA continued making music despite a shoulder injury; the nights he spent sleeping in the studio chair are still legendary today. V accidentally entered the trainee room; it was by chance that BigHit staff directed him to an audition.
Pre-Performance Rituals and Childhood Habits
J-Hope always takes his first step with his left foot before going on stage; this habit comes from a superstition he learned when he started playing soccer as a child. RM takes the microphone in his hand and takes a short walk before the concert; this is a reflex from his elementary school days, when he would take a “focusing walk” before giving a presentation in front of the class. Jin looks in the mirror and makes eye contact with himself right before taking the stage; he has mentioned that this is a memory from when he was a child and felt nervous, and his mother would tell him, “Look into your eyes; there's strength there.”
Jimin's short stretching routine to relieve pre-performance tension comes from the “breathing and muscle relaxation” exercises he learned in ballet. SUGA always twists his wrists before taking the stage; this habit stems from the warm-up exercises he did before playing the piano as a child. V always touches his nose before going on stage; this is a habit he picked up as a child to control his face when he was excited.
Diaries, Letters, and Hidden Memories
RM still has an old notebook that he keeps hidden away; it contains lyrics, poems, and a few short stories he wrote in middle school. There is a box full of childhood photos in Jungkook's family home; only his mother can touch it because Jungkook gets very emotional. Jimin still keeps a few diaries he wrote in high school, but he said he never lets anyone read them because “that child is still living there.”
Jin still keeps an alien figure he drew as a child in his wallet; this figure later appeared on a T-shirt during a VLive broadcast. V always carries a letter his grandfather gave him with him on tour; the letter begins with the words, “Don't forget who you are.” SUGA still keeps the certificate from the first poetry contest he won as a child in his desk drawer.
Team Nostalgia and Fun Memories
Jungkook still keeps the MP3 player RM gave him during his first year as a trainee; the first song he put on it was “Eminem – Lose Yourself.” V recounts that during the time he shared a room with Jimin, Jimin would always throw his blanket on the floor and cover himself again in the morning; this became a “silent form of care” during that period. J-Hope mentioned that when he first met Jin, he thought, “This guy must be a competitor” after seeing how much he ate.
SUGA says he initially thought RM was very serious, but later realized he was a genius who would drop his pen and blush in the room. Jin was amazed when he first saw Jungkook dancing without crying, even though he was only 13 years old. V received his first gift during his trainee days from J-Hope; a pair of headphones. It's still in its box, it doesn't work, but he hasn't thrown it away.
Reflections of Old Hobbies on Today
SUGA was very interested in computer games when he was little; this has turned into an aptitude for software and digital sound technology in his music today. It is known that J-Hope used to watch dance videos and draw the moves in a notebook when he was young; this visual memory makes it easier for him to memorize complex choreography on stage. RM's habit of writing short stories in elementary school has become one of the cornerstones of his current songwriting.
Jimin developed the habit of “accompanying his own reflection” while repeating ballet movements in front of a mirror as a child; this is seen as the source of his aesthetic harmony on stage. V's interest in old cameras as a child explains his current fascination with film and analog photography; he frequently shares the photos he takes.
Silently Carried Burdens and Moments of Fragility
RM wrote poetry in his corner while everyone else was preparing for science competitions in middle school; a teacher pulled him aside and said, “You have another path” — RM says he will never forget this. Jimin admitted that during his internship, when he was alone for a moment, he thought to himself, “Why doesn't anyone notice how hard I work?” This sentence later became the inspiration for a song. Jungkook says that when his family moved when he was young, he first experienced loneliness, and that this feeling shaped his “quiet strength” on stage.
SUGA recounts that when he played his self-made cassettes to others as a young man, most of them laughed, but one friend told him to “keep going,” which kept him going. V mentioned that he grew up with his grandmother and forgot his mother's voice for a time; this sense of loss may have added depth to his emotional singing style.
Small But Powerful Words
The first words that sparked J-Hope's interest in dance came from his mother: “Everyone else is walking, but your feet are always tapping to the music.” Jin began to warm up to the idea of performing when a teacher in high school told him, “You need the stage, but the stage needs you.” RM remembers a friend telling him, “When I talk to you, your words are like music,” which inspired him to start writing lyrics.
Jungkook received the comment “there's sound in your eyes” from a judge during his first stage performance — he has placed more importance on eye contact ever since. Jimin heard his mother say, “What you're working hard for may not know you yet, but one day it will be just like you,” during a difficult time in his life.
Memorable Items and Lost Time
The cord from SUGA's first headphones he got as a child is still under his studio desk; it doesn't work, but he hasn't thought about throwing it away. V's only toy from his childhood, a stuffed bear, is still secretly tucked into his bag on some trips. RM's first lyrics, written during high school, are in a small notebook he occasionally opens and says, “I'm proud of this kid.”
Jin lost the medal he won as a child, but his mother found the same model years later and gave it to him on his birthday. Jungkook's first stage costume is still in his family's closet; every time he visits, he looks at it without touching it, because he says, “If I touch it, I'm afraid that child will disappear.”