Members' Favorite Foods and Obsessions
Jin is almost obsessed with ramen, comparing different brands, experimenting with different water ratios and sometimes creating his own recipe. RM loves meat dishes, but is distant from seafood; especially with shrimp, he puts the fork aside and goes back to plain rice. Jungkook is fond of almost all kinds of meat, but especially samgyeopsal (Korean pork), which he calls “a taste like rebirth”. J-Hope has a moderate liking for spicy food, but is much more interested in sweets; mango ice cream can be his soft tummy.
SUGA prefers simple and minimal sauces for pasta and noodle-style dishes; he has a palate that says “just oil and salt is enough” rather than heavily creamy pastas. Jimin gets excited like a child when it comes to tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and often sniffles before the first bite - it's his little ritual. V is open to unusual flavors; in a video in which he suggests eating watermelon and grilled meat together, he says that “there is a connection between dessert and smoke”.
Food Trials as a Group
In Run BTS episodes, the most serious discussions in food-themed missions usually start with the question “who will cook and who will eat?”. In one episode, SUGA liked Jin's dish but joked “something is missing, maybe it's your love” - this scene has become a classic among fans. Jungkook is usually the most strategic in the cooking competitions, while Jimin often covets the food and then quietly accepts the food others have taken from him.
In some programs, J-Hope has admitted that he likes “not to cook, but to organize the surroundings while the food is being prepared”; he works as the coordinator of the kitchen. V once accidentally served raw chicken at Run BTS thinking it was cooked, Jin and SUGA noticed this and added it to the “list of tragedies with chicken”.
Special Memories and Backstage Delights
The most common thing they order after a concert is usually fried chicken and a fizzy drink; they say it's a “sweat release ritual”. Boiling ramen on the bus on the way back to the hotel after a European tour was described as “a simple post-show victory”. RM tried a vegan restaurant in LA, but didn't hide his honest comment that “there wasn't even a sauce that recognized meat”.
Jungkook thought the raw egg in the bowl was cooked one night during the Bangtan Bomb shooting and drank it in one gulp; his facial expression is still legendary among fans. “For the first time in my life, a fish made me feel like I was being hugged,” Jimin said about the sushi he ate during his Japan tour.
Jin's Culinary Talent and “Eat Jin” Stories
Jin's food channel Eat Jin has been interpreted not only as eating but also as “watching therapy”; it relaxes viewers with its voice, presentation and seriousness. Jin defends the spontaneity of the moment by saying “I add a little bit of soul” even though he sometimes goes out of the recipe while cooking. The tempura and fish dishes he prepared with his own hands were praised by the members as “better than the restaurant outside”.
In one program, RM showed his respect to his chef by saying “I don't need to say anything, my soul is already thanking me” after tasting Jin's cooking. In an episode of Eat Jin, Jin looked at the empty plate after finishing the meal and said “the hands that made this should be blessed” and then laughed “oh, I made it”.
Food Experiences Abroad
During the American tour, when the band members had tacos for the first time, V took out the ingredients one by one and said “this needs to be made Korean style” and created his own version. In France, RM added a poetic touch to French cuisine by trying a plate with cheese and commenting “it's like smoke came out of my mouth while reading a book”. After eating pizza in Italy, SUGA revealed that he was a fan of Neapolitan pizza, saying “our Korean pizza is a bit too humble”.
J-Hope said that when he tried street food in Thailand, “it was a dance between pain and fear,” but he still ordered the same dish the next day. After eating tonkatsu in Japan, Jin ordered the same dish at different restaurants for 3 days; he said he discovered a special mixture he calls “golden ratio sauce”.
Accidents, Missteps and Unforgettable Bites
V once drank a small bowl of soy sauce thinking it was soup; his facial expression changed so much that the members called this scene a “salty memory”. Jungkook couldn't speak for minutes after he mistook stuffed raw peppers for junk food in a program; after this scene, fans created many memes with the title “legend of pain”. When RM dropped the spoon and bent down while eating, he also dropped the microphone on the floor and the voice control system temporarily stopped. Jin burst out laughing, saying “that's the power of words”.
Once, during a pre-dinner prayer, Jimin tapped the table with his fork and wanted to say “bon appetit”, but involuntarily knocked over the glass, spilling water on both the plate and his knee. SUGA stayed calm and said “prayer works anyway”, which cleared the air. During a VLive, J-Hope accidentally steeped the spice packet of ramen in water like tea. When asked about the taste, RM joked, “Is this cleansing with bitter water?”
