\n\t\tven after his massive solo success and a long list of standout moments on BTS<\/a> songs, at age 28, Jeon Jung Kook<\/a> hasn\u2019t yet quite figured out who he is. \u201cI\u2019m still forming my sense of self,\u201d he says. It\u2019s hard to blame him. He\u2019s been in BTS since he was 15, which means he\u2019s spent nearly half his life as a global pop star, growing up inside the group. He acknowledges that his uncannily smooth tenor has strengthened, but he\u2019s still gaining confidence in his writing skills, though he stepped up more as a songwriter on Arirang<\/a> than he did on his own solo album. In a way, he was the first BTS fan \u2014 choosing the then-tiny BigHit Music over many other offers because RM was \u201creally, really cool and awesome\u201d \u2014\u00a0 and Jung Kook still seems awestruck at all they\u2019ve accomplished together so far.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tWhat did it mean to you to establish yourself as this solo pop star, which you did in a huge way?
Honestly, I can\u2019t really think of myself as a pop star just yet. But I\u2019m very grateful that I get asked about it that way, and that fans think of me that way. So I want to keep doing better, so that I can feel like a star for myself. Someday!<\/p>\n
\n\tWhat would it take for you to feel that way?
So, I actually know exactly what I need. I need to get better at English, at least to the point where I can make small talk or chat casually. I think that would be a breakthrough. But English is so hard!<\/p>\n
\n\tDuolingo!
From Duolingo to Malhaeboka \u2026 I think I\u2019ve tried every single English learning app out there. But the most important thing is to stick with it.<\/p>\n
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\t\tRolling Stone\u2019s May issue features the most ambitious cover-story package in the magazine\u2019s nearly 60-year history: eight different print covers in all. In addition to the group cover and story, we\u2019re rolling out the seven solo covers \u2014 each with a video and solo Q&A \u2014 through Monday, April 20. Click here<\/a> for continuing coverage, and click here<\/a> to buy a box set of all eight covers.\t<\/p>\n \t\tRolling Stone\u2019s May issue features the most ambitious cover-story package in the magazine\u2019s nearly 60-year history: eight different print covers in all. In addition to the group cover and story, we\u2019re rolling out the seven solo covers \u2014 each with a video and solo Q&A \u2014 through Monday, April 20. Click here<\/a> for continuing coverage, and click here<\/a> to buy a box set of all eight covers.\t<\/p>\n \n\tEveryone says that, even if you don\u2019t necessarily feel comfortable speaking English, your pronunciation in singing is very, very good. \n\tDo you do it just syllable by syllable, or is your ear good for that? \t\tEditor\u2019s picks<\/p>\n \n\tHow did your solo success affect the way you approached things for the new album, and the way other members approach things with you? \t\tWatch the video interview below\t<\/p>\n \n\tRM said that the members have different lifestyles now, and have different boundaries. Maybe you can expand on that a little more. What does that mean? \t\tRelated Content<\/p>\n \n\tIt does feel like you stepped up as a songwriter on this new album. Were there moments that stand out, where you felt good about your contributions? \t\t\t\t\t\t \n\tIs there a moment that stands out, though? A song coming together that was good for you? \n\tPlus writing English lyrics, it\u2019s cool! \n\tYour voice feels stronger than ever. Is that something you continually work on? \n\tARMY of course loved your solo work. I think if I see one critique, they say they wish you wrote more, and that the solo album was very Western, for better or worse. Have you heard that, and what do you make of that idea? \n\tI also think the kinds of stories I can tell are pretty limited. So in the future, once I have a lot to do and a lot to say, I think it will happen naturally.<\/p>\n \n\tTheir dream, I think, is something personal. But you\u2019re saying you don\u2019t have anything right now for them, on that front? \t\tTrending Stories<\/p>\n![\"Our](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/our-biggest-cover-ever-desktop.png\")
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I\u2019m glad there\u2019s that, at least.<\/p>\n
Yeah, I think my ear is good for that kind of thing. But at the end of the day \u2026 it\u2019s not Korean. It\u2019s a foreign language for me. And I don\u2019t want native speakers to hear me speak their language and find it uncomfortable, or dislike it, in any way. So I\u2019ve personally worked very hard on it.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m just a very carefree and open person, and I don\u2019t think too much during my day-to-day unless I really have to. So, when it comes to work process or choosing songs \u2026 I\u2019ll express myself, sure. I\u2019ll speak up and share my opinion, but I don\u2019t stress about it. Well, I don\u2019t know about the others. I guess some of the other members were pretty stressed, but I just thought it was fun. I enjoyed it! I did what I wanted to.<\/p>\n
Well, all of the members come from very different backgrounds. And even since we met, everyone is moving at their own speed, taking things at their own tempo, on their own timeline. Beyond that, we like different kinds of music and prefer different kinds of food, too. The seven of us are so different, yet we work together, sing together, and perform together. And when we collaborate, of course we\u2019re different there as well. That\u2019s probably why he said that.<\/p>\n
Sure, I felt great. I don\u2019t know if I would call it pride? But I did feel really great. It\u2019s been a long time since then. We chose the songs and everything, but there\u2019s one thing I still think about, which is \u2026 Why didn\u2019t I do a little more? Two months is a really long time. Couldn\u2019t I have done a bit more? I have a lot of regrets about that.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Well, I worked a lot on \u201cHooligan.\u201d And that song itself is \u2026 I don\u2019t know. When I first heard the track, I came up with the flow immediately. So I got to work, and \u2026 The track is so unique, so I might have just lucked into this, but Hitman Bang and the rest of the members thought it was so fresh, and they all loved it. That felt awesome. And I didn\u2019t know if the song would make it. But it got picked, and that rocked.<\/p>\n
Well, I didn\u2019t write the whole thing. I had a lot of help.<\/p>\n
Yep. Before I went to the military, after I came back, and up till now. Slow as a turtle, I\u2019m always doing something. Trying things.<\/p>\n
That just happened to be my choice at the time. I could write more for my next album, if that\u2019s what ARMY wants. But back then, I wanted something else. I wanted to get good songs and release an album as soon as I could. That\u2019s the whole reason.<\/p>\n
Actually, I might never have anything. Because I don\u2019t keep memories in my brain for a long time. I forget things a lot, so \u2026 You know how computers have hard drives? I don\u2019t think I have a lot of disk space.<\/p>\n