Jung Kook on Solo Stardom and Writing for BTS: ‘I’m Just A Carefree and Open Person’

Even after his massive solo success and a long list of standout moments on BTS songs, at age 28, Jeon Jung Kook hasn’t yet quite figured out who he is. “I’m still forming my sense of self,” he says. It’s hard to blame him. He’s been in BTS since he was 15, which means he’s spent nearly half his life as a global pop star, growing up inside the group. He acknowledges that his uncannily smooth tenor has strengthened, but he’s still gaining confidence in his writing skills, though he stepped up more as a songwriter on Arirang than he did on his own solo album. In a way, he was the first BTS fan — choosing the then-tiny BigHit Music over many other offers because RM was “really, really cool and awesome” — and Jung Kook still seems awestruck at all they’ve accomplished together so far.

What did it mean to you to establish yourself as this solo pop star, which you did in a huge way?
Honestly, I can’t really think of myself as a pop star just yet. But I’m very grateful that I get asked about it that way, and that fans think of me that way. So I want to keep doing better, so that I can feel like a star for myself. Someday!

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What would it take for you to feel that way?
So, I actually know exactly what I need. I need to get better at English, at least to the point where I can make small talk or chat casually. I think that would be a breakthrough. But English is so hard!

Duolingo!
From Duolingo to Malhaeboka … I think I’ve tried every single English learning app out there. But the most important thing is to stick with it.

Rolling Stone’s May issue features the most ambitious cover-story package in the magazine’s nearly 60-year history: eight different print covers in all. In addition to the group cover and story, we’re rolling out the seven solo covers — each with a video and solo Q&A — through Monday, April 20. Click here for continuing coverage, and click here to buy a box set of all eight covers.

Everyone says that, even if you don’t necessarily feel comfortable speaking English, your pronunciation in singing is very, very good.
I’m glad there’s that, at least.

Do you do it just syllable by syllable, or is your ear good for that?
Yeah, I think my ear is good for that kind of thing. But at the end of the day … it’s not Korean. It’s a foreign language for me. And I don’t want native speakers to hear me speak their language and find it uncomfortable, or dislike it, in any way. So I’ve personally worked very hard on it.

How did your solo success affect the way you approached things for the new album, and the way other members approach things with you?
I’m just a very carefree and open person, and I don’t think too much during my day-to-day unless I really have to. So, when it comes to work process or choosing songs … I’ll express myself, sure. I’ll speak up and share my opinion, but I don’t stress about it. Well, I don’t know about the others. I guess some of the other members were pretty stressed, but I just thought it was fun. I enjoyed it! I did what I wanted to.

Watch the video interview below

RM said that the members have different lifestyles now, and have different boundaries. Maybe you can expand on that a little more. What does that mean?
Well, all of the members come from very different backgrounds. And even since we met, everyone is moving at their own speed, taking things at their own tempo, on their own timeline. Beyond that, we like different kinds of music and prefer different kinds of food, too. The seven of us are so different, yet we work together, sing together, and perform together. And when we collaborate, of course we’re different there as well. That’s probably why he said that.

It does feel like you stepped up as a songwriter on this new album. Were there moments that stand out, where you felt good about your contributions?
Sure, I felt great. I don’t know if I would call it pride? But I did feel really great. It’s been a long time since then. We chose the songs and everything, but there’s one thing I still think about, which is … Why didn’t I do a little more? Two months is a really long time. Couldn’t I have done a bit more? I have a lot of regrets about that.

Is there a moment that stands out, though? A song coming together that was good for you?
Well, I worked a lot on “Hooligan.” And that song itself is … I don’t know. When I first heard the track, I came up with the flow immediately. So I got to work, and … The track is so unique, so I might have just lucked into this, but Hitman Bang and the rest of the members thought it was so fresh, and they all loved it. That felt awesome. And I didn’t know if the song would make it. But it got picked, and that rocked.

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Plus writing English lyrics, it’s cool!
Well, I didn’t write the whole thing. I had a lot of help.

Your voice feels stronger than ever. Is that something you continually work on?
Yep. Before I went to the military, after I came back, and up till now. Slow as a turtle, I’m always doing something. Trying things.

ARMY of course loved your solo work. I think if I see one critique, they say they wish you wrote more, and that the solo album was very Western, for better or worse. Have you heard that, and what do you make of that idea?
That just happened to be my choice at the time. I could write more for my next album, if that’s what ARMY wants. But back then, I wanted something else. I wanted to get good songs and release an album as soon as I could. That’s the whole reason.

I also think the kinds of stories I can tell are pretty limited. So in the future, once I have a lot to do and a lot to say, I think it will happen naturally.

Their dream, I think, is something personal. But you’re saying you don’t have anything right now for them, on that front?
Actually, I might never have anything. Because I don’t keep memories in my brain for a long time. I forget things a lot, so … You know how computers have hard drives? I don’t think I have a lot of disk space.

You’ve been in BTS since you were very young. Your only real breaks from being an idol are maybe a little bit during the pandemic, and then your military service. How does growing up like that affect your sense of self?
We were busy during the pandemic, pretty damn busy. So the only time I was fully away from music was in the military. And during that time … rather than figure out my sense of self, because I think that’s always changing … What I really felt was that I really want to perform. I want to sing. “Augh, I can’t wait to leave! I want to get out and dance!” That’s all I thought about.

In the Beatles, George Harrison was the youngest. He felt he was always treated as a junior member, and it got frustrating for him. I wonder if there’s any aspect of that for you.
No, I love being the youngest. Because, even though we’re adults now, for my whole life I was the youngest in my family, the youngest in my group, and at work, I was always the youngest of all the staff. I’m so used to that now, so when I’m in a group setting, I’ve always felt very comfortable feeling like the youngest. That’s how I feel now.

Production and Clothing Credits

Styling by YEJIN KIM. Hair by HANSOM, HWAYEON, and HYUNWOO LEE. Makeup by DAREUM KIM and SHINAE. Set design by YEABYUL JEON. Produced by NUHANA. Executive Producer SOOH HWANG. Producers SEBIN PARK and KALY NGO. Line producer CHERRY LEE. Digital Technician HUIJIN KIM. Photographic Assistance: SOOJUNG OH, MINHYUK LEE, MINJUN KIM, JIHYUN OH, JUWAN KANG and JUNHYUNG YANG. Set Design Team: SOHYUN WON, YUNSEON CHOI, JUNHYUK SIM.
RS Video DoP MIKE BEECH. Camera Operators: BYEONG HWI MIN, CHURL GWON, HYUNSUH PAIK. DIT JIWOON LEE. Sound operator MIN JAE LEE. Production assistant SEOHYUN YOON.