Why would I spend so much time and energy writing Enneagram-related blogs about BTS, the K-pop musical group from South Korea? People have asked me this question, almost in disbelief. Why would an Enneagram teacher of nearly thirty years, the author of nine Enneagram books, an organizational consultant who uses the Enneagram extensively, and a consistent blog writer since 2009 focus so much time and energy on BTS?

The best answer I can give is I did this because I wanted to, without any particular reason or purpose to justify the time I’ve spent. I love their music. I have huge respect for them as a group and as individuals. That was enough for me to start writing. As I wrote, more possible reasons emerged, although these were not my initial motivation. Here they are:

What can we (I) learn from them?

In the back of my brain, I was wondering why Taylor Swift and BTS were so popular and successful globally. What were they tapping into from a socio-cultural perspective? What could I and others learn from them? That inquiry took me to consider the three human instincts – self-preserving, social and intimacy – and to do an analysis from that perspective. Thus came my first three BTS blogs. There was no plan for any more. And then….

What about typing people we don’t know (especially people in the public zone)?

Out of curiosity, I googled what people online were saying about BTS members’ Enneagram types. In general, I was not impressed with what I read. Some online comments had their types likely correct – for Jimin, V, Suga, J-Hope and Jin – but often for either the wrong reasons or for what I thought were superficial or highly interpretative reasons. In addition, people couldn’t figure out the types of RM and Jung Kook; for these two members, speculation was rampant and varied. Rarely did the speculative comments actually consider the two types that I came to think they might be: RM as an Enneagram One and Jung Kook as an Enneagram Six. At that point, I wanted to figure it out what their types might be, at least to the best of my abilities. What made this very intriguing is that I could not rely primarily on what BTS members said because I don’t speak Korean. So I had to attune my typing skills to patterns of body language, non-verbal communication, and direct quotes, with references for each quote checked out through multiple reliable sources. Helping this endeavor is that there were so many videos of them, even from their pre-debut days. BTS members are remarkably consistent in how they talk, what they talk about, and how they behave in a multitude of unscripted videos spanning more than a decade.

The importance of not overcomplicating the typing process

I kept my typing process to type only, although I could have included many more Enneagram aspects since I know these well and have taught, written about and used them for decades: arrows, wings, fixations, passions, holy ideas, virtues, Centers of Intelligence, and subtypes. These aspects of the system can be useful in typing and can also be major distractions. I just wanted to discipline myself to typing using type only rather than overcomplicating the process.

Keeping my research focused on type only, plus sticking to what I could hear and see with my own eyes, kept me more systematically objective while allowing me to make fewer inferences. An inference, by definition, is an interpretation or conjecture and may or may not be accurate.

Just as an example, many online commenters described Jung Kook as “shy.” Shy is an inference based on what some observed in his behavior, but it is an interpretation or a conjecture. Here’s an example. Is Jung Kook actually shy or did he stand behind many of the other BTS members during interviews when he was younger because (a) he was the youngest among them; (b) he didn’t know what to expect so he felt more comfortable standing behind; (c) was he naturally cautious and careful so he felt more protected this way; or (d) some other reason. Only Jung Kook would actually know whether or not he is or was “shy.” Interestingly, RM was asked during a group interview who among them was the most “shy;” RM said Jin. Jung Kook was not mentioned.

My bucket list

I’ve never had a “bucket list” at any point in my life and sometimes wondered why. The conclusion I’ve come to is that I’ve done many things over my life, so there wasn’t anything I really wanted to do that I hadn’t done or couldn’t do if I wanted to. Then came BTS.

And now there is one item on my “bucket list.” I really want to go to a live BTS concert, which can’t happen until 2025 anyway given that the last of them finish their military service a year from now. But, tickets are nearly impossible to get, so great is the demand. And then something extraordinary happened. One of my close friends in Singapore has a friend in South Korea who might be able to get us two tickets when the time comes. It would be a miracle! I hope this happens but if not, I’m continuing to send my wish into the Universe; amazing things can happen. Was this why I wrote all these blogs?

Unintended possibilities from the BTS blogs

In retrospect, maybe these things could happen, although none were my intention:

• These blogs turned out to be nuanced profiles of seven out of the nine Enneagram types. In a sense, they shed light on these seven types for those of you who are interested in subtlety.
• Typing is not easy, but it is not that hard either. We can make it hard if we don’t fully understand the types, we focus on behaviors only, we make interpretations that may be our projections, or we add too many elements of the system beyond just type. Adding the Enneagram system’s complexities can often confuse more than clarify at the typing stage. These blogs show how to use type and patterns only.
• Some Enneagram-savvy people might learn to enjoy BTS and even perceive K-pop music differently. BTS are really artists.
• Some ARMYs (BTS’ fanbase) may get interested in the Enneagram or already know it and pursue the Enneagram more deeply; there are millions of ARMY worldwide.

So no more BTS blogs, at least for now. I guess my kidnappers will no longer return me! Enjoy one more BTS music video: “Boys with Love.”

About Ginger

Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD, author of nine Enneagram books, is a speaker, consultant, trainer, and coach. She provides certification programs and training tools for business professionals around the world who want to bring the Enneagram into organizations with high-impact business applications. TheEnneagramInBusiness.com | ginger@theenneagraminbusiness.com

The post BTS and the Enneagram | Why did I write these blogs? Part 12 appeared first on The Enneagram in Business.

Part 11 of the series explores the Enneagram type of  Jin, whose main roles in BTS are as a vocalist and a visual. The role of visual refers to someone who is, by South Korean standards, considered to be highly attractive and, thus, adds to the visual experience of the group when they are performing live or in videos. As the oldest BTS member, he was already an accomplished actor and was enrolled in the highly-regarded Konkuk University in the Department of Film and Visual Arts when he joined the group.

Kim Seokjin (Jin)  Enneagram Nine| The “Peaceful” person

Although this typing is still speculative, type Nine seems like a near match from everything I could learn about Seokjin. Online, those who also commented on his Enneagram type also noted type Nine as the most likely fit.

Nines seek peace, harmony, and positive mutual regard and dislike conflict, tension, demands, and ill will. So strong is their aversion to tension and conflict, they sense it immediately, then try to rectify the situation in a variety of ways. These methods include listening to others, affirming them, and making the person feel heard; through diplomacy by trying to promote mutual understanding and tolerance of different perspectives; and through relaxing conversations and enjoyable joke sharing or storytelling.

Nine are also easygoing, accepting, inclusive and supportive of others. They often make excellent facilitators because they encourage everyone to be heard, try to find common ground when misunderstandings arise, and are highly collaborative. Nines are also conflict-avoidant, unassertive, and can be indecisive. Often, it is easier for Nines to know what they don’t want than what they do want, even over some of the smallest things such as where to go for dinner. Essentially, they want to keep the peace, keep things light-hearted and not stir up conflict. They are often the last ones to share their opinions, if they do so at all. Sometimes they don’t actually know what they think at the moment. At other times, Nines want to hear what others think before they say something. They can then say something in a way that agrees with at least some others.

One of the ways Nines keep the peace is to promote harmony within groups and between others. They do this by being approachable and getting along easily with a variety of different people. To that end, they tend to be non-judgmental, at least externally; they are extremely sensitive to tension, feeling it somatically or within their own bodies; and try to reduce this uncomfortable feeling/sensation whenever possible.

Quotes from Seokjin about His Philosophy of Life

“I like to go with the flow.”
“You should always smile in life.”
“I’m easy to talk to.”
“I hate it when there’s a serious atmosphere. When people are too serious, I always try to lift the mood”
“Prejudice should not be tolerated; it really has no place.”
“Everything becomes a bad thing when you think negative. When you think positive, it becomes better.”

