Temple leaks BTS leader visit; RM frustrated: Never again

BTS leader RM, or Kim Nam-joon, expressed his dismay over a monk who disclosed his private visit to a temple to local Korean media.

Korean media outlets reported on Thursday that the BTS leader and music producer Kang San visited Hwaeomsa temple in Jeollanam-do, South Korea on December 29.

Photo courtesy: Allkpop

The temple’s chief monk had a serious discussion with RM regarding his “honest feelings” about his career as BTS member and his impending military service enlistment, the reports said. 

Military service thoughts

The chief monk Deok Mun revealed that he asked the South Korean rapper if he was sad about not being exempted from the mandatory military enlistment.

According to the monk, RM replied, “Of course not, I want to serve my duty as a citizen of the Republic of Korea. Only then can I talk about my rights. I also think of it as a time to become an adult.”

In response, monk Deok Mun shared his words of wisdom to the artist.

“A year and a half (in the military) in a person’s 80 year life is not a waste, but it will be [a] precious time when you can self-reflect. I hope that you can become BTS’s RM, who makes great music even if you get old with gray hair,” he said. 

The reports also revealed that RM gifted the monk with a copy of his recently released solo debut album Indigo. RM was also said to regularly donate to Good World Charity Bank, a children’s relief organization led by the monk.

RM’s frustrations

After hearing the news about his visit to the temple, RM shared his frustrations through a series of Instagram stories.

RM uploaded a screenshot of one of the reports on his temple visit and said, “Thank you for the good time, though [I] never thought he’d even publish an article.”

In another Instagram story, the BTS member said he’ll go to another temple quietly next time.

“Next time, I’ll go to a different temple. I’ll go and come back quietly,” RM wrote.

The last of his Instagram story series included the hashtag “lowkey must be lowkey,” as if to imply that his visit to the temple and his conversation with the monk should have remained private.

Fans to the defense

Upon seeing these stories on Instagram, fans denounced the action of the monk, and called for respect for the private life of artists.

Members of BTS fandom, called the BTS Army, said they were saddened to hear about RM’s leaked conversation with the monk and asked the general public to stop invading his privacy.

In connection with the issue, fans recalled RM’s statement in an old video where he said, “The fact that we’re alive is enough for us to be respected, right?”

As fans called for respect for BTS’ privacy, they also noticed that RM has deleted his Instagram photos taken at the Hwaeomsa temple.

Photo courtesy: RM’s Instagram

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