One of Jungkook’s most famous nicknames is “Golden Maknae,” a title given to him by RM, BTS’s leader, back when the group first debuted. From the very beginning, RM recognized and highly valued Jungkook’s abilities based on what he personally witnessed. Truly, the vision of a talented leader has never been wrong!

More than a decade after debut, the nickname “Golden Maknae” seems to perfectly reflect who Jungkook is — from his visuals and personality to his talent and career, everything about him shines brilliantly like gold, earning admiration and praise from everyone around him. Even Jungkook himself has acknowledged his deep connection to the word “gold,” going as far as using it as the title of his first solo album.

In particular, Jungkook’s Golden album reflects the result of more than ten years of challenges and growth — a true process of refining gold. During that process, one of his sкιℓℓs was polished to such a perfect level that even SUGA was left astonished and speechless when Jungkook revealed it during a conversation about the making of his debut album.

First, Jungkook revealed that the album’s title track, Standing Next to You, was actually recorded just one day after he finished recording Seven. The decision was almost spontaneous, as producer Andrew Watt — who had been present during the recording of “Seven” — suggested trying a few other songs he had written for Jungkook. Among the handful of tracks he listened to, Jungkook liked “Standing Next to You” the most and decided to record it immediately.

But the most important point here is that he memorized the entire song in less than a day and went into the studio the very next day to record it. A comment from V helps illustrate just how exceptional Jungkook’s recording sкιℓℓs are. V shared that it usually takes him around three days to record one song, which is already considered fast. Many idols and artists may spend weeks or even months working on a single track, yet Jungkook was able to record a completely new song within only two days — an astonishingly clear difference.

SUGA also confirmed that Jungkook’s vocals had truly reached an entirely new level based on what he had 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 was not even the most ѕнσ¢кing part. Jungkook then revealed another fact that left SUGA completely speechless: he only recorded for three hours a day during the production of Golden.

At first, SUGA αѕѕumed Jungkook must have been recording for around nine hours a day to finish everything that quickly — which would already be considered an extremely fast pace for producing a full solo album. But Jungkook completed the work in less than half of that average amount of time, prompting SUGA to exclaim that it was truly an “unfathomable” improvement.

Still, despite how quickly everything was completed, the recording sessions were far from easy. Jungkook pointed out that the sessions were extremely intense and exhausting. He admitted that he felt nearly drained because of 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 only recorded for three hours a day, or that he could learn a song within one day and record it the next, you might think his natural talent — being “born singer” — makes everything easy. But in reality, that requires not only innate ability, but also mastery built through relentless training and an incredibly strong mentality.

Another impressive point is that Jungkook did not just exceed expectations in terms of speed — he also delivered results with quality that matched the quantity, showcasing the vocal ability of a top-tier artist. As SUGA concluded, Jungkook naturally works faster than anyone else once he is fully focused — partly because of his innate musical genius and partly because of the thirteen years of experience and growth he has accumulated.

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!