Dessert Obsessions and Snack Routines
Jungkook carries chocolate-covered nuts in his handbag because he confessed in a program that he carries “quiet snacks” with him because he is afraid of going hungry. SUGA prefers only plain biscuits with his coffee; he explained his aversion to sugary flavors by saying that “they talk too much in the mouth”.
RM likes waffles, but not the ones served with fruit; he prefers the plain, honey and hazelnut ones because the mixed flavors make him “pensive.” J-Hope eats mints before concerts because he seeks a feeling of freshness before going on stage; this habit once influenced all members and became collective. When eating desserts, Jin usually eats the edges first, saying that “the outer structure prepares the content, the center should be respected”.
In-Group “Food Chemistry”
SUGA is usually quiet during meals, but if someone comments too much or messes with the recipe, he may protest, saying “this is not food, this is art vandalism”. Jin gets mad if someone adds salt while cooking; this has even caused minor crises in Run BTS. Jimin and Jungkook often make eye contact while eating together; this is referred to as “table symphony” among fans.
RM loves deep conversations at the dinner table; he once posed the question “could existentialism have something to do with pasta?” over soup. J-Hope keeps track of what's happening at the table outside of the meal, instantly recognizing details such as who's talking, who's hungry, who's eating quietly, and opening conversations accordingly.
Last Bites, Small Rituals
Jungkook pauses briefly before eating the last bite on the plate; “the body wants time to say thank you,” he says. V lightly scrapes the edge of the plate with his finger after he finishes eating, a gesture his mother used to do when he was a child.
Jimin always tries to swallow the last bite with water, because he believes in the principle that “the table is not cleared until the mouth is light”. When Jin finishes eating, he claps his hands together and says “thanks to the chef” before washing his hands, and then looks at himself and smiles. At the end of the meal, RM usually sits quietly and stares at the table for a minute without saying anything to anyone; this is his “moment of satisfactionü,” which he defines as personal time.
Fan Reflections and “BTS's Plate”
After the Eat Jin broadcasts, many ARMYs tried Jin's recipes and shared their own videos on social media with the hashtag “I became Eat Jin too”. After a video of Jungkook suggesting a Korean dish similar to raw meatballs, Turkish fans started a trend of “meatball diplomacy” on social media. V's suggestion of watermelon and grilled meat turned into a summertime “BTS BBQ challenge” among fans.
After J-Hope's mango obsession, the demand for mango-flavored products increased significantly in some countries. Because of Jimin's love for tteokbokki, many fans have learned to make their own version at home, even if they don't travel to Korea; videos of “Jimin's Tteokbokki Recipe” have been viewed thousands of times on YouTube.
Diet, Detox and Stage Preparations
SUGA avoids heavy meals during his comeback periods and prefers only two meals a day, usually fruit, yogurt and boiled eggs. RM plans according to his metabolism, especially during studio periods; for example, on days when he writes very intensely, he prefers protein-heavy, simple menus. Jungkook once confessed that he only eats chicken, vegetables and water in what he called “hard training mode”.
Jimin went on a strict diet during the 2016 promotional period, and made it clear that it was mentally as well as physically challenging. Jin said that instead of strict diets, he adopted the principle of “balance”; if he eats a lot one day, he balances by eating light the next day.
Brand Collaborations and Food Industry Connections
The “BTS Meal” campaign with McDonald's not only broke sales records around the world, but also caused fans to create their own versions. The special sauces that came with the BTS Meal campaign were reproduced in different countries and fell on the black market; some fans kept empty sauce containers. Jungkook's love for banana milk led to the re-popularization of the drink in Korea, which was later produced in special packaging as “JK edition”.
Some Korean snack companies have designed special packaging for members' favorite snacks and released limited editions. V said at a brand launch that he prefers Korean rice wine over traditional wine, and the traditional drink suddenly became popular again among young people.
Behind the Scenes Tables and Brotherhood Rituals
In a post-concert shoot, a scene of the members eating pizza together and not saying anything was aired; this scene was interpreted as a “silent thank you”. Apart from Run BTS, in many behind the scenes documentaries, the scenes of the members eating together have been among the most watched parts.
SUGA says that Jimin is the one he laughs the most at the dinner table because Jimin's attempt to speak with his mouth full is, according to SUGA, “the pinnacle of comedy.” RM and Jin have a classic dialog when they sit at the same table for breakfast: RM would usually cut the bread and say “I cut it in half, be philosophical”, to which Jin would reply “the cheese still hasn't been cut”. Jungkook was very quiet during meals when he first joined the group, but over time, he became “the most talkative member, telling his own recipes” during meals.