From underground rapper to a global icon now: Unknown facts about BTS leader RM aka Kim Namjoon
This is the story of BTS leader RM's transformation from underground rapper to world-renowned figure. Have a look at the known facts that surround Kim Namjoon, the creative force that influenced the most popular K-pop phenomenon.
Kim Nam-joon was a prominent figure in the Korean underground hip hop scene before being a part of the Big Hit Entertainment. He was a member of the hip hop crew named Daenamhyup and went with the stage name ‘Runch Randa’. The rapper has collaborated with other rappers as well including Zico and is known for his raw lyrical talent as well.
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BTS was created for him Bang Si-hyuk, the CEO of Big Hit Entertainment (now HYBE), decided to create a group centered around 17-year-old Namjoon after being so impressed by his rap performance. He joined the group that would later be known as BTS as its first member.
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His parents initially opposed his music career Namjoon's parents initially didn’t allow him to pursue a career in music, even though he was an exceptional student with an IQ of 148 and placed in the top 1% of the country's university entrance exams. But when he asked his mother if she "wanted to have a son who was a first-place rapper, or a 5,000th-place student," he managed to persuade her.
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Learned English by watching "Friends." BTS' global communication greatly benefits from RM's fluency in English. He repeatedly watched the well-known American sitcom ‘Friends’ with Korean subtitles, followed by English subtitles, and finally without any at all in order to learn the language.
He is nicknamed the "God of Destruction." Because of his clumsy nature, fans and his fellow members gave him this nickname. He frequently breaks things, including doors, sunglasses, and chopsticks. He also has a reputation for losing his AirPods a lot. At one point, he admitted losing more than thirty pairs.
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Wanted to be a security guard Namjoon's childhood dream was to work as a security guard in an apartment complex. His fascination with uniforms led to this strange dream. He also mentioned his early aspirations to become a businessman or poet.
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He is a patron of the arts Namjoon has a strong appreciation for art in addition to music. His fans become more interested in art as a result of his frequent social media posts featuring images from his trips to galleries and museums around the globe. In addition, he has been named an ambassador for Korean literature and art and has made large donations to museums.
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He is a creative songwriter The amount of songwriting and composition credits that RM has is amazing. As the songwriter for numerous BTS hits, such as "Spring Day," "Fake Love," and "Dynamite," he is among the most credited artists on the Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA).
His song is in outer space RM became the first and only Korean soloist to have his music played in space when three of his songs—his solo single "Moonchild" and the BTS group songs "Mikrokosmos" and "134340"—were featured in NASA's playlist for the "A Journey Through the Stars" project.
![His parents initially opposed his music career Namjoon's parents initially didn’t allow him to pursue a career in music, even though he was an exceptional student with an IQ of 148 and placed in the top 1% of the country's university entrance exams. But when he asked his mother if she "wanted to have a son who was a first-place rapper, or a 5,000th-place student," he managed to persuade her.](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2025/09/20250912052022_namjoon-four.jpg "His parents initially opposed his music career Namjoon's parents initially didn’t allow him to pursue a career in music, even though he was an exceptional student with an IQ of 148 and placed in the top 1% of the country's university entrance exams. But when he asked his mother if she "wanted to have a son who was a first-place rapper, or a 5,000th-place student," he managed to persuade her.")
![Learned English by watching "Friends." BTS' global communication greatly benefits from RM's fluency in English. He repeatedly watched the well-known American sitcom ‘Friends’ with Korean subtitles, followed by English subtitles, and finally without any at all in order to learn the language.](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2025/09/20250912052019_namjoon-five.jpg "Learned English by watching "Friends." BTS' global communication greatly benefits from RM's fluency in English. He repeatedly watched the well-known American sitcom ‘Friends’ with Korean subtitles, followed by English subtitles, and finally without any at all in order to learn the language.")
![He is nicknamed the "God of Destruction." Because of his clumsy nature, fans and his fellow members gave him this nickname. He frequently breaks things, including doors, sunglasses, and chopsticks. He also has a reputation for losing his AirPods a lot. At one point, he admitted losing more than thirty pairs.](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2025/09/20250912052015_namjoon-six.jpg "He is nicknamed the "God of Destruction." Because of his clumsy nature, fans and his fellow members gave him this nickname. He frequently breaks things, including doors, sunglasses, and chopsticks. He also has a reputation for losing his AirPods a lot. At one point, he admitted losing more than thirty pairs.")
![He is a creative songwriter The amount of songwriting and composition credits that RM has is amazing. As the songwriter for numerous BTS hits, such as "Spring Day," "Fake Love," and "Dynamite," he is among the most credited artists on the Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA).](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2025/09/20250912052003_namjoon-nine.jpg "He is a creative songwriter The amount of songwriting and composition credits that RM has is amazing. As the songwriter for numerous BTS hits, such as "Spring Day," "Fake Love," and "Dynamite," he is among the most credited artists on the Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA).")
![His song is in outer space RM became the first and only Korean soloist to have his music played in space when three of his songs—his solo single "Moonchild" and the BTS group songs "Mikrokosmos" and "134340"—were featured in NASA's playlist for the "A Journey Through the Stars" project.](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2025/09/20250912052041_namjoon-one.jpg "His song is in outer space RM became the first and only Korean soloist to have his music played in space when three of his songs—his solo single "Moonchild" and the BTS group songs "Mikrokosmos" and "134340"—were featured in NASA's playlist for the "A Journey Through the Stars" project.")
