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

The present is the most important. There are times when I am submerged in the past, but I usually think more about how happy I am currently and how I should act right now, so I think I put the present as the most important. As for the future, my future self will deal with it. 

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

I live with the past soaking me but I don’t tend to remember much about the hardships that I’ve gone through. I always only have good memories about the past remaining in my head. While reminiscing the good memories, I live thinking “ah, it was good back then’. I probably will always continue to live like this even in the future. So for me, the past is ‘moments that I always miss, moments that are only filled with good moments’. 

What is your first ever memory?

It was about when I was two or three, I was playing with a wireless racing car and the antenna that was on it got stuck in my eyes. So my mom saw the antenna that was hanging from my eyes, got surprised and was trying to take me to the hospital. At that time, my mom said “what do we do!” That is my first ever memory. 

There is also another interesting memory. It was when I was five. At that time, the apartment that I lived in had pink flowers that I could suck on and would taste like honey. The flower was so pretty, I said “Oh, a flower, pretty.” while walking, and a giant bumble bee flew towards me, who was very small at that time. I have a memory of running to kindergarten to get away from that bee. It was scary but the surroundings were very beautiful. 

What is your first meaningful place/space?

When I was fifteen, we lived in a two-story house. In the second floor living room there were two computers placed side by side. The left computer was my older brother’s, the right computer was mine. I used the computer often there. So that space is the most memorable place. So it’s meaningful. On Saturday, the sunray came in while I was playing a game secretly from my parents and I liked it the most when I was playing a game while feeling the sunray hit me. 

When was the “Moment of Proof”?

When I got accepted to college. Before that I was just a student who wasn’t that good at his studies, just an average student, but just with huge luck, I got accepted to college. It was the first time I got recognized by not just my family but also by people around me. 

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

I am not sure if it’s because I don’t really think deeply, I don’t have anything like that. I am the type of person who just does things right away if I feel like I want to do something. For example, if I want to do boxing, I don’t go to the gym in person to spar, but I’ll lightly toss my fist (around). If something pops up in my head, I will immediately ‘touch’ it, but don’t fall deeply into it. So I don’t really have thoughts of proving something to myself. 

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

Twenty seven, eight. Around that point, friends around the similar age range as me also don’t seem to count their age. So when someone asks my age, I don’t say how old I am, I just answer that I was born in 92. There is also the reason that I can’t remember my age well.  

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

Up until 2-3 years ago, Jin of BTS and Kim Seokjin were separate. But from when I got in my thirties, I’m not sure if it’s because the activity period was long but Jin and Kim Seokjin merged. So Kim Seokjin, the individual, faded for quite a long time and became clear again when he merged with Jin. 

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

I think it is about 95% similar. It would be different based on who it would be. To those who can accept me / get along when I act the same, I will be seen as similar. To people who can’t go along with it/ can’t accept it well, it will look different. But even with that, I think myself and myself in real life are almost the same.

When do you find yourself as “yourself” the most?

When I talk about really unnecessary trivial things, the situation when someone would go along with that talk, I find myself as myself the most.

What is “you yourself as it is” like?

Person who is always mischievous, does not really like serious stuff, and talks a lot of trivial things. I think I am the type of person who lives towards a direction where I can personally be happy rather than living with deep thoughts and debates.

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

It’s very different. The ‘Me’ in the past was always very pessimistic. I was busy thinking about unfortunate / unhappy things. The current ‘Me’ lives without those thoughts. Even if there is not a very good thing happening I would just think ‘It can happen’ and don’t really think much about it. The irony is, even if I am happy I don’t think happiness lasts that long. Even if there is a good thing, rather than being really happy about it, I also pass it as not a very big deal. Because, I believe that another moment of happiness will come again next time. My personality itself changed.

Is there something you put effort into, to make yourself more clear?

I don’t necessarily put my effort into it but, l think just living like this itself is making my life more clear. I think if I were to live more seriously and oppressively, my colors would be blurred. 

Is there something that doesn’t change?

My handsome face? Being such a consistent person as always also doesn’t change. (laughs)

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

I would say, myself? For me, my personality changes a lot depending on who’s dealing with me. If someone accepts my pointless talk, I continue the conversation. I would also have serious talks to match with the other person as well. So I think it would be hard for someone else to say exactly what type of person I am. 

Looking back, what was the darkest moment for you?