What other BTS members say about Seokjin (Hyung refers to someone like an older sibling or older friend and is used as a sign of respect)

RM: “When we’re with strangers, if Jin hyung says light jokes, the mood lights up really well. He’s really good with ice-breaking.”
Jimin: “He is one of the two members with the trait of being a mood-maker.” “He has always been taking care of us so I want to [say] thank you to him a lot.”
V: “He heals us and makes us laugh.” “I like Jin’s positive attitude. His bright energy makes others have positive attitudes. Energizer!”
Suga: “Jin is the human energy drink.”
J-Hope: “He plays the most important role of maintaining the team together. I think he gives us strength.”
Jung Kook: “Jin used to be an ordinary guy in the team, but he’s the mood-maker now. He’s the most wicked and funniest of all.”

General Description of Seokjin

While RM (Kim Namjoon) is often referred to as functioning as the “father” of BTS,  Kim Seokjin is called the “mom” of the group because he provides nurturance, guidance, and support for all of them, and especially the younger members, V, Jimin and Jung Kook. He’s been described as “keeping the group under control but not through hierarchy, which he could do because he is the oldest member.” Instead, he does this is a more typical type Nine way: “He is like a mother hen who is always taking care that order is preserved. Even, I’ve also seen videos where the members look at him as if asking permission to do some things, and he discreetly gives them his approval; he’s very nice to watch.”

Even more, the way Seokjin does this is also classic Nine: a focus on the group or team, then on the individuals within it. It’s said that he “Keeps the group together like glue.” But what is the glue he uses? Seokjin, as is common in Nines, does a number of things that generate goodwill and group harmony plus create a light-hearted, accepting, and inclusive atmosphere. The most obvious is his warm, approachable, and optimistic style. He has developed loving relationships with each individual BTS member and the group as a whole. It is obvious that he cares about each of them and will put the group needs above his own. It’s been said that he “watches out for everyone” to make sure they’re OK, and whether on stage or informally, if a team member looks distressed in any way, Seokjin seems to sense this and approaches them with a full embrace and a deeply warm smile.

Another way Seokjin has consistently shown his care for BTS as a team and its individual members is through his cooking. He loves to cook, is quite skilled at it, and began cooking for BTS members early on, even pre-debut. They were all living in one dorm room, many of them had limited financial resources, and they were all teenagers. In addition, they were in school, but were also practicing (music and choreography) for hours each day. In this context, what a delight to have many of their meals homemade and well-prepared. Food brings people together, and good food does this even more. In a sense, it is the ultimate way of nurturing. Unconditional positive regard, a type Nine’s strength, combined with the nurturance of food, Seok-Jin’s hobby, provided just what BTS needed to create group harmony, synergy and well-being.

Seokjin has also nurtured both individual and subsets of BTS members, especially the younger members, V, Jimin and Jung Kook. A telling story is how Seokjin provided special support to BTS’ youngest member, Jung Kook. According to Jung Kook, “I had times where I was thinking about giving up and just returning to Busan [where JK was from] but Jin Hyung took me to his parents, treated me like his real dongsaeng [younger sibling] and made me love this city [Seoul] so I stayed.” It is also commonly known that Seokjin regularly “made JK’s lunch and drove the young Jung Kook back and forth to school.” Seokjin is also known to get very playful with the youngest BTS members, engaging in silly antics almost as if he is one of them. He joins them in an affectionate way, yet he can also step into his role as the eldest BTS member and helps keep the Maknae  (youngest) trio from being too rambunctious when it does not serve the team. Enneagram Nines are often quite adept at maintaining unity, perceiving and accepting different people and ways of being, and helping everyone feel included and an important part of the whole.

Enneagram Nines: Use of Humor

Nines like to keep environments and relationships positive with minimal unease, and Seokjin uses an abundance of humor to reduce tension and lighten the atmosphere. By his own admission, he likes to make others laugh, and other BTS members credit him with also being adept at breaking the ice with strangers.

Seokjin is well-known for his abundance of and frequent use of “dad jokes.” “Dad jokes” are jokes that are sometimes puns (word plays) or involve one simple statement (“one-liners”), but they come in many forms. Fathers often use them to amuse others, and his jokes can elicit laughs, groans (as in, do I really have to listen to this), or no response at all. Here are two actual examples from what appears to be a vast supply of Seokjin’s “dad jokes”:

Seokjin question: What can’t you have in the morning?
Seokjin answer: Lunch and dinner

Seokjin question: Do you know why, whenever I’m sad, I read my blood donor identification card?
Seokjin answer: Because it always says B positive.

Nines also make amusing remarks, even self-deprecating ones. Here are three examples from Seokjin’s repertoire:

“Sometimes I talk to myself, and we both laugh.”
“I like nonsense; it wakes up your brain cells.”
“When something is delicious, it has zero calories.”

When Seokjin makes a joke, he typically laughs while he is telling the joke or sometimes directly afterward, accompanied by the words “HaHaHa.” Sometimes, he indicates how funny he thinks the joke is by laughing and simultaneously slapping his thigh as if indicating ”That was so good or so funny.”

Why do Nines like Seokjin tell jokes or make amusing comments so often? There are so many reasons beyond an effort to raise the optimism level. First, telling jokes relaxes Nines themselves, plus laughing generates the feel-good hormones: endorphins, dopamine and oxytocin. These hormones also promote social bonding, which is what Nines thrive on. Joke-telling is also a way to break down barriers between people, especially in new or potentially awkward situations such as when no one is talking or knows quite what to say. Jokes can also lighten the atmosphere when there is conflict or tension. Jokes can also be used to distract from serious conversations, and Nines prefer to keep conversations lighter than heavier. In addition, joking around can be a way of expressing displeasure or anger without doing so directly. They may levy a joke or comment and then say, “But I was only joking” when, in fact, there was a meta-message in the joke.

Struggles with Self-Expression, Self-Assertion and Expressing Anger

Although joke telling does have many benefits, as well as some issues, Nines also tell jokes as a way to express and assert themselves as well as to express anger. Nines are sometimes referred to as “having anger that went to sleep.” What this means is that Nines have issues with feeling and expressing their own anger because to do so, in their view, risks conflict between them and others, thus eroding the relational harmony they most desire. As a result, Nines put their “anger to sleep” by unconsciously reducing their body (somatic) awareness. If they don’t have somatic cues that they are angry, they don’t know they’re angry and then they don’t need to acknowledge or express it.

Seokjin knows that expressing his anger is a challenge. In his own words: “What is difficult for me is when I am upset. Sometimes I get angry but I am not very convincing. If I have small concerns, I just try to forget about them as soon as I can. It’s better that I am cheerful. It’s better to always get along with members, making jokes. They listen to my concerns without feeling pressured and they can talk to me more easily.”

When Nines put their “anger to sleep” by way of turning down their somatic cues, the body then minimizes all body cues and limits a Nine’s awareness of self. Fear, joy, sorrow, in addition to anger, are also minimized. Without easy access to their emotional responses, it’s difficult to know what they feel or what they want. As a result, self-expression and self-assertion become difficult. Another result is to be self-discounting and self-deprecating. As Seokjin himself says, “I do struggle with self-doubt and downplay my expertise and value of my insights. Being self-effacing has helped in life, but I think it can also hurt.”

