Kim Namjoon, professionally known as RM, is a South Korean rapper and songwriter. His stage name is Rap Monster, and he is the group leader of the globally recognized South Korean boy band K-pop band BTS. He is the lead rapper among the trio rap line of the band and leader of the band. Like Suga and J-hope, he developed his distinct style of rapping. RM’s signature rap style is old-school lyrical, an intangible way to rap. His words hit straight to the point, making Rap Monster well deserving of his name. The texture of his voice is underground-influenced, and his deep voice perfectly fits in the jazzy rap style as well. RM also raps in chopper style and when he does, he nails it.
RM is one of the influential members of the band, and everyone in the group equally respects him. All members, including Jin, Jungkook, Jimin, Suga, and J-hope, define him as a leader. As a musician, he produces many hit albums along with band members and several mixtapes as a solo artist. In 2015, he put out his first mixtape.
During the early days, when BTS debuted as a hip-hop band, they received a lot of disapproval from South Korean music fandom. Subsequently, as a band leader, RM was always at the forefront of receiving hate comments and backlash. His style and rap frequently received criticism, resulting in him being bashed by South Korean netizens. During one interview, someone asked him to read the hate comment:
“RM doesn’t look like an idol at all, hahaha.” Bangtan’s rap is hideous. You debuted as an idol, so does that mean you gave up your identity as a rapper? Are these songs considered hip-hop? Absolutely not… Bangtan’s rap lyrics? Is that even considered as lyrics?”
After reading this comment, Kim Namjoon replied with eagerness on his face and eyes:
“I will prove it to you all”
Let’s look into his biography, success story, social media accounts, net worth, exciting facts, and more.
BIOGRAPHY
RM was born on September 12, 1994, in Dongjak-gu, South Korea. He moved to Ilsan-gu with his younger sister and parents. RM developed English Language skills by watching the television series “Friends”. He was an exceptional student with an IQ of 148.
According to BTS wiki:
“In 2007, as a middle school student, RM began rapping in local hip-hop circles, creating his first self-composed recording for the first time using the program Adobe Audition (then called Cool Edit). RM eventually became more active in the underground Korean hip-hop scene under the moniker “Runch Randa,” releasing several tracks and collaborations with other underground rappers, such as Zico”.
RM’s English skills are extraordinary compared to other members of the group. He is the smartest member of the group with phenomenal leadership skills. J-hope defined him as:
“RM is smarter than his age. With his qualities and nature, it seems like he is born to lead”.
SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
Kim Namjoon is active on social media accounts, specifically Instagram, and shows his presence on platforms, engaging with fans and sharing updates. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram, where he shares his travel photos, usual activities, reels, and updates, connecting with his dedicated fandom.
WIKI
RM is attractive and the tallest member of the group at 5 feet 11 inches in height. His attractive, strong physique and impressive body measurements made him appear like a Greek idol. His dressing style involves sweatshirts, sneakers, caps, masks, and oversized hoodies. He is deeply interested in nature, art, history, and museums and loves reading books in his free time.
| Real Name | Kim Nam-joon |
| Stage Name | RM |
| Nickname | Joonie Joon Rap Mon Moon |
| Birthday | September 12, 1994 |
| Age | 29 years old |
| Birthplace | Dongjak-gu, South Korea |
| Present Residence | Hannam-dong, Seoul, South Korea |
| Gender | Male |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Nationality | Korean |
| Mother Tongue | Korean |
| School | Local High School in Gwangju, South Korea Baeksin Elementary School Oma Elementary School Shinil Middle School Ilsan Daejin High School Apgujeong High School |
| College/University | Global Cyber University Major in Electronic Engineering (Bachelors) |
| Occupation | Rapper Leader of BTS Songwriter Record producer |
| Net Worth | USD 22 million approximately |
| Relationship Status | Single |
| Height | 5′ 11” |
| Weight | 70kg |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
ZODIAC SIGN
RM was born on September 12, and the younger star Jungkook was born on September 1, which ultimately made these bandmates, Virgo. Virgos are analytical, hardworking, and perfectionists. RM belongs to the zodiac sign Virgo, characterized by traits such as analytical thinking, hard work, and a tendency towards perfectionism. These traits are also known to manifest in leadership qualities, which are well exemplified by RM’s leadership style. When it comes to criticism, Virgos are a little judgmental and the biggest critics of themselves. They also love spending time in nature and take a great interest in art and creativity. Famous American Instagram personality Dana Hamm is also Virgo.
