BTS‘s RM gave fans a candid look at his leadership philosophy in an interview with Bella Freud released on July 22, 2026, explaining how his role changed as the team grew.
Speaking with the British fashion designer, RM reflected on BTS‘s success, music, leadership, and the pace of modern society. He said the group’s worldwide success was not a goal from the very beginning.
RM explained that people in pop can easily get pulled into charts, numbers, and influence. To keep his balance, he said he tries to keep some distance from those pressures and draw inspiration from nature and real life.
He also pointed to shorts and reels as part of the pressure of the current era. RM said those formats can make people feel they must constantly do something, adding that the speed of the times scares him the most.
When asked about leadership, RM used the image of an open window in a cold room. He said that if everyone is lying on a sofa and no one moves to close it, someone has to get up first, and he sees that action as the role of a leader.
RM also looked back on his early years as BTS‘s leader, describing his first eight to nine years as strong and somewhat self-centered. As the members developed their own names and careers, he said that style no longer worked, so he changed the way he communicated with them.
He added that when the members tell him they recognize his effort and feel grateful to have him as a leader, the stress he has carried disappears. RM also connected that sense of release to his 2024 solo album ‘Right Place, Wrong Person’, saying he focused on becoming more relaxed and stepping away from the pressure to always do well.
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