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BTS' Kim Nam-joon, aka RM, recently spoke about the passing away of his family pet, RapMon, affectionately called Moni. On the Weverse livestream that took place on August 12, 2023, the band leader mentioned that although he had not made the news public, his beloved dog "crossed the rainbow bridge" a few months ago.
Despite not living with him, Moni has been with the Wild Flower rapper since BTS debuted. Seeing the white American Eskimo grow up alongside its namesake (RM's stage name used to be Rap Monster) has been a source of wistfulness for ARMYs. Moreover, given that BTS member V's pet has recently being featured on his solo album cover, this news of RM's loss has been heartbreaking for fans.
From 2013 to 2023: Five times BTS' Kim Nam-joon and Moni warmed ARMY's hearts
1) 2013: Nam-joon introduces the white puppy to fans on Twitter
In one of the earliest posts by the BTS leader, RM introduced fans to the newest addition to his family, a fluffy dog with brown eyes. Soon after BTS made their official debut in June, ARMY had the chance to come across photographs of RapMon or "Moni" as shared by the teenage BTS' Kim Nam-joon.
Even then, the rapper was upset because he could not meet the newest addition to his family as often as he wanted to. He showed off Moni from different angles, looking coy and adorable as only dogs can.
2) 2018: RM and Moni spend quality time together at the playground
In a series of images released during the 2018 BTS FESTA week on Twitter by BTS' Kim Nam-joon, the pet was seen with the band member. While RM was dressed in an all-denim outfit that seems to be one of his favorites, Moni wore a toothy smile and a pink harness.
The adorable pictures show just how close RapMon and RM were, despite spending a lot of time apart. No matter how much the moonchild rapper complained about how his own family dog did not pay attention to him, the affection he had for Moni (or Monie) was palpable.
3) 2020: BTS' Kim Nam-joon with Moni in a T-shirt
Dropping in some wholesome Moni content before he was set to go on the BTS Map of the Soul world tour (later canceled due to COVID-19), RM posted two pictures on Twitter with the wet-nosed canine.
Fondly referring to the dog as pabo or "fool" in Korean, the Persona rapper was seen playing with him and scratching his chin in one of the images. Despite the randomness of the post, it was delightful nonetheless.
4) 2021: Moni responsibly celebrating his birthday at home
On March 6, 2021, RM posted a photo of Moni on his Instagram story with the caption, "It's his birthday." There was a plate with treats that had a number 8 candle on it in front of the dog.
BTS' Kim Nam-joon celebrated the occasion in the midst of COVID-19 restrictions, but he ensured that RapMon received love and prayers from all around the world with his post.
5) 2022: Moni cosplaying as Lee Jung-jae's character from Squid Game
Any dog enthusiast will attest to the fact that though the animals are inherently adorable, their cuteness quotient goes up when they are dressed in impressive outfits. From striped tops, BTS' Kim Nam-joon seemed to graduate Moni to a now-recognizable green tracksuit.
The Squid Game mania reached RM, and his dog wore a green top with the numbers "456" on it, making him the protagonist of the Netflix series. Apart from the costume, it is Moni's partially-shut eyes, that seem to smile at the camera, that make this a heartwarming image.
Losing a pet who was akin to a member of the family can be really difficult. While it has been two or three months since Moni's demise, the pain does not fade away easily. Fans all over the world are also processing this loss, and like BTS' Kim Nam-joon said in his livestream, they too have faith that the much-adored RapMon is "happy as a puppy star too."