Enneagram Nines: Numbing and Merging

Nines try to get along with everyone if they can and to do this, they tend to go along with what other people want. Doing so reduces tension, both their own internal tension and tensions between themselves and others. In Enneagram language, the way Nines most often do this, in addition to being less in touch with their own somatic and emotional responses, is through “narcotization.” This term does not mean they are literally on some sort of narcotic. Instead, it refers to different ways Nines numb themselves or merge with something else as a way of not tuning into themselves. They numb themselves by engaging in pleasant, often repetitive activities, as a way of comforting themselves when distressed. Nines typically do this when they or upset or angry, when they are supposed to do something they don’t want to do, or when they don’t know how to do something.

Seokjin describes this himself: “The way I recharge is simple. I have three ways. Either I eat, play games, or sleep.” “When I eat, I feel happy and everyone looks like angels.” What he also does to relax or recharge is one of his favorite activities: fishing. For Nines, the point of fishing isn’t necessarily how many fish they catch or how big the fish. The point is the relaxation they experience while fishing.

A 2021 Singapore Vogue interview with Seokjin says this: “A typical day off for Jin goes something like this: he falls asleep after playing computer games until 5 am and finally wakes up at 2 pm. Then he stays in bed and stares blankly at the ceiling for about three hours, occasionally checking his phone or turning on the TV and flipping through the channels. Eventually, he sits in front of the computer again, and he eats something when hunger strikes. After eating, he feels drowsy and heads back to bed. To borrow Jin’s expression, this is a day that is ‘excessively lazy, and that some might say is a bit pathetic’.”

However, his behavior is neither lazy nor pathetic. It is simply a description of the way in which Jin, if he is an Enneagram Nine, relaxes and recalibrates. When Nines are doing their favorite comforting activities, they lose track of time and submerge themselves so thoroughly, referred to as merging, that what might have distressed them is minimized or eliminated.

Enneagram Nines: Collections

Another way Nines merge with something and, in this sense, relax and don’t pay attention to what is occurring within them, is through their collections. Just because someone collects things does not make them a Nine, yet almost all Nines collect items, and they often have multiple collections that are emotionally important to them. In fact, they experience their collections as a source of comfort and joy. What do Nines collect? Whatever makes their heart sing!

My Nine ex-husband, although he was not at all religious, used to collect crosses, in all different shapes and sizes. He said looking at them made him feel good. He also collected anything in the alligator/crocodile genre except not the real thing. This collection started with a gold alligator necklace and over the years, he had either bought or was gifted nearly 200 items: staplers, ashtrays, pins, salad servers, rings, glasses and more. He also had collections of books by authors he loved, and he had to have every book by that author. He actually read them, had them on a shelf, and would never lend them; otherwise, the collection would be broken up.

A female friend, also a Nine, said she had no collections, but then I visited her home. She had about 30+ ceramic owls in her kitchen shelf, each with its own special place. Although she insisted it was not a collection, it was. In her mind, a collection needed over 100 items to qualify. However, with a Nine and their collections, it’s not the quantity. It has to do with how they feel about the items as a whole. It’s comforting, they merge with their collections, and these have great sentimental value to them.

What are Seokjin’s collections, from what I could observe or read? Here’s a list: sunglasses, cars, Super Mario, Maples Story, Nintendo, the Italian video game “plumber,” plushies (soft and squishy animals cartoon characters and more), KAWS collectibles, and there are likely additional collections.

He often wears items from his sunglass collection on stage. Typically, they are amusing in appearance such as googly eyes, pirate glasses complete with pirate hat and eye-patch, oversize silver glasses with large silver balls that bob around when he moves, funky light blue glasses with rhinestones, and clown or jester glasses. He wears them to make people laugh, while he simultaneously laughs or makes a serious or dead-pan face, which adds to the humorous impact.

Seokjin also collects cars: a Mercedes S-class, an Aston Martin, a Lamborghini, a Rolls Royce, a Porsche and a Mini Countryman, and there are likely more. What makes these a collection is the sentimental value they hold. He customizes and personalizes each car to make them his own. The point of all these collections, whether expensive cars or inexpensive toys, is primarily the pleasure in having them and the memories they contain. 

Seokjin’s Speaking Style

Seokjin’s speaking style is highly consistent with Enneagram Nines. He has a “soft lilting speaking voice.” I often describe the Nine’s voice as sounding like honey without a great deal of animation or variations in inflection. Seokjin’s voice sounds pretty much the same no matter what he is saying. His voice is also described as having a “playful yet confident tone,” and he punctuates his remarks with distinctive squeaks of laughter (once described as “the sound glass makes when being cleaned”).

Seokjin is known for being able to “say delicate things without offending” and “when angry, he doesn’t lash out, but says things like ‘Those words could hurt’.” This way of communicating is typical of most Nines. When they do bring up issues, it is not in a way that the other person feels attacked or criticized. He uses “language designed to keep people laughing and to not take anything too seriously.”

Other descriptions of “Seokjin’s speaking style in Korean do not necessarily reflect Enneagram Nine’s way of communicating, but they are interesting. He apparently, “speaks in a bit of an old-fashioned way,” frequently “uses puns,” and “rarely uses slang.” This may have more to do with his family background and upbringing than his Enneagram type.

However, he often says “you know?” at the end of a sentence. Using “you know” is called a filler word in a sentence and can have multiple functions and meanings. It can be an indirect request for confirmation of something. It can also indicate embarrassment or anxiety from the speaker. Sometimes it is simply a filler word giving the speaker time to consider what to say next. Seokjin frequently introduces himself with the moniker “world-wide handsome” followed by “you know?” Although Seokjin was initially hired as a BTS visual for his handsomeness, this self-designated nickname is meant as a joke, with the words “you know” meant to emphasize the humor. As he says, “I gave myself [the name] ‘worldwide handsome.’ It’s a nickname that I came up with during an interview. Even I find it a little embarrassing to say, but many people like it, although I’m not actually worldwide handsome.”

Seokjin’s Non-Verbal Behavior

If Seokjin is an Enneagram Nine, which seems likely, his non-verbal behavior is consistent with this Enneagram type. Apparently, his “ears turn red when he gets direct attention, different from doing something to divert attention from other members who appear to want attention at that moment.” On the one hand, Nines do not like too much attention placed on them as individuals, although group attention is much easier for them. On the other hand, Nines do like to be acknowledged and noticed, just not for too long a period of time.

Seokjin also smiles frequently as is true of almost all Nines. They tend to be optimistic, plus they want to be approachable. People who smile and appear sincere are often perceived as more relatable. He also acts silly or goofy and plays around a lot, particularly with the younger BTS members, V, Jimin and Jung Kook. In a Singapore Vogue (2021) interview, Seokjin was asked this question: “What is the most important thing in your life?” His answer: To make sure I’m happy. I always goof around. I feel happy when I goof around. Others smile and that makes me feel good.” For Nines, keeping people happy and harmonious is paramount, so being silly can be one of the multiple methods they use.

Finally, Seokjin blows or throws kisses to his audience when he introduces himself during interviews and onstage. He sometimes accompanies the kisses with eye winks, two fingers (or an open palm minus his thumb) to his mouth that then quickly moving forward toward the camera or audience, or with the hand expression of his thumb crossed over his index finger that indicates love or affection. With great sincerity, he likes to non-verbally express his love for ARMY, the BTS fanbase. Although all BTS members express their gratitude and love for ARMY, most do so verbally, while Seokjin does this more often non-verbally. For Nines, the non-verbal expression of feelings can come more easily than the words themselves.

Challenges for Enneagram Nines

Enneagram Nines, like all Enneagram types, have type-specific challenges. The first is to believe that they really matter, just as much as anyone and everyone else. They need to matter to themselves, most of all. Because Nines want everything to be comfortable and tension-free, they, in a sense, go to sleep in relation to themselves: their bodies, their desires and preferences, their opinions, and more. Compounding this is their tendency to merge with others, particularly those they like and find positive, as a way of relating. In doing this blending with another, almost as if becoming them, Nines lose touch with what is occurring inside themselves.

