BTS’ RM Opens Up About His Parents’ Sacrifices, Global Fame, and Why He No Longer Chases Numbers [WATCH]

BTS leader RM is offering fans a rare glimpse into the personal experiences that shaped his life, opening up about his parents’ sacrifices, their contrasting perspectives on success, and how those lessons continue to influence him amid global stardom.

During a candid appearance on Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud, the rapper reflected on his family’s financial struggles, his father’s abandoned artistic dream, and the emotional balance he learned growing up.

RM shared that his father once aspired to become a cartoon artist but was forced to give up that ambition because of financial hardship. The BTS leader shared, “My father wanted to draw cartoons, but at that time in Korea we were really poor and we got nothing. So my grandmother stopped him from what he really wanted to do.”

Because his father never had the opportunity to pursue a creative career, RM said he received unwavering support when he decided to follow music instead of taking a more conventional path.

“My father had this craving for something beyond studies and regular jobs. So he was really quite supportive of what I was trying to do, which was music,” RM said.

His Mother’s Advice Offered Stability

While his father encouraged creative ambition, RM said his mother, who worked as a teacher, focused on security and stability. “She was always trying to give me stability and telling me not to challenge too much, just stay in the safe zone,” he recalled.

Growing up between two very different viewpoints helped him develop a balanced outlook on life.

Describing himself as “a small clock pin going back and forth” between his parents’ perspectives, RM credited them with teaching him how to navigate both ambition and caution.

“I think I’ve learned the balance from my parents and they were such great parents to me.”

‘I Never Had a Wish to Be This Big’

The BTS leader also reflected on the unexpected reality of becoming one of the world’s biggest music stars, admitting that global fame was never part of his original dream. “I never had a wish to be this big,” he said.

RM explained that the pressure of chart rankings, commercial success, and constant public attention can easily pull artists away from the reasons they started creating music in the first place.

Rather than focusing on metrics, he said he now makes a conscious effort to distance himself from numbers and online validation.

“I’m trying to keep the distance from the numbers and impact itself and try to get close to nature and all those things that are not related to this fast era,” he said.

Finding Authenticity in Fast-Paced Digital World

RM also acknowledged the challenges of living in today’s digital age, admitting that the relentless pace of social media has changed the way he experiences everyday life.

He said it has become increasingly difficult to enjoy books and films as he once did, noting that the constant demand to stay visible online often creates pressure to keep producing new content.

Despite the demands of international fame, RM suggested that the values instilled by his parents continue to serve as his foundation. Their contrasting approaches to life, he said, helped him find a balance between ambition and stability, success and humility, while staying true to himself even as one of the world’s most recognized artists.