In this blog, we will talk about BTS and their struggles with mental health and we will also cover some background and in-depth journeys of each member of the band, their struggles as a band, and what kind of message they impart through music.
Which BTS Members Suffer From Depression?
BTS members like Suga and Taehyung have opened up about their struggles with depression openly and they are strong advocates of mental health and wellness.
BTS Boys
The Bangtan Boys, who have wrapped the whole world around their fingers, are still going strong. Some say it’s less of a boyband and more of a family accompanied by their huge and loyal fanbase, the ARMY.
The boys started young and it is an understatement that they have made their mark on the planet. They have broken the records of the legendary boyband, the Beatles.
While there are millions of people who listen to K-pop, and BTS in specific, the loyal fanbase is loyal for more than just the musical talent these young men hold. There is something even deeper than good music that connects this family to the astounding boyband. And that is their journey.
The boys of BTS and their struggles
While they are extremely popular and successful today, and still going strong, things haven’t ever been a cakewalk for this lot. The journeys each of the 7 members share are different yet similar. And their courage to candidly talk about them is perhaps what makes the ARMY stronger than ever.
Kim Seokjin or Jin is the oldest of the 7 members. He was born on December 4th,1992. At the age of 20, he got selected for an audition for the Big Hit Company on the street because he was good looking but he wasn’t well versed with singing and dancing. Although at the time, he was studying to become an actor.
Big Hit was a small company in 2010 that had approached him to audition because, in Korean pop culture, visual appeal is one of the most fundamental aspects that people look at if they are doing anything in the performing arts field.
High beauty standards in Korea
Looking good and qualifying the Korean beauty standard is important. So even though he wasn’t a trained singer or a dancer he was mentored and he learned to sing and dance after joining the company.
Although he is incredibly diligent with his practice, he still gets hate for not being able to dance and sing properly or should we say, in a more professional manner.
There is no released information about his battle with depression specifically, however, he is known to be someone who does not show his emotions and yet is the goofiest among them all. He’s the funny one and always tries his best to cheer up everyone.
Suga and his difficult journey
Min Yoongi aka SUGA, the BTS rapper, was born on March 9, 1993. He had originally joined Big Hit Entertainment as a music producer, but later on, he became a band member. His story is said to be the most heartbreaking one amongst the.
He has struggled quite a bit ever since he was a young boy who discovered solace in rap music at the tender age of 13. While he grew up in a family that wasn’t financially well off, he did make his mark by coming out of his cocoon by becoming an underground rapper.
He used to sell his songs for 10 bucks, just so he could go back home and be one of the providers. He started oy making some beats for songs.
He has candidly spoken about being clinically depressed.
“Emotions are so different in every situation and every moment, so I think to agonize every moment is what life is.” Things weren’t as easy for SUGA and he received his share of hate when he left underground raping.
He once confessed in an interview that he tried to commit suicide. But the dark side doesn’t stay constant and he understood this very well.
Suga talked about depression
“People see being in depression as a bad thing. But think it is a time when you can improve yourself. It is a time when you can reflect on your confidence. I think being in depression is good because it’s a time when you can get better,” he said during the “Butter” promotion.
J-Hope’s path to success
Jung-Hoseok aka J-Hope is the main dancer and another rapper of BTS. He was born on 18 February 1994. And got selected as a dancer because he was a professional street dancer.
Although he wasn’t considered as good-looking as the other members are but he was extremely talented. This did create a lot of trouble for J-Hope. Korean culture is a hardliner when it comes to beauty standards.
And the thing is if you have talent but don’t have a good-looking face the audience downright rejects them.
Even after the debut in 2013, several people started the #kickjhope. It is given that with such extreme hate, a person is bound to hurt their mental health. He was about to quit as well but the other members somehow convinced him not to do it.
Rap Monster
Kim Namjoon aka RM (Rap Monster) is the leader of the popular band BTS and also one of the rappers and the record producer. He was born on 12 September 1994 and he was 16 when he joined Big Hit Entertainment.
He used to be termed as the ‘ugliest’ member of the band because he had a darker complexion as compared to the other ‘fair’ members. A completely absurd judgment by the audience was bound to influence his self-esteem at such a young age.
There were reports which claimes how people always tried to remove him from the band and he received death threats as well. Because of extreme social pressure, he wasn’t able to perform and the band had to drop their concert in 2015
He is one of the most talented songwriters of the generation yet, the basis of hate he received along with Jin and J-Hope, was physical appearance. Park Jimin is one of the lead vocalists of BTS and also a dancer. He was born on October 13, 1995.