The second area for Nines to work with is to acknowledge, feel and express their anger. Over-expressed anger, of course, is not the solution and can be harmful. However, acknowledged and self-regulated anger is an important human emotion and can be highly productive. Anger helps us say “No” when we need to and to set clear boundaries between ourselves and other people. Anger is also a form of vitality, when accessed effectively, that helps us move in a forward direction. Anger also helps us stand up for our principles, for ourselves and for others when we’ve been violated. 

Simple, Powerful Development for Enneagram Nines

Rumi Poem
“You must ask for what you want
Don’t go back to sleep
The door is round and open
Don’t go back to sleep”

Welcome your anger as an ally
Instead of avoiding and submerging your anger, explore it. Start by recognizing that feeling angry and dealing with conflict directly, yet respectfully, can bring people closer together and create a deep level of harmony and mutual respect. Next, explore your own anger. Where do you experience it in your body? What occurred that you feel angry about? Who are you angry with? Take the opportunity to share your concerns directly with the other person.

Express your opinions and preferences directly and early
Do you know what you want? What is it? Do you know what you don’t want? What is that? Finally, express your wants and preferences directly and early on. This may surprise others because they are not used to you doing that, but they will get used to it and may even like it. Notice if you are making a joke or smiling when your desire is of a more serious nature. Joking and smiling can undercut your message which could contribute to people not truly hearing what you mean and say.

Watch Seokjin’s music video

Here: Experience the soulful side of Seokjin in his solo performance of “Epiphany” (2018).

About Ginger

Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD, author of nine Enneagram books, is a speaker, consultant, trainer, and coach. She provides certification programs and training tools for business professionals around the world who want to bring the Enneagram into organizations with high-impact business applications. TheEnneagramInBusiness.com | ginger@theenneagraminbusiness.com

The photo used for this blog is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license and was downloaded from the Wikimedia Commons site. Through Wikipedia Commons, an independent reviewer confirmed that this image was under the stated license on that date listed. BTS is very careful and diligent with their copyrighted materials, which we respect and follow. All photos for this blog will be obtained from Wikimedia Commons with an International Creative Commons copyright.

The post BTS Enneagram Types: Part 11 | Jin (Kim Seokjin or Kim Seokjin) Type 9 appeared first on The Enneagram in Business.

Part 10 of the series explores the Enneagram type of  J-Hope, BTS’s main dancer, rapper, sub vocalist who is also songwriter, record producer and a member of the prestigious Korea Music Copyright Association. He began as a well-known street dancer prior to joining BTS, then became highly skilled as a vocalist, a rap artist and so forth.

Jung Hoseok (J-Hope aka Hobi) Enneagram Seven | The “Joyful” person

Although this is still speculative, I think Hoseok is an Enneagram Seven. Online, people who wrote about his type came to the same conclusion. Why does Enneagram Seven seem like a good match for him? Enneagram Sevens have a thirst for stimulation, from new ideas, new people, and new experiences. They also engage in positive possibility planning, wanting to keep all of their options open. They are imaginative, enthusiastic, quick-thinking, and often charming and engaging. They can also be highly spontaneous, even impulsive at times, and also rebellious if they feel their freedom is being limited.

In addition, Sevens are pain-avoidant. Pain avoidance isn’t just about physical pain; it is also about emotions with which they are uncomfortable, and this includes feeling sad or sorrowful but also fear and anger. Sevens avoid pain and discomfort in multiple ways. They engage in positive thinking and positive experiences whenever possible – for example, thinking of future plans they are excited about, being easily stimulated and also distracted by anything new or they find curious and exciting. This sets in motion a dopamine somatic response, dopamine being a pleasure, satisfaction and motivational hormone and neurotransmitter. If stimulation by something new and exciting doesn’t work, Sevens also use reframing. Reframing means making something negative into a positive. As an example, a Seven might be late to a meeting and say, “I know I was late, but I ran into two people who want to engage our services. Isn’t that great!”

Sevens are sometimes called the Peter Pans of the Enneagram because they are extremely optimistic, thinking that just about anything is possible. They are also upbeat and fun-loving. Many Sevens look younger than they actually are, so strong is their positive outlook, as if the harsher realities of adulthood have not yet sunk in. Sevens also feel responsible for bringing hope, joy and enthusiasm to those they encounter.

Quotes from Hoseok about optimism

“I always try to bring the fun into whatever I’m doing.”
“Stay positive in the face of hardships. Your positive mindset can move mountains.”
“Find joy in the journey, not just the destination.”
“You are in charge of your own happiness. Choose to be happy every day.”

What other BTS members say about Hoseok (Hobi Hyung; Hyung refers to someone like an older sibling or friend older and is used as a sign of respect)

RM “J-Hope always lights up this atmosphere. And he does best leading in performance, so he shares about half of my leader role, and I admire that.”
Jin: “He has this extraordinary leadership. If there’s somebody out of place, how he gathers them up… I admire that and I’m thankful for that.”
V: “If RM Hyung has the role of leader, I think Hobi Hyung stands in the middle between our members one by one. He’s very sweet and takes care of everything. That’s why he has a clear image of what he thinks and what he wants to do, and he achieves it.”
Suga: “J-Hope has a lot of positive energy.” “Hope is my vitamin.” “He’s a portable charger.”
Jimin: “…the fact that he thinks a member having a hard time is more frustrating than his own is so sweet, kind, and thoughtful.”
Jung Kook: “There’s not a person who gives us strength as much as Hobi Hyung. When we work, practice, or if there’s personal lives, we tend to get exhausted or frustrated. But when that happens, Hobi Hyung gives strength to us a lot.”

General Description of Hoseok

Hoseok is most often described as highly energetic, joyful and smiling, as well as being a talented dancer; his dancing background was initially in street and freestyle dancing as well as beatboxing. He also has the moniker of “sunshine” due to his upbeat interpersonal style. Those who know him personally describe him as a really, really nice person who continuously supports and encourages other BTS members in every way he can. For example, Hoseok gives BTS members big hugs when they need it and offers encouraging words when they get disheartened. He is also very playful, especially, but not only, with the younger BTS members Jimin, V and Jung Kook.

The above descriptions are highly consistent with Enneagram Sevens. Because they are highly optimistic, Sevens believe that just about anything is possible if you put your mind to it and are doing it with the right people. The right people means people committed to the same vision and who have the talent and commitment to make that vision a reality. With other BTS members, it can be inferred that other BTS members share Hoseok’s view of their possibilities. Clearly, the talent is there in each of them and also as a unit.

Seven’s also believe it is their role and responsibility to keep things moving forward in an upbeat and positive direction. They do this through their generating and sharing their novel ideas, their charismatic charm, and their personal effervescence. Hoseok is described as having this kind of “infectious” energy, yet he can also be quite intent at certain times.  For example, he plays a key role in choreographing dance moves. He gets other BTS members to practice their dance moves until they have the choreography down perfectly, even though he already knows the moves himself. V comments that he seeks Hoseok’s explicit approval regarding his ability to execute their complex choreography.

What about the Seven’s need for constant stimulation, a quality that contributes to their challenges with staying focused on anyone thing for too long? Hoseok describes his need for challenge and variety: “When I was little, I worked on getting ready to become a trainee. Then I became a trainee and challenged myself in various ways while getting ready for our debut. I’m still trying to push myself to all kinds of new adventures.” As much as Sevens crave variety, they can stay focused when they are deeply passionate about an activity, task or project. My guess is that his passion for BTS as a group and for their music, choreography and what they create together overrides his need for constant stimulation through ever-changing variety.

