Between the past, present, and future, which one do you think of as most important?

In the past, I thought the future was more important because I knew exactly what I was dreaming about. More than thinking about what kind of situation I was in right now, I thought more about what I should do to look even better in the future. But now I think ‘present’ is more important. I don’t think that the past of me is that important either.

The word “past” what does it mean to you?

I think it’s something that can hold/support my present self. 

What is your first ever memory?

This is a memory that grazed my mind one day. I think I was around two years old, I slightly remembered my father putting me on top of a green table and taking a picture. So I asked my mother if it was right, and my mother showed me the picture and asked me how I was remembering it. I think that would be my first ever memory.

Another strong memory is, I moved when I was five and at that time I was holding a rice cooker. My job was to hold the rice cooker. At that time I was very excited but it was later on when I found out that we had to move because our family situation wasn’t good. My younger self was just excited holding the rice cooker by himself.

Is there something you miss from life when you were young?

When we shot the music video for ‘Permission to Dance’, we shot it with little kids. During that time, I just said ‘I’m tired’ and the little kids hugged me. That moment, I thought that I would have had times when I was like this too. I miss the untainted pure innocence, beauty, and such. 

What is your first meaningful place/space?

Practice room. There was a practice room that I used to dance in when I was in middle school. Coming up to high school, I had the dance room, during when I was a trainee, I had the practice room that many of our fans know. Because the practice room is the place I first started my dream, the practice room, the start of it, pops into my head first. 

When was the “Moment of Proof”?

When I got confirmed as being a member of this team. I think that was luck. So proving that I have the qualification as a member of this team is an important task of proof. 

If I can prove it, I think that moment would be ‘Moment of Proof’ but I still need to go through it so I am not sure when that moment will come.

Not to the world but is there something you want to prove to yourself?

I ask myself a lot, ‘Could I be more cool/awesome?’ For me, that is a very important part. Can I be better, do better, become more cool. I want to be confident in myself with the answers to those questions. 

In your mind, how old do you put yourself as?

I think I’ve been remaining as a 19 year old. I wasn’t able to attend my high school graduation nor was I able to experience college life properly. So I think I feel like I’m just remaining at that age. It still hasn’t sunk in yet that I have become an adult. 

While living as BTS, do you think there was a change that made Park Jimin, as an individual, more clear or blurred?

I think it’s been blurred out for quite a long time but I think recently it has been becoming more clear. If I were to blatantly say it, I think even parts that I have trouble understanding myself are becoming more clear. 

Looking back, what was the darkest moment for you?

There were too many moments that it’s hard to choose just one. There is a saying that goes ‘The answer is within you’ and I believe in that. Looking back, in the end, I think I overcame those literal dark moments. Only you yourself knows why you are having a hard time and the problem is, it’s hard to recognize the issue. No matter who you ask around you, they won’t be able to give you an answer because the answer is within you. Of course until I was able to find the answer that was within me, people around me were with me by my side. I was able to find the way to the answer in me by talking with others. 

If you were to write a letter to yourself in the past, what would you want to write?

“Work harder. You are not working hard. Just know that.” People tell me that I am a hard working person but I am not too sure. Personally I have many points that are a little disappointing. So I think that ‘I am still just not enough’

During the day, what time do you think it’s your time for yourself?

I think it is early morning time. I sleep really late. These days I sleep at 9 in the morning. It’s not that I can’t sleep. When I do fall asleep, I usually sleep for a long time but I have schedules and such that I end up sleeping late. The reason why I like the morning hours is because of their calm silence. I like spending time of my own in the silence when everyone is sleeping, so I feel like that time is a time of my own.

How similar is your usual self in your daily life compared to as the BTS member (you are) shown to the world?

I would say I’m about 85% similar. I don’t think that it’s bad at all that there are differences. It’s not wrong either. In fact, I think that it’s the right thing to be like that and also feel that it’s better. But I’m also not very good at showing the different side of me too. More than saying the remaining 15% is ‘different’ I would say ‘I haven’t shown it yet’ is more correct. But that 15%, I also think it’s a side that I am not able to show.

What is “you yourself as it is” like?

Just ordinary. It’s really just ordinary. 

Is the current ‘Me’ and the past ‘Me’ different?