FAMILY
Kim Namjoon grew up in a well-established family, and some online sources suggest that he spent his early life in New Zealand. He is of South Korean nationality and identifies as an atheist, which he confirmed during an interview and verified by major online fandoms. Namjoon’s father is employed in a telecommunications firm, while his mother is a real estate agent. He has a younger sister named Kim Geongmin. Initially, his family opposed his music career and preferred him to focus more on his studies, but this sentiment changed over time.
EDUCATION
Namjoon received his early education from Baeksin Elementary School and Oma Elementary School. During his Middle and High School years, he displayed exceptional academic performance and also exhibited a passion for poetry. He attended Ilsan Daejin High School and Apgujeong High School. It was during one of his classes that his teacher introduced the artist Eminem, which sparked an interest in music and rapping. He pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering from Global Cyber University. Apart from his education, RM loves reading books. According to his bandmates, he always reads a book in his spare time.
RELATIONSHIP
RM is unmarried and currently single. K-pop idols barely date publicly and this is true for the Leader of a globally popular boyband, Kim Namjoon. On the contrary, some online news sources coined various dating rumors between the leader of BTS and other female K-pop idols. The most recent dating rumor involved was between RM and Karina from Aespa. Big Hit Entertainment and RM himself never confirmed such rumors. Some fans do “shipping” (an Asian term used for the practice of imagining two favorite idols in a romantic relationship with each other).
CAREER
In the year 2009, Kim Namjoon was auditioning for Big Deal Records, where he forgot his lyrics. During the audition, rapper Sleepy exchanged contact information with RM, who he mentioned to Big Hit Entertainment producer Pdogg as mentioned in the ebook “10 yeard Record of BTS”. In 2010, Sleepy encouraged RM, to audition for Big Hit CEO Bang Si-hyuk. Si-hyuk offered RM a spot and he accepted it without his parent’s consent. Joonie was 16 when he joined Big Hit Entertainment.
In 2015, RM released his first solo mixtape titled ‘RM’. His work was influenced by his life experiences, the hardships he had faced while pursuing his career, and his struggles with self-love and self-acceptance. The third track of the mixtape called “Awakening” highlighted his internal conflict between his two identities – “rapper” and “idol”. Before debuting with BTS, RM had received criticism from the underground Hip-hop community, claiming that he had betrayed his roots as a rapper.
“Reflection is essentially Rap Monster looking into himself and trying to make peace with what he finds there. This song is a pretty clear depiction of anxiety and depression”. (Reflection by RM, Album: Wings)
Collaborations
In 2017, a song called “Change” was released as a collab between RM and Wale. The song inscribes social injustice, global violence, bullying, and the school systems. The track was the depiction of deep lyricism. In December 2018, RM collaborated on a remix of Fall Out Boy’s song “Champion”. The track reached number 18 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles.
In March 2019, Big Hit Entertainment released a solo song by RM called “Persona” as a trailer for their EP “Map of the Soul: Persona”. In 2019, Lil Nas X reached out to RM for collaboration on one of the remixes of his hit song “Old Town Road”. This collaboration allowed RM and the other BTS members to perform along with Lil Nas X for the first time on the 2019 Grammy Awards stage. BTS announced on June 14, 2022, that they will be taking a well-deserved break from their hectic schedule and activities to focus more on solo projects.
DISCOGRAPHY
Studio Album
Joonie released his first solo album in 2022 which broke the records worldwide.
