BTS member RM / Captured from RM’s social media
BTS leader RM has revealed a surprisingly personal milestone: getting a driver’s license at age 31 — not to buy a car, but to confront what he openly called a long-held trauma.
On Tuesday, RM shared a series of photos on social media alongside the caption “Jogogakha,” a Buddhist phrase meaning “look at your own feet,” often interpreted as a reminder to seek truth and realization within oneself rather than externally. The phrase immediately sparked discussion among fans, given its introspective tone and the images that followed.
One photo shows RM seated inside a car, head slightly bowed as he takes a quiet selfie. Another image showed that he has officially obtained a standard Class 2 driver’s license in Korea.
The timing of the post was no coincidence. Earlier that day, BTS appeared together for a full-group live broadcast on the fan platform Weverse, marking a rare moment of casual interaction among the members. During the livestream, RM surprised fans by casually announcing, “Everyone, I, Kim Nam-joon, got my driver’s license.”
J-Hope quickly teased him, saying there had been rumors that RM failed the test once. RM laughed and confirmed it. “I crossed the center line while making a U-turn. The paint was faded,” he said. He added that he had to take the road test twice. “I can drive, but I can’t park. I need more practice.”
What resonated most with fans, however, was RM’s explanation for why he pursued the license in the first place. “I don’t plan on buying my own car,” he said. “I just wanted to try it. I wanted to overcome my trauma.”
Meanwhile, BTS is preparing for a long-awaited full-group comeback scheduled for March, following the members’ staggered completion of mandatory military service.
This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.