RM recently faced criticism after mentioning fellow BTS member Jungkook during a live broadcast on May 28, 2026. In the Weverse live session following BTS’ Day 3 concert in Las Vegas, RM addressed various subjects, including the members’ feelings about reuniting after their military service.
BTS started their military enlistments in December 2022, beginning with Jin, the eldest member. Suga concluded the group’s enlistment phase when he was discharged in June 2025. During this period, the members who enlisted later focused on their individual activities while fans eagerly anticipated the group’s comeback.
According to RM, around the time Jin was discharged, most members were still serving and had gathered at Jimin’s house. He noted that the members were emotionally drained during this time.
Reflecting on the gathering, RM shared that Jungkook was also experiencing a challenging time, just like the rest of the group, leading to an emotional moment for everyone.
“At that time, Jungkook was also going through a really hard period, so everyone was struggling. We were all still at the stage of our military service where we were junior soldiers. We ended up crying a lot,” RM stated during the live (as translated by X user @thankyouBusan)
RM elaborated that the members had numerous discussions during this period, with the older members feeling a need to help maintain the group’s unity. These conversations led them to make a promise to return stronger and release an album for the fans who supported them throughout the enlistment period.
However, clips from the broadcast quickly circulated on social media, eliciting mixed reactions from fans. Some Jungkook fans criticized RM for publicly discussing Jungkook’s emotional struggles during the enlistment period, arguing that Jungkook had rarely spoken about that time himself, despite having hosted multiple live broadcasts. They believed that RM should have respected Jungkook’s privacy unless he chose to share it personally.
On the other hand, some defended RM, asserting that his remarks were taken out of context. They felt RM was merely addressing the collective emotional challenges faced by the group during their military service and how they supported each other. One fan defending RM expressed,
“Theyre acting like they know the members personally more than namjoon its getting funny.”
Several fans supported RM, arguing that the criticism was excessive and misinterpreted his intentions. They pointed out that online reactions reflected parasocial assumptions about the members’ relationships rather than the true context of RM’s comments.
Some fans suggested that the members likely had many thoughts during that time. They highlighted the group’s closeness, noting that BTS members seemed to support one another through the challenges of military service and their preparations for a comeback.
RM discusses BTS’ emotional military period, album creation, and unreleased tracks during livestream
During his Weverse livestream on May 28, 2026, RM shared insights into BTS’ preparations for their comeback, the creative vision for their latest album, and the emotional challenges faced during military service. He reflected on the group’s recent performances in the United States and Japan, admitting that revisiting older songs during concerts left him emotional and introspective about the group’s journey.
RM revealed that BTS engaged in numerous discussions while working on the album, particularly about its direction and message. He noted the difficulty they faced in finalizing the album’s direction, as each member brought unique creative influences from their solo work and personal growth.
Unlike earlier eras where leadership from RM or Suga often guided decisions, the group now values everyone’s input equally. This mutual respect sometimes slowed the process, as they avoided overriding each other’s ideas.
RM acknowledged that the absence of a single clear “lead voice” made it harder to finalize creative decisions. He shared that tracks like Body To Body, Like Animals, Please and NORMAL were initially developed before completing military service but were later revised in terms of lyrics and themes.
Towards the end of the livestream, RM encouraged listeners to focus on the album’s lyrics and storytelling rather than just streaming numbers or chart positions. He expressed hope that fans would gain a deeper understanding of the meaning and emotions behind the music after learning about the group’s creative process.
Edited by Adrija Chakraborty