Youthful Innocence

Hoseok has a pure innocence about him, a child-like sense of playfulness and joy, as if unfiltered through life’s challenges, which, of course, he has had. Many Sevens have also suffered and dealt with difficult situations, but they rarely express this. Instead, they present a positive persona or exterior and often keep their suffering and internal angsts to a minimum. They may feel certain emotions, but then ignore them in one of two ways: (1) by thinking about something exciting instead or (2) by acknowledging the uncomfortable feeling but not staying with the emotion for very long or exploring it in sufficient depth.

Hoseok selected his stage name of J-Hope himself and almost always introduces himself in interviews and on stage this way: “I’m your hope; you’re my hope; I’m J-Hope.” He does this, always with a large smile, and the impact of this introduction is one of being uplifted and believing that whatever troubles you will pass and the future holds perpetual possibility.

Min Yoongi (Suga), a BTS member considered to be a musical genius, was asked to describe which musical genre would best suit each BTS member in their solo endeavors. For Hoseok, Yoongi replied, “Something cheerful. Something that gives positive energy to kids. A children’s song.”

Energizing and Tension-Relieving

Sevens believe they need to keep everything upbeat and positive. In Hoseok’s own words: “I feel like I consistently and unchangingly give the team good energy. I don’t know if I’m actually the [team’s] vitamins or not. Looking back, I’ve always tried to give them good energy and keep them in a good mood, and I think it’s safe to say now that I’m one of those people who try hard to keep their group’s energy up.”

In addition to using their effervescent enthusiasm to keep others motivated, Sevens also use humor when, in their perception, things are too serious. They also use humor just to be playful. For example, a young female actress during a film shoot for a video where she played V’s sister was asked what BTS members were like in person and if they were actually funny. She answered that while all of them were funny, J-Hope was the funniest of them all.

Storytelling

Of all the Enneagram types, Sevens are known as the consummate storytellers. In other words, they like to express themselves through sharing their experiences and perceptions in story form. Here is what one person noted about Hoeseok: “Dancing lets him tell stories through choreography.”

And here is how Hoseok describes himself in a 2020 interview with the Wall Street Journal: “I first study the topic and think about what story I need to tell and what kind of content it should encompass. Sometimes the type of stories I’m dealing with are light, but sometimes they aren’t, so it’s important that I’m knowledgeable about what I’m working on.” Apparently, he then “molds his vocals, rapping style and choreography to reflect the content of his lyrics.”

Speaking Style

Hoseok’s speaking style is highly consistent with that of Enneagram Sevens. The way he speaks is described as “friendly,” with a “brightness in his voice,” as well as a great deal of “energy.” He also “talks fast,” which is a tell-tale sign in Sevens. The reason for this is that they think very, very fast and unless they are highly introverted, which Hoseok does not appear to be. The Seven mind is like an inner brainstorm where one idea comes extremely quickly after another thought, all in rapid and sometimes overlapping succession. Fast-talking gets their ideas out quickly and also is an energy booster for them and others.

Hoseok’s speaking style has other characteristics consistent with Enneagram Seven. He laughs and “giggles” frequently and is even teased by other BTS members for his frequent use of the words “Hahahaha,” indicating laughter. He’s also verbally expressive and is known for making sound effects such as “chirps, shouts, squeals, and little laughs.”

In addition, his “sentence endings are higher, lighter and the phrases are more bouncy.” What this refers to is what is called a vocal “uptick” at the end of a statement. A question normally ends with a vocal uptick; our voice naturally goes up at the end at the end of a sentence like a question mark as if inviting a reaction. However, an uptick at the end of a statement that is not a question gives a different message. Is the person uncertain of their statement? Is the person making a statement but using the uptick to invite a response? Certain Enneagram types use the uptick when making a statement but for different reasons. With Sevens, it’s largely to invite a response. Sevens like to express their own ideas, but they also want a response from others about their ideas. Many, but not all, Sevens use an uptick at the end of statements.

Non-Verbal Behavior

Here is a summary of the non-verbal behavior of Enneagram Sevens and then a comparison with the way Hoseok expresses himself non-verbally. Enneagram Sevens are the most optimistic of all nine Enneagram types. They convey this through abundant smiling, with bright and even sparkling eyes, highly animated faces, numerous large hand and arm gestures and energetic physical movement.

According to those who know Hoseok personally, he “doesn’t stay still for long, is very energetic and active and doesn’t like staying in one spot for long.” He’s described as “a big ball of energy” with incredible physical flexibility while, simultaneously, having  “control over his body, movements, gestures, steps and jumps.” His smile is “radiant.”

Emotional Expressiveness

Hoseok also has highly expressive emotional reactions, often shown not only through his facial expressions but also throughout his body. This is also common in many Sevens. When he receives compliments, he appears flustered and covers his eyes or he smiles with tears in his eyes. People often think that Sevens crave compliments or positive feedback, but this is not the case. They are often surprised by it and not sure how exactly to handle it. When he is happy, he makes big heart shapes with arms and hands and gives himself huge self-hugs where his arms wrap in front totally around his body. He’ll make an I love you (heart) sign with fingers, combined with a huge smile and happy dances. During these times, Hoseok’s whole face lights up and his eyes sparkle even more than they normally do.

He also shows other emotions quite visibly and instantly, emotions such as sadness, anger and fear. When he is feeling sad, his sorrow “feels contagious.” Other BTS members “tear up when he feels sad.” Sevens do not show their sadness readily, but when they do, it often feels very pure and compelling. Hoseok even cries when he feels emotionally moved, such as when other BTS honor him in a birthday celebration, at BTS concerts when ARMY, BTS’ fanbase, show their appreciation and love or when Jung Kook, the youngest BTS member, went off to school and when he graduated from high school.

When Hoseok is angry, other BTS members take note. They describe him as “scary” when he’s angry, but this may be partly a result of Hoseok not getting angry very often. When he does, there is a dramatic contrast between his normal demeanor and how he responds when upset. It is also common for Sevens, when angry, to use a sharp, curt voice tone. Min Yoongi (Suga) notes that when Hoseok is angry, his mouth quickly changes from a smile to a downward-shaped “U,” his eyes no longer sparkle, and he either looks directly at the person he is angry with or looks downward. Jung Kook says, “When J-Hope is angry, he can’t really hide it on his face.” And when Hoseok feels afraid, usually regarding something physical such as a potentially dangerous game or outdoor experience, his whole body often collapses, and he immediately covers his face.

Why such strong, fully embodied, emotional expressions? Most Sevens do express their emotions through instantaneous and highly visible facial animation. Some may also express their feelings through their bodies or at least by moving around, pacing, tapping their feet up through their legs, and so forth. Hoseok’s full-bodied response may also be related to his being a highly accomplished dancer who appears to both experience and express his inner states through his body.

This strength is expression, however, may be the result of another factor. Other than joy or happiness, most Sevens do not like experiencing sorrow, fear or anger because these detract from their optimism. As a consequence, when they do experience these feelings, they unconsciously avoid the emotion by doing something or thinking about something they find stimulating, or reframing. For example, early on when BTS performed, Hoseok did not receive the same level of applause, fan mail or fan gifts as other BTS members. He was visibly sad, yet said “It’s OK, everything will turn out fine.” However, these feelings still lurk inside and accumulate inside Sevens.  Consequently, when something stimulates that particular emotion once again, the intense expression of these stored-up feelings is not unusual.

