BTS has 7 members: RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook. RM is the leader, Jin is the oldest and Jungkook is the maknae (the youngest). The group debuted on June 13, 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment, now BIGHIT MUSIC under parent company HYBE, and their fans are called ARMY.
All seven finished their military service by June 2025, then came back together in 2026 with the album ARIRANG and a world tour. Below you'll find every BTS member's real name, birthday and position, what each one brings to the group, and everything you need to know about the comeback.
BTS members: names, birthdays and positions
From oldest to youngest:
| Stage name | Real name | Date of birth | Position | Unit |
|---|
| Jin | Kim Seok-jin | December 4, 1992 | Oldest; vocalist, visual | Vocal line |
| Suga | Min Yoon-gi | March 9, 1993 | Lead rapper; producer | Hip-hop line |
| J-Hope | Jung Ho-seok | February 18, 1994 | Main dancer; rapper | Hip-hop line |
| RM | Kim Nam-joon | September 12, 1994 | Leader; main rapper | Hip-hop line |
| Jimin | Park Ji-min | October 13, 1995 | Main dancer; lead vocalist | Vocal line |
| V | Kim Tae-hyung | December 30, 1995 | Vocalist, visual | Vocal line |
| Jungkook | Jeon Jung-kook | September 1, 1997 | Maknae; main vocalist, lead dancer | Vocal line |
Ages in 2026: Jin turns 34 on December 4, Suga is 33, J-Hope and RM are 32, Jimin and V turn 31 (on October 13 and December 30), and Jungkook is 29. Like in a lot of K-pop groups, the leader isn't the oldest: RM is fourth in line.
BTS positions: the hip-hop line and the vocal line
BTS splits into two units. The hip-hop line (or rap line) is the three rappers: RM, Suga and J-Hope. All three came up through rap and write a big share of the lyrics. The vocal line is Jin, Jimin, V and Jungkook, who carry the choruses and sung parts.
As for the more specific titles (main vocalist, lead dancer and so on), BIGHIT MUSIC never really pushed them: they're mostly labels fans settled on over the years. The ones in the table are the most widely used. If you want to know what each position actually means, check our K-pop positions guide.
You'll also hear about the hyung line (the four oldest: Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM) and the maknae line (Jimin, V, Jungkook). "Hyung" is what a guy calls an older brother, and "maknae" means the youngest.
Each BTS member in a nutshell
RM, the leader
Kim Nam-joon has led the group since day one. Main rapper and lyricist, he's also BTS's voice abroad thanks to his English, which he famously picked up largely by watching Friends. Solo, he's released Indigo (2022) and Right Place, Wrong Person (2024).
Jin, the oldest
Kim Seok-jin, aka "Worldwide Handsome," is known for his clear voice and his dad jokes. The first member to enlist, he dropped "The Astronaut" right before leaving, then the album Happy in November 2024.
Suga, the producer
Min Yoon-gi has been writing and producing for the group since the start. He also releases solo work as Agust D, including the 2023 album D-DAY and the world tour that came with it.
J-Hope, the dancer
Jung Ho-seok comes from street dance. He choreographs, raps and sets the energy in any room. His album Jack in the Box (2022) kicked off the group's wave of solo projects.
Jimin, the dancer-vocalist
Park Ji-min trained in contemporary dance and has a high, instantly recognizable voice. With "Like Crazy," from his 2023 album FACE, he became the first Korean solo artist to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
V, the deep voice
Kim Tae-hyung has a baritone you can spot in two notes. He's the one who coined borahae back in 2016, now ARMY's rallying cry. Solo: the album Layover (2023).
Jungkook, the golden maknae
Jeon Jung-kook debuted with the group at 15. Good at basically everything (singing, dancing, sports), he earned the "golden maknae" nickname. His single "Seven" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2023, and he sang "Dreamers" at the 2022 World Cup opening ceremony.
BTS military service: dates for each member
Military service is mandatory for men in South Korea. The BTS members served one after another between December 2022 and June 2025:
- Jin: December 13, 2022 to June 12, 2024.
- J-Hope: April 18, 2023 to October 17, 2024.
- Suga: alternative service as a social service worker, September 2023 to June 21, 2025.
- RM and V: December 11, 2023 to June 10, 2025.
- Jimin and Jungkook: December 12, 2023 to June 11, 2025.
On June 21, 2025, when Suga finished his service, all seven were officially back. The group never broke up: in September 2023, all seven members had already renewed their contracts with BIGHIT MUSIC.
The BTS comeback: ARIRANG, SWIM and the world tour
On March 20, 2026, BTS released ARIRANG, their first group album since the 2022 anthology Proof. The title nods to the traditional Korean folk song. The lead single, "SWIM," is about moving forward through life's waves at your own pace. "Hooligan" and "NORMAL" followed. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
Right after, the group hit the road again with the ARIRANG World Tour, which kicked off on April 9, 2026 in Goyang, South Korea, and runs into March 2027. The European leg wrapped with two packed nights at the Stade de France in Paris on July 17 and 18, 2026: their first Paris shows since 2019, with RM greeting the crowd in French and President Emmanuel Macron in the stands.
The comeback also inspired some of our pieces this season: the BTS "Swim" jersey and the "Hooligan" tee.
ARMY, purple and BIGHIT MUSIC
The name BTS comes from Bangtan Sonyeondan, "Bulletproof Boy Scouts": a group that shields young people from prejudice. Since 2017, the letters also stand for "Beyond The Scene." They debuted on June 13, 2013 with "No More Dream," and fans celebrate that date every year during Festa.
The fandom is called ARMY, short for "Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth." Its color is purple, because of the word borahae coined by V. We explain the whole story in our post on the meaning of borahae.
On the agency side, BTS is signed to BIGHIT MUSIC, HYBE's original label (formerly Big Hit Entertainment). It's the same label as TXT, by the way: if you want to meet their younger labelmates, here are the TXT members.
How to pick your BTS bias
Seven members, seven very different personalities: picking a BTS bias can take years. Start by watching a full live performance of one song, then an episode of Run BTS!, where personalities really come through. If a second member starts messing with your choice, that's your bias wrecker. And if you truly can't choose, you might just be "OT7": a fan of all seven equally. We break down the lingo in what a K-pop bias is.
Wear your BTS bias
In our BTS collection, most jerseys can be printed with your bias's name. In the drop-down menu, each member's number is his birth year: RM 94, Jin 92, Suga 93, J-Hope 94, Jimin 95, V 95, Jungkook 97. For OT7 fans, there's also an ARMY 07 option. One exception: the Skool Luv Affair jersey, a throwback to the 2014 era, isn't customizable.
It's fanmade, unofficial merch, made to order, so allow 1 to 3 weeks for delivery. Shopping for someone else? Our list of gift ideas for BTS fans should help.
FAQ
How many members are in BTS?
Seven: RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook. The lineup hasn't changed since 2013.
Who is the leader of BTS?
RM (Kim Nam-joon), born September 12, 1994. He's also the group's main rapper.
Who is the oldest and youngest BTS member?
Jin is the oldest (December 4, 1992). Jungkook is the maknae (September 1, 1997).
Have all BTS members finished military service?
Yes. Suga was the last to finish, on June 21, 2025. The full group returned in 2026.
What is BTS's latest album?
ARIRANG, released March 20, 2026, with the lead single "SWIM."
