For millions of fans, Jeon Jung Kook is the voice behind some of BTS' biggest songs, the youngest member of the group, and an artist who eventually built a successful solo career. But behind the stages, records and "Golden Maknae" nickname is a person who spent most of his youth growing up in front of the world.
His journey from a teenager in Busan to an internationally recognized artist is also a story about discovering his interests, building confidence and finding his identity beyond BTS.
Born on September 1, 1997, in Busan, South Korea, Jung Kook did not begin with a perfectly clear plan to become a singer. As a child, he explored different interests, including sports, before music gradually became part of his future. His path changed after he auditioned for the Korean singing competition Superstar K. Although he did not advance, several entertainment companies became interested in him.
He eventually chose Big Hit Entertainment after becoming impressed by RM, who was already training there. At only 14 years old, Jung Kook moved to Seoul and began life as a trainee, leaving his hometown and entering an environment that would shape much of his teenage years.
Jung Kook debuted with BTS on June 13, 2013, at just 15 years old. Being the youngest member meant that he was surrounded by six older members who watched him grow from a teenager into an adult. Unlike many people who experience their adolescence away from public attention, Jung Kook spent his teenage years rehearsing, recording, traveling and performing for increasingly larger audiences.
His relationship with the BTS members therefore became an important part of his personal development. He has reflected that without their influence and presence, he might have grown into a very different person.
His personality away from the stage is also more complicated than the image of the endlessly talented "Golden Maknae" suggests. Jung Kook has described himself as someone who can be lazy, who sometimes overthinks and who does not always feel motivated to do things. At the same time, when something genuinely interests him, he becomes deeply invested in learning it. He has explored painting through online tutorials, practiced bowling, trained in boxing and regularly worked on his physical fitness. Gaming, cooking and spending time with his dog Bam have also become parts of the more ordinary side of his life. These interests reveal someone who enjoys learning through experience rather than simply expecting himself to be good at something immediately.
There is also a competitive side to Jung Kook, although much of it appears to be directed toward himself. He has consistently talked about improving his singing, dancing, English and physical abilities. Even after becoming an established performer, he has continued to evaluate his own work and look for ways to improve. That self critical nature may partly explain why he continues experimenting with different skills instead of becoming comfortable with the abilities he already possesses.
His personality has changed considerably with age. The Jung Kook who debuted as a teenager was younger and less experienced, while the older Jung Kook has described himself as becoming calmer and more rational. Years of traveling, performing and interacting with people from different cultures have contributed to a broader perspective. At the same time, he has maintained a playful and spontaneous side that fans often see during his livestreams, where he appears much more relaxed than the polished performer seen on stage.
Music became another way for Jung Kook to understand and express himself. His first solo track within BTS, "Begin," was released in 2016 and reflected his gratitude toward the members who had influenced his life. "Euphoria" followed in 2018, while "My Time" in 2020 explored the unusual experience of growing up while already living under enormous public attention. These songs gradually gave listeners a more personal glimpse of Jung Kook beyond his role within BTS.
His individual career expanded further in 2022 through projects such as "Stay Alive," his collaboration with Charlie Puth on "Left and Right," and "Dreamers," which he performed at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. However, 2023 became the defining year of his solo career. He released "Seven" featuring Latto, followed by "3D" featuring Jack Harlow, before releasing his first solo album, GOLDEN, in November.
The album presented a more mature Jung Kook, exploring themes of attraction, relationships, longing and heartbreak. It also demonstrated that he could establish his own identity as a global pop artist while carrying the experience he gained through BTS.
Despite his success, Jung Kook has often appeared interested in maintaining a sense of normalcy. He has spoken about wanting people to see him not only as Jung Kook of BTS, but also as Jeon Jung Kook, the person behind the performer. That distinction is important because his life has been defined by a career that began when he was barely a teenager. Much of what audiences know about him has been shaped by cameras, stages and public appearances, while his quieter interests and habits reveal someone who still enjoys ordinary experiences and continues to discover himself.
His military service, which began in December 2023 alongside Jimin, temporarily placed his solo career on hold. After completing his service in June 2025, he returned to a different stage of his life and career. By 2026, Jung Kook had reunited with the other BTS members as the group entered a new chapter following their military hiatus.
More than a decade after his debut, Jung Kook's story is no longer simply about being BTS' youngest member. It is about a boy from Busan who entered the entertainment industry at an age when most teenagers are still deciding what they want to become. He grew up alongside six members who became an important part of his life, developed interests far beyond music, learned to navigate the pressure of growing up publicly and eventually discovered his own voice as a solo artist.
The "Golden Maknae" may be the Jung Kook the world first came to know, but Jeon Jung Kook is much more than the nickname. He is an artist who continues to learn, a person who can be both ambitious and laid back, and someone whose greatest evolution may not simply be measured by the records he has broken, but by the person he has become along the way.
For Filipino ARMY, Jungkook’s journey is only one part of a much bigger story. After years of individual growth, solo projects and military service, BTS is entering a new chapter together, bringing all seven members back to the stage.
That reunion will also bring BTS back to the Philippines in 2027, giving Filipino fans another opportunity to see the group that has been part of their lives for more than a decade. For many fans, their return is not simply about another concert. It is a chance to see how much the seven members have grown since their last Philippine performance and to celebrate the journey they have shared with millions of people around the world.
For Jung Kook, it is another chapter in a story that began when he was still a teenager. From the youngest member of BTS to a successful solo artist, he has spent more than a decade growing up in front of the world. Now, as BTS prepares to reunite, Filipino ARMY will once again get to witness Jung Kook not just as the “Golden Maknae,” but as the artist and person he has become.
Photo: Rolling Stone Korea
