“I kind of shut myself off”: BTS’ RM opens up about difficulties on making new friends after tasting success

BTS’ RM has never shied away from letting fans into some of the most profound thoughts about the harsh realities of being part of a cultural phenomenon.

In BTS’ Proof Collector’s Edition, the septet’s leader shared an experience that changed drastically for him ever since he became famous. The experience was about making friends, which came to him easily before. However, it became more difficult with each passing growth.

RM, aka Kim Nam-joon, opened up about how it was tough to create “equal” friendships once he became popular. Since the competition was tough, there were certain stereotypes. He also dwelled on the possibility of disparity in knowledge. As per Koreaboo's translations:

“Once I became RM, I became well-known to everyone. So there may be biases, and there may be differences in the amount of information we have about one another. Hence, it’s difficult to establish relationships that are equal.”

Due to these factors, the BTS leader added that he missed the past. He shared that he could make friendships with the “purest of intentions” because he was not the RM he is today:

“And after having experienced some of that, I kind of shut myself off. I guess that’s why I miss the times when people didn’t really know me—for the relationships that I used to be able to have, with the purest of intentions.”

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BTS’ RM wistfully talks about how easy it was to befriend people in the past

BTS Proof Collector’s Edition is a treasure trove of never-heard-before personal and professional stories. While each member’s interview gave fans a deeper insight into the septet’s versatile personality, BTS’ RM showed fans another raw glimpse of an idol’s life.

Given BTS and RM's presence in contemporary times, it's difficult for people to be unaware of them. The same success that made it difficult for the 28-year-old leader to befriend people as effortlessly as he could in the past. The moonchild singer talked about the ease with which he could be friends, saying:

“The friends I could make by saying, ‘I know you. You’re so-and-so from so-and-so.’ When I was young, I used to be able to create new, fair friendships just like that. And that’s how I made friends at the playground before school.”

He further added:

“We’d cockfight and climb the jungle gym. Even when I started school, I made friends the same way. I’d go up and say, ‘Hey. I’m so-and-so from the classroom next door. I’ve heard a lot about you.’ And soon, my friends’ friends would become my friends and whatnot."

However, BTS’ RM shared that he missed the time when making friends was easy for him. He mentioned that he shut himself off from opening up to other people. While he could have made friends with “the purest of intentions” before, it was not the same case after being a two-time Grammy-nominated K-pop singer.

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In other news, BTS’ RM gave fans a new taste of his solo music by featuring in hip-hop band Balming Tiger's song SEXY NUKIM.