As the only K-pop group to have debuted in 2013 and remained active to this day, as well as the only group to have maintained its original lineup since debut, BTS has long been known for the strong bond shared by its seven members. Moreover, as the seven of them continue to achieve greater success around the world, their friendship has only become even more admirable.
However, admiration often goes hand in hand with jealousy. The fact that BTS has not only stayed together but also continued to reach new heights of success, especially after returning to group activities with all seven members following their military service, seems to have left some people unhappy.
With nothing else they can do, these individuals resort to attacking the group by spreading false rumors and deliberately twisting the members' words to fuel speculation about possible cracks within BTS. Some have even gone so far as to claim that their friendship is nothing but an act. Unfortunately for those spreading such narratives, these stories have never managed to affect the group. Instead, they have only provided more opportunities for BTS' genuine bond to shine through. A simple remark from SUGA recently has once again shut down this negative narrative!
Specifically, in a behind-the-scenes video of BTS filming for DICON_D'FESTA THE ORIGIN by Dispatch, released on the 9th, SUGA was asked: “What was the reason everyone all burst out laughing during the break in shooting?”
SUGA laughed before answering: “When we're just among ourselves, we tell a lot of silly stories, so it's just funny to listen to (We're still no different from the boys we were 15 years ago). We're like high schoolers who just got older, so just listening to them is funny".
His explanation delighted fans and once again left everyone marveling at the natural closeness and genuine bond between the members. One fan expressed their emotions, saying, “They never changed, still the same 7 who love each other so much.” Another left a strong message: "To everyone waiting for BTS to break up or insisting that their friendship is fake".
Notably, this is far from the only time SUGA has spoken about the bond between the members.
In a previous interview, when asked whether the members competed with one another to achieve individual success, the rapper compared BTS to a family: “Do you compete with your family members? Are you jealous when your older brother or sister succeeds? We're like real brothers. If I succeed, that's great. But if my family members succeed, that's even better.”
SUGA also emphasized that 13 years of living and working together had turned them into a real family. He openly stated, “A lot of people think that relationships between K-pop group members are somewhat fake, but that's not true.” To illustrate his point, he even mentioned how proud he felt when Jimin achieved success on the Hot 100 chart.
In the series *BTS Monuments: Beyond The Star*, SUGA reaffirmed this sentiment: "They're the people I've been with and seen the most in the 30 years of my life. We've really become a family. There's no other words to describe our relationship. We're family." When asked whether BTS could stay together forever, he also said he believed they could continue to be together until they were 80 or 90 years old, as long as that was what they wanted.
SUGA is not the only one who has expressed such affection and appreciation for the other members. During an interview with Zane Lowe, Jungkook said that being together as a group felt the most natural to him, as BTS had always spent more time working as a team than as individual solo artists. Jin also described the time he spent living and working with the members in the US while preparing for the *ARIRANG* album as “pure happiness.”
V shared his hope that the group would do their best to keep this going for as long as possible, while RM emphasized that BTS had made it this far because they loved one another so much. For the group's leader, BTS represents his youth, and he does not want to lose this opportunity.
Ultimately, the consistent words shared by all seven members point to one undeniable truth: BTS' relationship is not built solely on work, success, or fame. They have become the people closest to one another. They are family.