Something Special About His Appearance

In these blogs on BTS members and their possible Enneagram types, I’ve made no mention about their physical appearance in terms of attractiveness. This has been intentional because attractiveness is not Enneagram-type related. That said, there’s something of note online about Hoseok that I have read so many times that it might well be related to his Enneagram type. Here are some direct quotes:

“You get punched in the face by his beauty.”
“Photos and videos of him do not do him justice.”
“He’s at least three times more attractive in person than from stills or videos; this is not true of other BTS members who look very similar in person to how they look on video or in photos.”
“He has a powerful charismatic energy that can’t be captured by the camera.”

I wondered about these very frequent quotes about his attractiveness on- and off-camera. Could it be his bone structure? Often, this is the cause of why someone might look better in person than on camera. And some people look better on camera than in person. But I then came across other comments from people who had seen Hoseok in person that are worth sharing. There were multiple comments that essentially said this: There’s something about him where he has a glow or a light emitting from him that is captivating and hard to explain in words. At first glance, it could be thought that this is simply the glow of charisma that celebrities might have or that a person can learn from an advanced course in presentation skills. However, notable in these same comments were statements that they did not experience this same light coming from other BTS members.

Upon reading these comments, I was once keenly reminded of that very same “glow” I’ve seen in a few Enneagram Sevens. Most Enneagram types get their groundedness from the Earth. This refers to a sense of their wholeness and embodiment starting with their feet on the ground and then moving their awareness up through their bodies into the heads. Enneagram Sevens, by contrast, get their energy from right above their heads. To get grounded and into fully embodied wholeness, they need to bring their energy down through their heads into the rest of the body until it reaches their feet.

What then is this glow in some Enneagram Sevens? When Sevens have learned to channel their energy from above and also done a great deal of inner development work, a clear, almost spiritual energetic sense of wholeness glows throughout them. When I see it, I refer to them as “light beings,” meaning “beings of light.” I think Hosoek may be one of these Sevens, although I’ve never seen him in person. The few Sevens I’ve seen who have this “glow,” and I’ve experienced thousands of Sevens in my work with the Enneagram, are usually much older than their late 20s/early 30s.

One More Thing About Hoseok

Most Sevens pay much greater attention to the outer world of experience than their own inner worlds. The external environment provides them with continual stimulation, while the inner life contains feelings and experiences they may not want to feel or reflect on. Hoseok, even though he has just turned 30 (in international age), asks himself the challenging questions many of us should reflect on but often do not.

During the pandemic when BTS could do no live performances, he said in a Weverse interview (2021) “I ended up thinking about the shadows inside me. I realized I’m not just some always-cheery person – I experience hardship, too. So I thought I could grow closer with listeners by sharing little parts of me that I had been hiding away, and that it would be interesting to show people a side of me that’s different from their idea of who J-Hope is.”

His self-reflection is also evidenced by his insights from his recent Prime Video docuseries “Hope on the Street.” “I think I’m pretending to enjoy things. I say I love what I’m doing, but I don’t think there are many things I actually enjoy. I say that I am enjoying something but am not sure I truly am. Sometimes I feel very out of touch with my true self.”

This level of self-awareness and inquiry is quite remarkable for any person of an Enneagram type and at any age!

Challenges for Enneagram Sevens

Enneagram Sevens have challenges that are unique to them and to their self-development. The first challenge is the ability to look inward, explore what you discover, and to stay with those experiences. Be as curious about the inside as you are with the outside. This will help you learn to stay more focused, which is a big challenge for Sevens. A second challenge for Sevens is to pay attention to and honor all of your feelings, especially those you prefer not to engage with. The more you do this, the more whole you will feel and the more familiar you’ll become with the subtle nuances of emotions. This also increases your familiarity and ability to work with these same emotions when they arise at later points. The third challenge is to question yourself about whether it is your role and responsibility to keep everyone happy and uplifted. Is it? Although some may appreciate your doing this, others may want to explore the issues that arise in them more fully. And consider the price you may pay for always needing to act upbeat, even when you don’t feel that way.

Simple, Powerful Development for Enneagram Sevens

Rumi poem
Reflect on the meaning of this poem by 13th-century poet Rumi:
“I looked inwards
And the beauty of my own emptiness
Filled me until dawn”

Slow down using your breath
Most Sevens breathe as fast as they talk. First, slow down your breathing and breathe more fully into your whole body and not just into your head. Breathe through your nose, allow your breath to move down your body, and exhale through your mouth. This helps you relax, slow down, and experience and savor more of life, both the external and the internal.

Ground yourself from your head to your feet
Starting at the top or just above the top of your head, imagine and sense somatically your energy in that place. Then, by intention and attention, gradually bring that quality of energy through your head, your neck, your shoulders and arms and so forth. Bring the energy down your torso, pelvis, legs and feet until you feel your feet connected to the ground. Practice this multiple times daily.

Watch J-Hope’s Music Video

Here: Enjoy J-Hope’s solo music  “I Wonder,” with background vocals by Jungkook (2024). You might even want to dance to it!

About Ginger

Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD, author of nine Enneagram books, is a speaker, consultant, trainer, and coach. She provides certification programs and training tools for business professionals around the world who want to bring the Enneagram into organizations with high-impact business applications. TheEnneagramInBusiness.com | ginger@theenneagraminbusiness.com

The photo used for this blog is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported license and was downloaded from the Wikimedia Commons site. Through Wikipedia Commons, an independent reviewer confirmed that this image was under the stated license on that date listed. BTS is very careful and diligent with their copyrighted materials, which we respect and follow. All photos for this blog will be obtained from Wikimedia Commons with an International Creative Commons copyright.

The post BTS Enneagram Types: Part 10 | J-Hope (Jung Hoseok ) Type 7 appeared first on The Enneagram in Business.

Part 9 focuses on BTS member Jung Kook. He is their main vocalist, sub-rapper, lead dancer, and their center. Center is a position where they appear in the front middle during performances and is considered the highest performance position. The person is chosen as center because they are either the main singer, the main dancer, the most popular member and/or have “stage presence.” He joined BTS as its youngest member at the age of 13 (US age; 15 Korean age). He also writes and produces music and earned full membership with the Korea Music Copyright Association (2024).

In searching online for what others thought about Jung Kook’s Enneagram type, I was intrigued at the variety of answers people gave and baffled by the reasons people gave for their ideas. Some thought him an Enneagram Seven based on the idea that Jung Kook has a variety of interests. Being interested in many things does not make a person a Seven, plus once he’s interested in something, Jung Kook pursues this area to high levels of proficiency. Sevens, by contrast, get interested or stimulated by something, but drop pursuing it because they get bored easily or feel under-stimulated. The exception is when Sevens are deeply passionate about something.

There were some online who thought Jung Kook was an Eight, but why? The reason was that Jung Kook is intense or because the person writing the comment perceived Jung Kook as a leader. However, being intense does not necessarily mean a person is an Eight. Two other Enneagram types, Fours and Sixes, are also intense relative to other people. Being a leader does also not make a person an Eight, because all Enneagram types can lead, just in nine different ways. Jung Kook does have some lead roles in BTS, but he is not, nor does he perceive himself, as a leader in BTS. Some people thought he was a Four because he’s intense, creative and artistic. However, creativity or being artistic does not align with a particular type.

I know more about Jung Kook than any of the other BTS members, although I do not know him personally. It is because of him that I got so interested in BTS, their music, and their global impact. It started one day as I was scrolling my Facebook feed, even though I am not a Facebook fan. I do this because my book publisher (McGraw Hill) said I needed to do this. Last November, I saw a post on my Facebook feed about Jimmy Fallon, with a video. I also do not watch late-night talk show hosts, Fallon being one of them. Why I clicked on this link I have no idea, but I did and Jung Kook was his special guest. I had no idea who he was although I had vaguely heard of BTS.