He had pursued contemporary dance from Busan High School of Arts. Reports claim that he received the most number of death and rape threats. An exposure to popularity from a young age also opens up the door to uncalled-for hate comments that are bound to put a certain kind of pressure on the artist.
He was reported to have starved himself for 10 days before his debut just to look fit in front of people. While he did do his bit and put on wonderful performances, he is still subjected to hate or rejection by the audience on the basis that are not necessarily related to his talent as a musical artist.
V and his career
Kim Taehyung aka V is another lead vocalist of BTS. He was born on December 30, 1995.
He belongs to a farmer background and with the help of his father he started taking lessons for saxophone, which he intended to make his career. He didn’t originally intend to audition for Big Hit Entertainment, Instead, he was there to support his friend.
His friend did not get approved in the audition, however, the staff members saw Taehyung and were awestruck by his good looks. That is how they landed him an audition and he got selected.
He was 15 at that time and he revealed that he used to cry a lot alone in the washroom because he used to miss his family. Taehyung stated in the documentary Break The Silence that he becomes depressed and wants someone to be with him.
He did, however, admit that he was able to overcome his situation thanks to the members’ help. “There are moments when I usually get very depressed, when I find myself going through very difficult times I want someone to just hold my hand“.
Jungkook
Jeon Jungkook is the youngest of the members of the BTS. He was born on 1st September 1997 and is the lead vocalist of the band. He was 13 when he left his house and became an idol trainee with Big Hit Entertainment.
He was the youngest kid and he used to cry because he missed his mother. He also once revealed that he didn’t get the chance to live his childhood.
The tough struggle for the boy band BTS
The BTS officially debuted in 2013. But people didn’t like them in the initial years. They were even pictured giving out pamphlets asking people to come to their concerts for free in 2014.
With the lack of any positive response, they decided to disband but in 2015 they won their first award and people started recognizing them and their music on a global scale. Of course, it wasn’t exactly a bed of roses after that either. They struggled a lot and are still facing problems, the biggest of them being racism.
BTS music and their strong messages
While all of the members are open about their struggles with mental health, Suga is the most forthright about it, revealing in one of his songs that he struggled from anxiety, self-hatred, and depression as a child.
One of his songs ‘The Last’ talks about the many struggles he has endured. “The conflict with ideals, my head hurts. Around the age of 18, I developed social anxiety. Right, that was when my mind was gradually polluted. At times I’m scared of myself too. Thanks to the depression that takes over me. And all my self-hatred.”
“So Far Away,” another of his compositions, depicts the emotion of loneliness to the point of rage. Many other songs, such as “Whalien 52,” which deals with loneliness and alienation, express the concept of mental health.
They discuss how being successful is not always synonymous with happiness in the song “Sea” from their Love Yourself: Her album. ‘When you accept yourself for who you are, you will be content’.
Kim Seokjin (Jin) also discusses the value of loving yourself in his film “Epiphany.” The K-pop legends have written several additional songs regarding mental health.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs): Which BTS Members Suffer From Depression?
Why is BTS so popular?
Because of the subject of their music, BTS’s music is a success. While many K-pop songs are about love and relationships, BTS addresses additional issues such as bullying, elitism, and mental health.
Which BTS members have depression?
BTS is one of the biggest K-Pop bands consisting of young boys who have touched heights together and broken records. The downside to this great success often comes with a lot of pressure and some BTS members have talked about their mental health struggles openly including Suga and Taehyung.
Did BTS RM have depression?
Suga and RM opened up about coping with depression and anxiety as trainees and now as global stars in a recent interview with Naver, and how music has been their final savior.
Which are BTS depression songs?
- The Last
- Magic Shop
- Epiphany
- Tomorrow
What are the types of depression?
- Major Depression
- Persistent Depressive Disorder
- Bipolar Disorder
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Psychotic Depression
- Peripartum (Postpartum) Depression
- Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
- ‘Situational’ Depression
- Atypical Depression
- Treatment-Resistant Depression
What are the causes of teen depression?
Ans- peer pressure, academic expectations, and changing bodies can bring a lot of ups and downs for teens.
References
Bidhuri, A. (2021, March 18). Throwback to when BTS talked about depression | TheHealthSite.com. TheHealthSite.
D. (2021, July 22). BTS’ Suga and Taehyung suffer from depression. Music Mundial News.
Greenblatt, L. (2019, March 30). BTS’ RM and Suga talk about mental health, depression, and connecting with fans. EW.Com.