What do the BTS members’ real names mean?

When first meeting BTS, it is likely that the easiest way to get to know the members and identify them is through their stage names, which are: V, RM, Jin, Jimin, Jungkook, J-HopeIt is Suga. Chosen by each of the idols, the names have unique meanings, such as J-Hopewhich over time ended up symbolizing the hope (from English, Hope) that he brings through his music to the group’s members and fans.

Still, it is worth knowing that the members’ real names also carry meanings, and each of them were explained by the members in a 2014 interview with Haru Hana magazine, as reported by the Koreaboo portal.

To explain what each name represents and reveals about each person’s personality, the members revealed how they are written in Hangul, the modern Korean alphabet, and in Hanja, the Korean name for characters borrowed from the Chinese alphabet and used to construct reading and Korean writing, since the sum of these strokes visually communicates a meaning. Look:

Kim Taehyung (V)

In Hangul 김태형 and 金泰亨 in Hanja, the real name of V brings a hopeful message. This is because the character “亨” means something like “all wishes will come true” or “everything will work out in the end”.

Kim Namjoon (RM)

Kim Namjoonthe real name of RM, in Hangul it is 김남준, while in Hanja it is written as 金南俊。According to RMthe character “南” in its name means “South Korea”, while the full name reveals the phrase “the genius of the South” as its meaning.

Kim Seokjin (Jin)

In Hangul, Kim Seokjin is 김석진, while it is 金碩珍 in Hanja. In the chat, Jin revealed that the name was chosen by his grandfather and that it means “a great treasure”.

Park Jimin (Jimin)

The real name of Jimin comes from his grandfather. Written 박지민 and 朴智旻, the name means “my wisdom will reach higher than the sky”.

Jeon Jungkook (Jungkook)

The full name of Jungkook is 전정국/田柾國 and was given by the idol’s grandfather. The actual meaning is not known to the BTS maknae, but he believes it can say something like “the pillars of the nation”.

Jung Hoseok (J-Hope)

Written as 정호석 or 鄭號錫 the name Jung Hoseok was chosen for J-Hope after his parents visited a temple and the name means “a name that will spread throughout the country”.

Min Yoongi (Suga)

Min Yoongi is written 민윤기/閔玧其. Suga He doesn’t know the origin of the name or its meaning, but he revealed that “其” is the name passed down through generations in his family.