“Everyone was crying” — Team RM reveals BTS’ Namjoon wrote personal letters to each one of them on the day of his enlistment

RM: Right People, Wrong Place co-director Subin Im recently shared that BTS leader RM (Kim Namjoon) penned deeply personal letters to each member of the documentary team on the day of his military enlistment.

The emotional moment, as described in a recent Weverse Magazine interview published on December 16, 2024, underscored RM's appreciation and respect for the team. Subin Im described the touching moment, saying,

"We even filmed interviews with Team RM on the day Namjoon enlisted. Namjoon had written something to each of them personally, and while they started by saying, “Okay, nobody force out any tears,” everyone was crying as soon as they read them."

Subin Im’s revelation about RM’s gesture of writing personal letters reflected the bond he built with the team throughout the documentary's creation. Co-director Subin Im continued:

"That emotional rawness carried over into the interviews, which made their unwavering sincerity about Namjoon that much more palpable."

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Director Lee Seokjun talks about Namjoon being "an incredibly brave person" despite his stardom

The documentary, which explored RM's reflections on art, identity, and life, premiered at the 29th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in October 2024. Its selection for the “Open Cinema” category marked a significant milestone, as it was one of the first K-pop artist-centered documentaries to receive such recognition.

Following its debut, the film garnered widespread acclaim. It was later released globally in theaters in December 2024, connecting fans worldwide to RM’s journey as both an artist and an individual navigating complex emotions and self-discovery.

In the latest Weverse magazine interview, published on December 16, 2024, director Lee Seokjun delved deeper into the BTS leader's "brave" personality. He recalled how RM would express and introduce himself with utmost "sincerity" despite being globally famous and well-acclaimed.

"I think he’s an incredibly brave person. Namjoon’s image is all over the media, and there’s a lot of times where he has to meet people who know that whole side of him, or believe they know exactly who he is, but the way he keeps on revealing who he is with so much sincerity takes a lot of courage, I think. He’s extraordinary, but he’s also an ordinary person at the same time," he said.

The director further explained why he chose to use disparate sequences, such as RM's BTS 10th-anniversary FESTA event and his guest appearance at BTS Suga's solo D-DAY world tour performance, in the documentary film.

Lee Seokjun elaborated that the documentary began without delving too far into the BTS leader's persona.

"The reason for that is that the documentary isn’t focused solely on the making of the album but on the emotional journey Namjoon underwent throughout that period. It starts without diving especially deeply into his character, so it was absolutely critical that we show who he is when he’s performing as a member of BTS.

"I figured that, the more contrast we set up between RM and Namjoon as individuals, the more attention the whole process of him trying to find himself through RPWP would receive," Director Lee Seokjun said.

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More about RM: Right People, Wrong Place

The release of RM: Right People, Wrong Place coincided with the unveiling of RM’s highly anticipated second solo album, Right Place, Wrong Person, in May 2024. Like the documentary, the album reflected RM's signature artistry and candid introspection.

Collaborations with artists such as SAN YAWN from Balming Tiger, Mokyo, and Little Simz added unique layers to the project, showcasing RM’s commitment to pushing creative boundaries.

The making of the album and documentary spanned an eight-month period, during which RM worked closely with his production team. The film captures behind-the-scenes moments, candid conversations, and RM’s interactions with fellow artists, offering an intimate portrait of his creative process.

The global reception of RM: Right People, Wrong Place has been overwhelmingly positive. Fans and critics alike have praised the film’s artistic depth and Namjoon’s vulnerability. It was theatrically released in over 100 countries.

'RM: Right Place, Wrong Person’ documentary team photo with the BTS leader. (Image via Instagram/@rkive)

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In other news, Namjoon enlisted in the South Korean military in December 2023 and will return to the music industry in June 2025.