My personality changed. I was introverted but I changed to a little extroverted. My MBTI also happened to change from ENFJ to ESTJ. I think I naturally just changed as the job we have involves being active. If I hear others talk too, it seems like there are a lot of people whose personalities changed as they worked. I think I’m the same.

What are things that changed and things that haven’t changed as time went by?

I think everything besides the feeling that I have for this job changed. Whether it’s the situation or what. About changes, I honestly feel half positive and half negative. It has always been half and half and it is still the same. 

Do you have a belief that you uphold firmly?

“Express your feelings” I think I do anything that can express my feelings. I think I have been keeping that well. 

Who would be the person that would be able to talk about you well the most?

Members. Members are people who know about things that I can’t even talk to my family about.

What do you like to be called the most?

I like it the most when I am called by my name. I never particularly like, liked my name, but I think they have given me a good name that people can easily remember. 

If there is something in life that is an indispensable existence, what would it be?

Cell phone. Going through the pandemic, I realized once more how important cell phones are. It was the only medium to communicate with other people. If it wasn’t for cell phone it would have been hard to talk to people. It was my only thing that became my friend during the hard times in the pandemic. 

Is there something you have been constantly telling yourself recently?

I legit say “what should I eat” a lot. I believe that that question belongs to one of the 3 conundrums of the world. In the past I didn’t ask these kinds of questions. It was questions like “Am I ok these days?”  These days I don’t really get interested in other people that much. I focus on what I should eat. I think it might be because I can afford more room for myself. 

How fast in km do you think you are going right now?

A light, not tiring running speed for an average adult male? About 17km I’d say? I think I am running where I am not being dragged or pushed. Running while I slowly adjust my own speed. 

Out of the dreams you had recently, are there any that are memorable?

In the dream, I was with my friends in my room. Time was before the sun went down, there was sunset. The orange light came into my room, some of my friends were lying down, others were sitting down having a conversation. Was comfortably having a conversation. In my dream I didn’t think it was a dream. It was that comfortable which made it a very interesting dream. It ended without much going on. It was just a normal daily life dream that had nothing special, but in fact, that is why I liked it more.

Is there a dream that you do not want to wake up from?

Dream about flying in the sky. I fly very often in my dream. I feel really happy.  I wish all people could see this dream together. It feels very free. Also when I dream about flying I’m inside a beautiful scenery. A scenery that you cannot see in real life, something that just doesn’t make sense. Feel kind of like I have become Iron Man?

Are there any characters from a movie or a drama that you would like to resemble?

Iron Man. The person, how should I put it, he’s very tough. He’s also cool and awesome. There is no way even if my personality changes I would have a personality like that. No matter how extroverted I become, there still will be some introverted side of me that is left. I would like to try being a person like that once because I won’t be able to become someone like that. I envy people like Iron Man.

If you could leave to go somewhere right now, where would it be?

Any place where I could see the ocean. It could be Jeju Island or even abroad. It would be nice if for a few days I can just sit at a place where I can see the ocean.

If you were to look at life as one road, how far do you think you came now?

I think I am in a place that I don’t know at all. It’s not that I lost my way. I don’t have a forked road in my path. Though I have few obstacles…

If there is a door at the end of this road that you are passing, what do you think is behind the door?

I never thought that there would be something at the end of the road. But if there is, I hope people who I like are there. 

Do you think you are currently standing in a crossroad of change?

Yes, so it’s interesting. I wasn’t really particularly interested in things like MBTI. But doing it made me realize that my personality did change a lot. There are many times where I answer the same questions differently. So I think to myself ‘I am getting older.’, ‘I am becoming more of a realistic person.’

Do you believe there is a predestined fate?

I am the type that believes choices are made by myself. So I don’t really like things like destiny. If there is fate I think I would think “Then why am I doing all this.” 

If you were to make a documentary about yourself, which song do you want to put on ending credit?

Bruno Major’s ‘Nothing’. I think the mood of the song goes well with me very well.

Which color do you think best describes you?

Sky Blue. When I was young, my mother used to tell me while she was putting clothes on me that I matched sky blue well. So it’s a color I like. Sky blue is also a color that feels peaceful. 

If you were to put yourself as a scent, which scent would it be?

I would like a light scent. Rather than an artificial scent, I think a simple and light scent would suit me well.

Personally, what is the most meaningful album out of the whole BTS discography? 