| Indigo | 2022 |
Mixtapes
Some of his mixtapes are as follows:
| RM | 2015 |
| MONO | 2018 |
Original Songs
RM is known for his songwriting and most of his solo and group songs are written by him. Following is the list of his original songs:
| Monterlude | 2014 |
| Unpack Your Bags (with DJ Soulscape) | 2014 |
| 아라요 (I Know) (with Jung Kook) | 2016 |
| Always | 2017 |
| 네시 (4 O’CLOCK) (with V) | 2017 |
| 땡 (DDaeng) (with SUGA and j-hope) | 2018 |
Filmography
Big Hit Entertainment produces several movies and docuseries for the promotion of albums to give an insight into the story of each member and their journey as an artist. Following is the list of documentaries in which RM makes his appearance:
| Burn the stage: The movie | 2018 |
| BTS World Tour: Love Yourself in Seoul Bring The Soul: The Movie | 2019 |
| Break The Silence: The Movie | 2020 |
| BTS Permission to dance on stage- Seoul BTS Permission to dance on stage- LA BTS Yet To Come in Cinemas | 2022 |
| J-hope In The Box | 2023 |
Music Video
Kim Namjoon’s music videos on which he worked as a Solo artist are below:
| Perfect Christmas | 2014 |
| P.D.D Buckubucku Bang Diggy Bang Bang Awakening Do You Joke Fantastic | 2015 |
| Change | 2017 |
| Sexy Numkim | 2022 |
| Smoke Spirit Wild Flower Still Life | 2023 |
NET WORTH
According to online resources Kim Namjoon is reported to have a net worth of USD 22 million. He secured 4th position in the group as an artist after J-hope, Suga, and Jungkook. RM is the ambassador of the Italian Luxury brand, Bottega Veneta.
SOURCE OF INCOME
RM is the core songwriter and producer of the group BTS. He has his share in the group’s profits and he earns additional income from various sources such as merchandise, sales, and other businesses. It is notable that the financial gains RM makes with BTS are not disclosed and may vary occasionally.
FAVORITES
On many occasions, Joonie revealed his favorite things and his interests. Some of them are as follows:
| Favorite Color | Pink and Black |
| Favorite Actor | N/A |
| Favorite Actress | Blake Lively |
| Favorite Artist | Thibaud Hérem |
| Favorite Book | DemianKafka On The Shore Almond Me Before You The Midnight Library Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 I Want To Die But I Want To Eat Tteokbokki |
| Favorite Animal | Koala |
| Favorite Drink | Coffee |
| Favorite Country | New Zealand |
| Favorite Pet | Dog |
| Favorite Food | Kalguksu (Korean Comfort Food) Korean Knife Noodles and Meat |
| Favorite Songs | Poem by Colde Walkin by John Eun Sparks by Coldplay Sleepless by Epik High |
| Favorite Hobby | Bike Riding Reading Walking in the parks Visiting Museums |
AWARDS
- Soompi Awards (Best Male Solo)
- Soompi Awards (Best Collaboration)
- Patron of the Arts Awards
- Grammy Awards
Achievements
- Gives Speech at UNICEF, United Nations
- RM is an Honorary Ambassador for South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense’s Excavation Agency
- First Celebrity Brand Ambassador for Bottega Veneta
- First South Korean male Solo Artist to spend 4 Weeks On Billboard 200
- Namjoon Gets The Top 3 Spots On Billboard’s Hot Trending Songs Chart
- Kim Donates to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
- Joonie is Nominated for the 2022 List of Blooloop 50 Museum Influencer
RM’s United Nation Speech
“Find your name, find your voice by speaking yourself. I’m Kim Namjoon, RM of BTS. I’m a hip-hop idol and an artist from a small town in Korea. I have made many mistakes in my life, now I am starting to love myself, little by little. What is your name? Speak Yourself!”
Interesting Facts
- RM is a member of the Korea Music Copyright Association
- He doesn’t have his driver’s license
- Kim was recruited as a first member of BTS
- Namjoon writes the majority of BTS songs
- Joonie ranked in the top 1% in high school exams with an IQ of 148
- His motto is “This too shall pass”
- The rapper is often named as “God of destruction” for accidentally destroying the things around
Who is leader of BTS?
Kim Namjoon aka RM is the leader of BTS.
Why is Namjoon's English so good?
He started learning English after watching the season of "Friends". He is a self-taught English speaker.
Is RM from BTS in a relationship?
No, he is not in a relationship and Big Hit Entertainment declined the rumors which surfaced in 2023.
Why did Namjoon change his name?
Formerly he changed his stage name to Rap Monster or RM. Later in 2017, he declared during an interview that "Rap Monster" no longer depicts who he is or the music that he creates. Now it represents "Real Me".
