The story goes that Suga, real name Min Yoongi, gets his nickname from the term “shooting guard” – but he prefers a different, more apt meaning: “It’s a nickname sometimes given to athletes who have outstanding technique,” he says, referring to Sugar Ray Leonard and UFC fighter “Suga” Sean O’Malley. As a rapper, Suga has a seemingly inexhaustible arsenal of cutting-edge flows and follows the development of US hip-hop very closely. He started as a producer in his hometown of Daegu – and never stopped: He produced most of his 2023 album “D-Day” himself, as well as the “Arirang” bonus track “Come Over”. In the studio, he listens more than he talks and takes on the role of mediator when disagreements arise between the other members. In our interview conducted at Hybe’s Seoul headquarters in February, he calls his work at BTS “that job” – but makes it unmistakably clear that he loves him.
In 2023 you completed a trilogy under your alter ego Agust D with the album “D-Day”. Did that give you a sense of closure – a feeling of being ready to move on, both in life and as an artist?
Yes, and right after that I joined the military. After completing the trilogy, I really felt like I had come to a conclusion. I felt like Agust D was complete… After this last album, I don’t have any negative feelings left in me.
You said you always had anger inside of you. Where does that come from?
When I was younger I probably had a bit of an inferiority complex. Of course there is also a general frustration with society. I think it was a combination of both.
One of the things that makes BTS so interesting – and I think one of the real reasons for their success – is that they’re not the typical personalities or artists you’d expect in an idol group. Similar to RM, your way of making music and thinking is not necessarily what you would traditionally associate with an idol group.
I made music in Daegu before coming to Seoul, and back then I didn’t really understand idol groups. But after joining one… I learned that it’s a lot of work, it gets incredibly stressful, and it’s far from easy. Now that I’m used to it, I think I’m actually well suited for this job.
When you were working on this album – and you’re so involved in the production and so sound-oriented – what did you imagine the sound to be like, and how does that relate to what you ended up with?
Our top priority was to pursue a new sound that people haven’t heard from us before. And I think it’s just a very well-made pop album, and we’re very happy with that. It wasn’t easy to write so many songs and go through all the revisions and corrections, but it was also a lot of fun – and I think that’s why the results turned out so well.
Have you personally lost battles over certain tracks?
I think balance is the most important thing. That’s why I didn’t push for a particular track or anything like that. I spent more time listening to and mediating between different opinions. In the end everything turned out very well. Most of my favorite tracks made it onto the album. Even the ones I didn’t like at first grew on me after listening to them several times. So personally I’m very happy with the album.
When BTS announced they were taking a break in 2022, you said you felt like you were running out of things to write about. What helped you overcome this feeling?
After that I released my solo album. And working on it was really grueling. But now… I’m focusing on putting less pressure on myself. I’ll keep finding new things to write about – and then exhausting them. Today, when I look at the notes app on my phone, I notice that many old memos have taken on new meaning. I also incorporated some of them into the work on this album. But yes, it’s an eternal cycle: finding things and using them up again.
Diplo was such a big part of this album. I’m interested in what you observed about him as a producer and why he was the right person to significantly shape the sound of the album.
He has worked a lot with K-pop artists and therefore understands the process and environment very well. He is also incredibly productive. We were at a point where we needed someone who could not only write great songs, but also really understand the flow and structure of an album. Diplo did that brilliantly.
Suga’s hip-hop role models
I know you’ve been a serious hip-hop connoisseur for a long time. If you had to spontaneously name your top MCs of all time – who would you choose and why?
[Lacht.] First of all, that word “MC”. I was just talking to friends about how we hardly use “MC” anymore. But anyway…it’s hard to choose. I grew up with Eminem, so Eminem. Then Kendrick Lamar.
What do you think about the state of American hip-hop? There’s a lot of discussion about whether it’s a bit stagnant right now.
I’m very sad about talented newcomers who died too soon, like Juice WRLD. But music always runs in cycles that are determined by trends. Everything may seem a little stuck at the moment, but before you know it, hip-hop will be dominating the charts again. I feel like he’s in a transition phase right now. It’s true that hip-hop is a bit stuck right now – but it’s sure to come back.
BTS: Enjoyment instead of ambition
I told J-Hope that the first ten years of BTS were the rise. Now you’re all together again and already at the top. What are your current goals for BTS?
We should enjoy this. We used to be way too…ambitious, I think? I feel like we haven’t really taken our physical and emotional health seriously in the pursuit of our goals. But now we can be a little more relaxed, especially as we’ve all gotten older. I think we can have more fun with it now.
It sounds like the members are talking about performing together in the distant future – when they’re forty, fifty, sixty. Can you imagine that?
As long as we have the will, I believe we can continue doing this into our 70s and 80s. I don’t know whether we’ll still be able to perform like we do now – but still. We could find another way. As long as the will is there, I don’t see a problem.
What do you think is the real secret to BTS’s success – both career-wise and as a group that stays together and whose members actually like each other?
The others are just really funny. It’s fun to spend time with them. And because we’ve been through ups and downs together… I consider them family. I’m sure that’s part of our success – this strong connection we share. Plus everyone is so talented. I believe that is why we can trust each other on this journey together.
Publicity and pressure
Is the public attention sometimes difficult to bear? Things that would be small things to other people are a big deal in your context. Is it stressful to know that these are the conditions under which you have to work?
It’s just part of the job. My job is to live in the public eye. Of course, sometimes this isn’t exactly convenient. It’s not comfortable, but I don’t worry about how others see me and I never read what others write about me. That’s why I don’t find it particularly stressful.
