One of Jungkook’s most famous nicknames is the “Golden Maknae,” given to him by RM, the leader of BTS, in the year the group debuted. From the very beginning, RM recognized and highly valued Jungkook’s abilities based on what he saw in him firsthand. Indeed, the insight of a talented leader has never been wrong!

After more than a decade since debut, the nickname “Golden Maknae” seems to perfectly capture who Jungkook is — from his appearance and personality to his talent and career, everything about him truly shines like gold, earning admiration and praise from everyone. Even Jungkook himself has acknowledged a strong connection to the word “golden,” going so far as to use it as the title of his first solo album.

In particular, Jungkook’s album Golden is a reflection of the results of over ten years of trials and growth — a true test of fire refining the gold. During this process, one sкιℓℓ stood out, honed to perfection, that even SUGA found astonishing and difficult to comprehend when Jungkook revealed it during a conversation about how his debut album was completed.

Firstly, recalling some behind-the-scenes stories, Jungkook revealed that the album’s title track, “Standing Next To You,” was actually recorded just one day after he finished recording “Seven.” This decision was nearly spontaneous, as producer Andrew Watt — who was present during the recording of “Seven” — suggested trying out a few other songs he had written for Jungkook. Among the few songs he listened to, Jungkook liked “Standing Next To You” the most and decided to record it. Impressively, he memorized the entire song in less than a day and came to the studio the very next day to record it.

If that alone doesn’t sound extraordinary, a remark from V helps illustrate just how exceptional Jungkook’s recording sкιℓℓs are. V noted that he usually takes about three days to record a single song, which is already considered fast. Many idols and artists, by contrast, may spend a week or even a month working on a single track. But Jungkook can record a brand-new song in just two days — a clearly remarkable difference.

SUGA confirmed that Jungkook’s vocals had truly reached a whole new level based on what he heard about the solo recording sessions. He commented: “I only heard about your recording process this time around. I felt that you had upgraded to another level because you’ve gotten so much faster.”

However, that wasn’t even the most ѕнσ¢кing part! Jungkook later revealed another fact that left SUGA completely speechless: he recorded for only three hours per day during the production of Golden. Initially, SUGA αѕѕumed Jungkook must have recorded about nine hours daily to finish so quickly — which would already be considered a fast pace for producing a full solo album.

Jungkook completed the work in less than half the average time, prompting SUGA to exclaim that it was truly an “unfathomable” improvement. He also understood that Jungkook naturally works faster than anyone else once fully focused — partly due to his innate musical genius and partly due to the ten years of training and experience he has accumulated as an artist.

That said, the recording sessions were by no means easy. Jungkook also pointed out the harsh reality of this extremely tight schedule. Despite the unusually fast pace, the sessions were intense and stressful. He admitted to feeling nearly exhausted from the packed schedule, saying: “I almost ∂ιєd while recording for this song! It was sooo tiring… Preparing for the album, the time was really short so there wasn’t much time! In a week, I think I recorded like 4 or 5 songs… 5 songs seems too much so I’ll say 4!”

If you hear that Jungkook recorded for only three hours per day, or that he could learn a song in a single day and record it the next, you might think his natural talent — being “born for music” — makes it easy. But in reality, it requires not only innate ability but also rigorous training, immense focus, and unyielding determination. Another impressive point is that Jungkook doesn’t just surpαѕѕ expectations in speed — he delivers results where quality matches quantity, showcasing the exceptional vocal ability of a top-tier artist.

Ultimately, SUGA’s acknowledgment further highlights RM’s foresight in giving Jungkook the title of “Golden Maknae” right from his debut. He started with a foundation as “gold” in talent, but it is the continuous “refining of the gold” over ten years of effort that truly defines his value. This is why the Golden Maknae continues to shine brighter and earn greater admiration, never losing the significance of the title.