First, I was taken by Jimmy Fallon’s interview of Jung Kook and Jung Kook’s sweet humility. I then watched his live performance of “Standing Next to You” and was stunned. What I watched felt like near perfection. His vocals were stunning as was his breath control. I could hear that he had “perfect pitch,” which is rare. The choreography was spectacular and dynamic. How could he sing so well while being simultaneously in rapid motion? From that moment on, I learned as much as I could about him, but then I became fascinated by the other six members and BTS as a whole. That was just the beginning.

Jeon Jung Kook (Jungkook) Enneagram Six | The “Loyal” Person

I believe Jung Kook is most likely an Enneagram Six, an Enneagram type that seeks meaning, support and certainty in what they perceive as an uncertain world. In other words, because of their search for certitude, they try to pick up as much information as they can and are often described as having a built-in antenna that revolves 360° by which they collect all kinds of information about people, situations, and more.  As a result of picking up all this data, Sixes are often insightful, but they are also prone to worry, and they then create anticipatory scenarios so they feel prepared for whatever may come. Many Sixes perceive themselves less as worriers and more as really good problem solvers who like to map out different pathways to achieve their desired outcomes. All Sixes have highly activated minds!

Sixes also have a special relationship to risk. They actually like risk so they can plan ahead or problem-solve in order to minimize the risk involved. Too much risk, however, scares them. Too little risk, however, and they get bored. Some Sixes are obviously fearful and anxious and try to minimize risk. Still, other Sixes use risk as a vehicle to prove their fearlessness. They can appear courageous because they take on big challenges, often, but not only, physical risks, that prove to themselves and others that they are not fearful. Some Sixes are both fearful and fearless but at different moments in time. If Sixes sound complex and sometimes contradictory, they are or can be!

Sixes are also highly loyal to people and groups, until they aren’t. Once their trust is broken, so is their loyalty. Sixes are also collaborative because they value problem-solving with others. They reason that the more people who can think through a situation, the more optimal the solutions are likely to be. At the same time, Sixes also want to do things their own way. Sixes are also persevering, even overly tenacious at times, until they give something up, which they will do although it takes them time to let go. They can also be both cautious and impetuous. In other words, Sixes can be full of contradictions, and their opposing inner forces – contradictions or paradoxes – make them the most complex of the nine Enneagram types. Sixes are also quite intense as a result of the many thoughts, insights, concerns and emotions that circulate within them.

Quotes from Jung Kook about Life

“There’s no knowing what will come, but hard work will get us somewhere.”
“Live your life to the fullest.”
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.”
“Don’t do anything you don’t like to do.”
“I’d rather die than live without passion.”
“I always dress my way.”
“Without anger or sadness, you won’t be able to feel true happiness.”

General Description of Jung Kook

Jung Kook has more nicknames than any other BTS member, as far as I have read. Most of them are names of endearment: Baby Bunny, Kook, Kookie, to name a few. But one name stands out: Golden Maknae. Why this name? Golden comes from a dream his mother had when she was pregnant, a tamong or conception dream, that is said to foretell the child’s destiny. According to Jung Kook, in her dream “Rain started to fall in a village but the places that got touched by the raindrops turned into gold.” Maknae in Korean refers to a younger group, of which Jung Kook is the youngest maknae in BTS. In 2013, RM (Namjoon), BTS’s leader, gave Jung Kook the name Golden Maknae.

The gist of the name Golden Maknae is that Jung Kook is extremely multi-talented and gets really good at almost anything he tries. He has another nickname: Triple Threat. This name is because Jung Kook excels in singing, dancing and rapping, a rare combination for any artist or performer.

Why is Jung Kook so good at so many things? V (Taehyung), also a BTS maknae, describes Jung Kook as a person he admires because Jung Kook likes to do many things rather than focus only on one thing and he is really good at them all. V notes that while most people start something new at the beginner level, Jung Kook starts almost everything at the “above average” level, such is Jung Kook’s natural talent. V also notes that Jung Kook is open to new things and even goes out of his comfort zone to challenge himself.

Here’s how other BTS members describe Jung Kook’s abilities.
RM: “Jung Kook is great at everything. He shines.”
Jin: “Jung Kook doesn’t have anything he can’t do. How can someone like that be born?”
Suga: “Jung Kook sings so well and performs so well. I’ve never seen someone as talented as him.”

Here is a list of things Jung Kook is really good at.

Cooking: Over the years with BTS, Jung Kook has become adept at cooking, cooking for BTS members where they highly compliment his food. He now serves as a cook in the South Korean military.

Visual arts: He is really good at a wide variety of visual arts, including painting, drawing, filmmaking, and photography.

Music: This is an area of his passion and practice, yet he is so good in many arenas: composing, lyrics, singing, dancing, rapping, drums, and beat-boxing. He’s also learning to play the guitar.

Sports: Jung Kook has a black belt in Taekwondo but is also highly adept at boxing, running, archery, bowling, swimming, and weight training.

But why is he so good at all these things? Is it only natural talent, which he clearly has? If Jung Kook is an Enneagram Six, there may be some answers. A window into the answer starts with V’s comment that Jung Kook goes out of his comfort zone to challenge himself. Feeling challenged and rising to the occasion is something that Sixes, especially Sixes who are trying to prove to themselves that they are fearless, thrive on. On top of your natural abilities or talents, striving for your personal best and achieving this makes a person feel strong and capable. In a sense, you compete with yourself, not by trying to beat others simply for the sake of winning. If Jung Kook is an Enneagram Six, his excellence in so many areas bolsters his sense of confidence in being to take on just about anything. Music producers who work with Jung Kook often remark how he takes his vocals to a whole different level. The producer will say the vocal sounds great, but Jung Kook knows he can do better and insists on it. His perfect pitch may also contribute to this, as he possibly hears something producers cannot.

Enneagram Sixes are also particularly curious and inquisitive, and Jung Kook is known for asking questions about how things work or how to do something in great detail. For example, when he wants to cook something new, he goes to the internet for recipes, particularly YouTube where they show you how to do this. When BTS members play games for fun, he likes to fully understand the nature and rules involved before he plays. My brother, who is a Six, says that if he doesn’t learn at least one new thing a day, it is a day not well spent. Learning something new keeps his very busy mind stimulated and occupied. Sixes are sometimes referred to as “the questioner.” Questioning and getting answers also supports their feeling of being capable of meeting challenges that arise.

Enneagram Sixes: Paradoxes and Contradictions

Fearful and Fearless

Fearless: Jung Kook is known to be both fearful and fearless, and managing fear is key to understanding Enneagram Sixes. Here are multiple examples of Jung Kook in his fearless states. He goes rock climbing – actually on a wall that is about four times his height – for the first time. He must navigate his way up the wall using carefully placed footing and holding onto objects on the wall until he reaches the top. Jung Kook accomplishes this without using a harness or net in case he falls. As another example, BTS members are performing in a stadium but on a highly elevated platform. They are supposed to wear harnesses. All do this except Jung Kook, so the other BTS members tell him multiple times he must secure the harness. He ultimately complies. On multiple occasions, BTS members go to amusement parks and Jung Kook appears exceptionally eager and thrilled to go on rides that involve extreme physical challenges such as very large roller coasters. When BTS members get to dive with sharks, going into shark-infested waters protected by being in a cage with bars, many of them are quite scared by the idea. Not Jung Kook!

