Are you a true ARMY? Test your knowledge with these 13 facts on BTS Jungkook

In 2011, Jungkook auditioned to be part of the South Korean talent show Superstar K3. Despite not making it into the competition, he received offers from seven agencies that wanted to sign him. Jungkook eventually settled for HYBE (formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment), which was comparatively unknown then, as fellow bandmate RM was a trainee under them.

RM, or Kim Namjoon, was an underground rapper going by the stage name Runch Randa and Jungkook wanted to know more about the company he was affiliated with.

G-Dragon was one of his role models

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Besides RM, Jungkook has often shared that he looks up to idols like G-Dragon from BIGBANG. In fact, his love for dance played a big part in that. One day, while searching for dance videos, he stumbled upon a clip of G-Dragon performing on a music show. Jungkook was instantly captivated—he thought G-Dragon looked incredibly cool, and that moment sparked his dream of becoming a singer. In a HYBE video, when asked which musician he’d choose as a mentor, his answer was clear: G-Dragon.

He can play the drums

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In a taped performance of BTS’ hit track Dynamite, the golden maknae surprised fans by jumping on the drums mid-performance—and casually took over the drums mid-performance, proving once again there’s nothing he can’t do.

Jungkook’s Doberman, Bam, might look fierce at first glance, but fans know he’s actually a big softie. The beloved pup lives with Jungkook and his parents, and is known for being sweet, playful, and full of personality. In fact, Jungkook’s a super hands-on dog dad—he brushes Bam’s teeth, clips his nails, and even applies lotion to his paws. He’s also the one behind Bam’s Instagram account, which (unsurprisingly) has garnered a large following of 7.4 million.

In slightly different circumstances, we might know Jungkook as a badminton player rather than as a global superstar. Badminton is his favourite sport and he almost pursued it as a career.

Jungkook also has a black belt in taekwondo, which is the highest level a practitioner can reach. He is said to have started learning the Korean martial arts at 12.

While he uses his own name as his stage moniker now, Jungkook almost went by 'Seagull'. It was a nod to the official bird of Busan where he is from. Fans have also given him the nickname of 'Busan Prince' because of his immense success.

He has his own album

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Back in July 2023, Jungkook dropped Seven, a chart-topping collab with American rapper Latto. It kicked off a series of solo singles, followed by 3D featuring Jack Harlow in October. These tracks eventually came together in his debut album Golden, released in November 2023. For the unacquainted, the title nods to Jungkook’s “golden” moments—as both the Golden Maknae of BTS and a rising solo star in his own right.

Other songs he has released or has been on include Stay Alive, Left and Right with Charlie Puth and Dreamers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

In 2020, Forbes estimated that BTS earned US$50 million that year, which consisted of earnings from music, merchandise and tours. Each member also owns stock in Hybe (formerly Big Hit Entertainment), which was valued to be worth around US$17 million in total.

In April 2023, it was reported that Jungkook was building a new home in Itaewon-dong after purchasing the property in 2020. It is one of the richest neighbourhoods in South Korea and the house was purchased for around US$6 million.

With everything included, it is no wonder that Jungkook is estimated to be worth US$40 million by Celebrity Net Worth in 2023.

Most of you might know that Jungkook was tapped to be a brand ambassador for Calvin Klein Jeans and Calvin Klein Underwear in March 2023. He joins Blackpink's Jennie to front the American label. The collection that he modelled was said to have sold out in multiple countries shortly while the shares of PVH Corp, Calvin Klein's parent company, increased too. It is no wonder then that he has been called the 'Sold Out King' for his Midas touch.

Other ambassadorships that he and BTS have done include Downy, Louis Vuitton, Samsung, Hyundai, Coca Cola and McDonald's.

On Spotify, Jungkook was the fastest Korean celebrity to reach 800 million streaming counts and topped the Spotify Charts thrice with Dreamers, Stay Alive and Left and Right. And with the song Dreamers, he was the first South Korean artist to produce and perform a song at the FIFA World Cup.

On Weverse, South Korea's streaming app, Jungkook broke his own record for the Most Viewed Real-time Individual Live when he came online on February 1, 2023. That livestreaming session received 16.3 million views and 342 million likes.

Jungkook is anything but a one-trick pony. Besides his musical prowess, we’re familiar with, he can also beatbox and play multiple instruments, including drums and guitar.

He is also good at boxing, has shown his ability to paint and is an avid fan of video games such as Overwatch.

Jungkook is an avid fan of tattoos and has multiple inks across his body. In June 2023, South Korean lawmaker Ryu Ho-jeong from the Justice Party used Jungkook as an example to push for the legalisation of tattoo procedures. For context, tattooing without a medical license is illegal in South Korea. Unfortunately, the ploy was faced with backlash as many fans decried the use of Jungkook's fame to advance their own political agenda.

Remember when we said that Jungkook is known as the 'Sold Out King'? In July 2019, he wore a modern take on the hanbok, the traditional South Korean outfit, to the airport. It was later found out that it was from the brand Zijangsa and their website received so much attention that the server buckled under the weight of all the traffic. His influence also spread to other South Korean celebs who were later spotted wearing similar hanbok styles.