It was around the “Fake Love” era. I think it was a timing where the members were all a little bit exhausted. The schedules were tight, and with many different reasons. I think we were lacking the time to rest and think. But, there were times when we were able to sometimes get some rest time and those days seemed like light to me. 

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

Myself in the past would be doing well on their own. So I see the necessity to send him something. But, if I were to write something, I think I would write, “enjoy the present, enjoy the situation.”

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

I consider the moment I sit in front of the computer after I get off work, is my time, but because the time of getting off work is different every time, I can’t specify.

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

Of course, the fans are people who are very necessary and precious to me, so I will not mention them specifically in detail. Next, would be my computer and phone. Without it my life won’t function well. So, I will pick my computer and my phone.   

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

30km? For a moving car, it’s a pretty slow speed. I think currently I am going at a speed where I can look around at everything relaxed. The actual speed, I think, is going fast at 80-100km but, it’s most likely because of my personality I am not accepting it as that big. So, there is a difference in the speed that I feel.

Do you have a belief that you uphold firmly?

‘Let’s live lightly. That’s how you will feel happy in the present’  

If there is something you are focusing on these days, what would you say it is?

There isn’t anything that I am able to say I am focusing on. But, there is a lot that I’ve been ‘touching’. I’ve touched tennis, been touching piano once in a while, I’ve touched a little bit of getting to work by bicycle, and touched little bits and bits of working on songs. I tend to just move into action when there is something in my head that pops up that I feel like I want to do.

Is there a thought you always think about before going to sleep everyday?

During the days I rest, I think “ah, I lived a very peaceful day today as well.” Then I fall asleep with a very proud heart. It would mean that I have given myself a real rest that day. Every person’s standard of actual full rest is different. It will depend on what you are satisfied with. For me, real full rest is spending my time meaninglessly and calmly. That is when I feel proud.

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

I don’t think there is one. I don’t tend to have many dreams and even if I do have one, I forget everything. Ah! These days I have a dream about sleeping when I am sleeping. If I am sleeping on the bed, I dream about sleeping on the bed, if I am sleeping in the car, I have a dream about sleeping in the car.

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

A warm forest where a sunray comes in and there are no bugs. A forest where I can sleep on grass, I think a forest like that would be good.

Which color do you think best describes you?

I think pink. In the past I did have moments when I thought the color was burdening. But seeing fans liking moments where I looked good in outfits, music videos, or places that had pink in, I started liking it too. It is a color that I personally slowly liked because fans liked it. 

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

It would be a comforting scent. I do think that my personality is shown as a person who is not very picky and so I’m portrayed to others as a comfortable image. So a scent where many people can feel comfort.

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

I think I’ve reached about 80%. I think that in my lifetime I won’t have such a spectacular time again than what I am currently living in right now. I feel that the time I am able to enjoy the enormous honor as BTS is right now. Few years back I also thought that it was right that moment, 2 years ago I also thought that it was right that moment so it has been constantly ‘right this moment’. I think the ‘right now’ is continuing. 

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

Guess there will be another new life/third life? My first life was when I was a student, my second life is life as BTS. So I think after that, there will be another new road as BTS and as Kim Seokjin. I like things laid back. So perhaps I would be living my life like that, enjoying and being lazy. But I think I would still be working. If I don’t work, it’s boring and would feel insecure.

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

1-2 years ago I was. I no longer think negative thoughts, that is the biggest change in my lifetime. I didn’t necessarily have a moment/motivation. I just naturally changed as time passed.

Do you believe there is a predestined fate?

Yes, I believe there is. But, I also think that even that fate can change little by little; depending on how you act, how hard you put effort, and what kind of choices you make.

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

I would like “Spring Day”. There is this image of cherry blossom flowers fluttering down that this song gives. If I were to put this song in, it can bring up the image of that and I think the message of “I lived a very good life, it was a touching life. Lived a life like a movie.” can be expressed well through it.

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

I would say, the album that had “Spring Day”, <YOU NEVER WALK ALONE>. I really think that it is really hard for songs like “Spring Day” to come out. No matter how good a song is, if time passes you tend to forget, but the songs in this album, I feel that it’s good every time I hear it. So, I personally think it’s an album that has a meaning to me.

MOON

What does this song mean to you?

For a while, for my solo songs I did songs that were serious and heavy. So I wanted to give an image change since I thought people thought I only did songs that were heavy. It’s a song I worked hard making because I wanted to do a song that was bright. I feel more special about it as the lyrics were also well written while thinking about the fans and me. 

