BTS’s RM went candid about the military enlistment and the struggles he faced during this period.
On May 25th, RM appeared on the YouTube channel BANGTANTV in a video titled “Mini & Moni Music” with fellow BTS member Jimin. He revealed, “I suffered for a long time due to the military enlistment issue. There was so much talk about it. Even when I went to a bar, people were discussing it without realizing I was there. And it just so happened that I was facing numerous personal challenges during that time, so I just had no idea what to do.”
“I thought I should leave something behind and vent my frustrations,” he continued. “At that time, only three of the younger members were left, and I questioned, ‘Why am I still here in society?’ The older ones are already gone, and especially when J-Hope left, I had many thoughts. Initially, I doubted if I should be working on music, but as the project neared completion, I felt relieved.”
In the video, RM discussed his solo album Right Place, Wrong Person. RM reflected, “While preparing this album, so many things happened. I experienced incidents that most people never face in their entire lives, which changed my perspective.” He added, “I initially planned to enlist with J-Hope but then met San Yawn from Balming Tiger. He suggested that instead of enlisting immediately, I should leave behind ‘the me’ after experiencing various events, which led me to create this album.”
RM also spoke about the pressure he felt as BTS’s leader. “As the leader, I was expected to say the right things and represent the team. But at the end of the day, I’m just a regular Korean man living a slightly different life at 29. Over 10 years, I started to feel the weight of always having to be correct and different. I felt like I might die from constantly worrying about what others think.”
Explaining the album’s title, he said, “The title represents me, a wrong person in the right place. I think everyone has felt at some point that they were the odd one out in a group or society. The concept of right and wrong can fluctuate, making us all right and wrong at different times.”
Reflecting on his journey, RM shared, “I feel pity for myself for not being more relaxed over the past decade. However, creating this album was possible because of BTS. When we reunite (in 2025), our different experiences will benefit us.”
RM’s latest album, released on May 24th, topped Japan’s Oricon Daily Album Ranking. The title track “LOST!” reached number one on the iTunes Top Songs chart in 73 countries.
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