I would say <The Most Beautiful Moment in Life> Series. That was the time where members all had the most thoughts. Personally, moving on to my twenties, I started feeling insecurities for unknown reasons, and it’s an album that went with me from the start of those feelings to a point where I was able to organize my thoughts. I cried the most and I laughed the most.

Through the <Proof> album, what message do you want to deliver?

For the last few years I believe that there were many messages that we screamed out, and that our fans screamed out. But there were almost no moments where we were able to talk. So through  this album I hope we can have more deep conversations. Rather than us delivering a story one sided. I hope we share stories together. 

FILTER

What does this song mean to you?

I believe it’s a song that best expresses myself. Even if the situation changed and my personality changed, the feeling of wanting to show this side of me to others didn’t change. I put a lot of those feelings into it. 

If you look back in time what type of filter do you think is overlaid on your memories?

Filter of film camera. Feels like a camcorder filter is also on it. Probably because it’s a memory. 

There is a lyric ‘mix the colors in the palette’. Which color do you think yourself is right now?

Whatever color it is, I feel like it would be watery. Light color. If I put it this way I am worried people might think depressingly but it’s not that. I feel that it used to be a more contrasted color. Now it should get brighter again. I should put on colors. Adding more painting to it! Been thinking that I should put more passion these days. 

Are there filters of your own that you have not been able to show yet?

Yes. There are a lot. If I were to say the filters that I have shown so far as colors, I think there was only red, blue, and yellow. I think I’ve shown about half of it. There is still way more left to show you. 

The moment you are fully immersed on stage, how do you feel?

I feel like I’m in a trance. As if I came to a completely different world? I think it’s because I’ve become fully immersed in it. When that happens, nothing else comes into my mind. Since I was young,  I’ve stood on stage because I liked that feeling. I still do. 

If you had ‘Genie’s Lamp’ and you were about to make three wishes, what kind of wish would you make?

First, please grant me a hundred more wishes. From the second wish I would ask every small thing. Small things like ‘Give me wings to fly in the sky’. ‘Please let my body be free from toxics.’ ‘Please let me not gain weight.’ ‘Please stop my age at 28.’ ‘Please give me a trial ticket for a supercar.’ For this, you can just give me a free trial ticket.(Laugh) ‘Please give me the power to heal people.’ Because health is the best. ‘Please give me the power to teleport.’ ‘Please allow me to breathe in outer space.’ ‘Please allow me to not feel heat and cold.’ ‘Please allow me to be okay from not sleeping.’ ‘Please let me sing well.’ ‘Please let me become the best dancer in the world.’ 

Friend

What does this song mean to you?

It has a big meaning as it’s my first song that I participated in producing. It is also a song that I really like.

What is a definition of soulmate to you?

There is nothing that can define it but a relationship where there is nothing you want from each other? I think that’s what a soulmate is. A relationship where you are not expecting anything from each other.

If you can just have one day with your friend that you can spend freely, how are you going to spend your time?

Wake up around 4 pm. Then eat. Walk a little outside. Then play games. Then have a drink. I often spend time with my friends like this. I can spend a whole week like that. 

Are there other memories where you felt that V was your soulmate?

There was a time when we performed at Zepp Fukuoka in Japan for a tour.

It was a venue where the capacity was about 1k seats. The hotel we stayed at back then was right next to Fukuoka Dome. I snuck out with V saying “we should go to the dome!” Like that, the two of us went out, bought a bunch of stuff from the convenience store. I think it was really good back then. I feel that because there are memories like that I like to think that he is my soulmate. 

Which are you more familiar with, taking care of others or being taken care of by others?

I am more familiar with taking care of others. I just become like that. And I tend to take care of others in detail. 

Out of all the memories you have as BTS, if you were to pick one that feels like a dream, when would that be?

I can’t pick out just one moment. In videos that the company makes or edits, there are ones where they go over BTS’ history. Every moment that would be moments in those types of videos are dream-like moments. When we debuted, when we first held our concert at Olympic Gymnastic Arena. When we went on a tour, and the trips with members that we had in between, all those moments. 

What does the album <Proof> mean to BTS?

I think it’s an opportunity to look back at the times that passed, and look forward to the bigger future of BTS. When the moment comes where fans can look at this album and have a sincere and honest talk with us, I think we will be able to feel a bigger meaning for each other.