How did you feel when you first heard this song?

Usually I have the same feeling when I receive my solo songs, and this song I also thought ‘it’s good’. I like it because it’s bright!

Back then and now, did your impression about the song change?

When I first heard it, my heart beat hard but I’m not sure if it’s because I heard it too much so the beating is not as hard now. (laugh) But the image I feel about it is still similar. At first when I just heard the melody, it gave me a ‘green green’ bright feeling, and now after the lyrics got added those images got darker and the image of moonlight shining in between the scenery pops up into my head. Walking down those roads and I see the bright green trees again and see myself who is walking on that road. I am liberal arts major. (laugh)

In the lyrics ‘Moon’ has an image of shining alone but hiding its scars, ‘Earth’ has an image of one that in many ways accepts everything, having two opposite images, which one ‘Moon’ or ‘Earth’ do you see yourself more closer to?

Moon. Mood is very beautiful when you look from afar but if you see it through an astronomical telescope you are able to see the scars on the back of the moon. I also want to only show beautiful sides to people, like the Moon’s front view. I want to hide the other side. So I think I am closer to ‘Moon’. ‘Earth’ is pretty when you look from afar and when you look up close as well. I want to shine moonlight when the Earth is dark.

When was the moment you shine the brightest?

The moment when many people are watching me. So, I think I would say concert. That moment, I believe I am already experiencing it, many multiple times.

Are you more of a type that takes care of others or someone who gets taken care of?

I am neither. I am a type that says I do my part myself and you do your part on your own. So, getting taken care of by someone is a little uncomfortable for me. I feel that I am more comfortable with doing things myself whatever it is. I’m the type that is most comfortable taking care of my own self. 

To people around you, which one do you think you are, more of  ‘a person who can talk about dreams’ or ‘a person I can share my thoughts and concerns’? 

I think ‘a person who can talk about dreams’. Someone who can talk about dreams can talk about nonsense continuously. You can go to the end of the world with just talks like that. (laugh) But if you were to share real life concerns, we will have to talk about serious things, and the atmosphere gets heavy. So, I don’t tend to have those types of conversations. 

Jamais Vu

What does this song mean to you?

I did perform this song once through an online concert but it’s a song that was a little bit of a shame that I got to only show the performance once. When I was preparing for this performance, j-hope, Jungkook, and I talked about some trivial things in the interview. Saying while doing the choreograph, what if the stage goes up to the sky while the beanstalk from <Jack and the Giant Beanstalk> goes up to the sky and as I fall from it I do an adlib. (Laugh)

Recently did you have an experience where something that you are used to felt very unfamiliar?

I didn’t have experience where something familiar felt unfamiliar but I did have experience where unfamiliar things felt familiar. Like people who I wasn’t comfortable with now feel comfortable. For example, people like Bang Sihyuk PD and the board members, when I approach them familiarly, I do think, ‘was our relationship like this, they were difficult (to approach) before.’ 

While being BTS, were there a moment where you felt something was unfamiliar/strange?

I didn’t have any because BTS is just my life. If anything, if I quit BTS that would be the most unfamiliar/strange feeling for me. 

Did you have experience having trial and error?

There are things that I would know myself, “this is definitely something I shouldn’t do”, For example, I have thoughts like “If I eat this I would gain weight” But can’t help it. Are there specific solutions to that? You just live eating what you want and do things that you want to do.  

If you were a character in a game, what would your level be?

I would be a pro. I would have probably hit “max” level. So I would try when there is new content in the game, find events that are hidden in little corners of the game, or be helping out a newbie.

Between ‘someone who you can share happiness’ and ‘someone who you can share your loneliness/sadness’ which do you like more?

A ‘person you can share happiness’. When you share happiness it’s good. It’s good to have conversations like, “You were able to achieve that? That’s amazing” You can also turn sadness/loneliness to happiness! If you were to give a game as an example, if someone’s item broke, not my own, I can laugh and say “I am feeling so happy because your item exploded(broke)”. Then you can share anything as happiness.

What does the album <Proof> mean to BTS?

I think that <YOU NEVER WALK ALONE> album was the first wrap out of many stages that we took to mature. With that, I think <Proof> album is an album that we could comprehensively wrap up all the growth stages that we were lacking. As we include various messages, unreleased songs that we like, after many considerations. Now I think we can move on to the next.