The most compelling example of Jung Kook’s attraction to extreme risk is when BTS goes bungee jumping in New Zealand on the Nevis Swing. On the Nevis Swing, you are released from a platform that is 525 feet high, at an arc of 328 yards, with a 393-foot drop and at speeds up to 75 miles per hour. If you choose to go, as most of the BTS members did, you have several options: (1) go as a pair sitting next to each other; (2) go solo seated; (3) go in a forward position so you can see what is coming; (4) go facing backward so you can see where you’ve been; or (5) go upside down. These are listed in order of scariness. Those BTS members chose to go on the Nevis Swing went solo or in pairs, but all chose the forward position except Jung Kook. He went solo, upside down and backwards. Even more, he let his hands go free, waving to the other BTS members with a big smile on his face.

What does being so fearless do for Enneagram Sixes? First, it demonstrates to themselves and others how unafraid they are. This is called counter-fear, going against what scares them as proof of their courage. All Sixes have some percentage of fear and counter-fear in them. Second, this level of risk and rising to the occasion is not only a thrill, it is highly adrenalizing. Enneagram Sixes, particularly the more fearless Sixes, thrive on adrenalin, a stress hormone that is commonly secreted under stress but also when engaged in risky behaviors. Adrenalin can feel like anxiety but also like pure excitement, and it can be addictive to thrill seekers. I asked a friend of mine, an Enneagram Six similar to Jung Kook in his fearlessness response, if he would bungee jump on the Nevis Swing. His immediate response was this: “No…but I’m in my 50s now so I recognize how dangerous it would be. When I was younger, of course, I would have, just for the thrill of it.”

Fearful: This “counter-fear” response happens so quickly that when it occurs, Sixes are not usually aware of feeling afraid, even though fear lies underneath. Being fearful can include worrying; vexing or ruminating over things past, present and future; and thinking something negative might occur. People can feel fearful and not even know why.

One fear Jung Kook acknowledges is his longstanding childhood fear of microwave ovens. When Jimmy Fallon asked him about this as recently as 2023, Jung Kook said, “Well, when I was young…, (pause)…still am!” Fallen asked Jung Kook why he was afraid of microwaves, and Jung Kook paused and said “Boom,” meaning it could just explode. When I asked my Enneagram Six friend mentioned above about this, he said, “Well, I am not afraid of microwaves, but I understand why someone might be.” He immediately listed five reasons why someone might be afraid of microwaves (none of them had to do with radiation). “The issue,” he added, “is that if I don’t understand how something works, I can easily be afraid of it. I am afraid of other things, just not microwaves.”

Jung Kook also speaks about his fear anticipating his opening ceremony 2022 FIFA World Cup performance in Qatar. Initially, Jung Kook thought this performance involved the other BTS members as well as himself, but no. When he learned it was him alone, he said “I broke out in a cold sweat.” He also worried that the chorus for the song, Dreamers, was too high for him. He thought the song would be pre-recorded, but it was to be live. He didn’t receive the choreography video until he landed in Qatar, plus changes were made up until the final rehearsal, although many of them were made because Jung Kook kept coming up with new ways to make the choreography better. In Jung Kook’s own words before and after the performance: ”I’m going to be so nervous there.” “I hope it goes well.” “I wasn’t nervous.” “No, I was nervous.”  “Fortunately, I didn’t make any mistakes.” “My body was stiff.”

Of course, who wouldn’t be nervous in this situation? But what is intriguing is that Jung Kook admits to being nervous, which is a form of fear, and a “cold sweat” is clearly a strong fear reaction. He said he was not nervous, yet he practiced the music and dance moves over and over, and then switched up the choreography until he got it the way he thought best. This pattern of continuously thinking things through, changing things up to make them better, and wanting no mistakes to occur is very common in Sixes. Their desire for no mistakes is less about being perfect and more about if mistakes occur, there will be negative consequences.

Serious and Humorous

As is true for most Sixes, Jung Kook can be extremely serious and also highly amusing, even comical in a positive sense. On the serious side, he looks quite intent when he’s practicing for performances and quite serious when asked a question and wants to give thoughtful responses. He takes his talent to heart and is known to practice until he is ready to drop from exhaustion or redo his vocals to get them to the level he knows they can be, even when others think they are fine as is.

On the other hand, Jung Kook can be really funny, sometimes intentionally and sometimes not. This is true for many Sixes who like to study people and human interactions, all the better to predict what people might do. Sixes also pay attention to detail or nuance, and Jung Kook is well-known for his precision and detail orientation. In a sense, Sixes have highly attuned perceptions, many of which are accurate, though some may not be.

Jung Kook’s keen attunement to what he observes and experiences likely contributes to his ability to effectively mimic a wide variety of people and things. His mimicry is both accurate and funny, and It does not appear that he is trying to ridicule someone else, as mimicry can often do. He can mimic other BTS members in tone, gesture and facial expressions which so accurately reflect that person the other BTS members laugh, including the person being mimicked. Jung Kook mimics fan comments that he hears in person, such as saying RM (Rap Monster) with a trilled and elongated R sound as a fan did in Brazil. He also mimics other singers and musical groups, male and female, in terms of vocals and physical movements. His imitations are near perfect and he does them spontaneously. He seems to absorb what others do immediately or to have a highly refined stored memory system. Jung Kook also mimics animals, such as dogs, sheep, chickens, kangaroos and insects, as well as noises in the environment or sounds that toys make.

Jung Kook also does other things that are quirky and amusing, all the more so because he does this so naturally. Being both deliberate and spontaneous in their humor is quite common in Sixes. For example, he loves animals and talks to them in a conversational tone and style just as he would a human. He’ll ask them how they are doing or if they want something. Sometimes he’ll just converse with them as if he’s making a statement to a person. He also seems to wait for a response after he’s said something. There’s a video of him talking to a fish on a table that they’ll be having for dinner, noticing that its fins have been injured and apologizing to it, either because he was somehow complicit in its current condition or because he plans to eat it. Many Sixes are sensitive and sweet, and also empathic when others are harmed, human or animal.

Compliant and Defiant

Enneagram Sixes also have a unique relationship to rules and authority. Sixes, above all, want to feel safe and adherence to rules and boundaries help reduce their concerns. If everyone follows the rules, they think that nothing bad will happen and everyone, including them, will be OK.  For this reason, they like to know what the rules are, who they can trust to adhere to them and who they cannot trust for whatever reason. This can be visibly observed when Jung Kook engages in fun competitions like bouncing ping pong balls into cups. He wants to know the precise rules, which he then plays by exactly. When other BTS members “cheat” or don’t play by the rules, Jung Kook gets upset and angry. They laugh; he doesn’t. Playing by the rules matters to him, even in games. It sometimes appears that other BTS members knowingly violate the rules just to get a reaction from Jung Kook.

Jung Kook is also compliant with many social norms. For example, Jung Kook is very respectful of language norms in terms of how he is expected to address people older than he is and who are in different roles. He also bows deeply when meeting and leaving people, and his deep bows are signs of respect. Jung Kook also frequently cleans up after performances, helping those whose role it is to do that when this is clearly not even expected of him.

On the other hand, Jung Kook pushes back against boundaries, rules and norms. In other words, he does what he wants, not what others expect of him. There are many examples of this, the most obvious one being his tattoos. He has elaborate tattoos covering part of his right shoulder all the way down to his knuckles. As a younger teenager, he expressed a desire for tattoos and the other BTS members told him not to do it. In the US, rappers and hip-hop artists often have tattoos, but Jung Kook was neither a rapper at the time nor did he live in the US. Having visible tattoos in South Korea has carried a stigma (it’s associated with gangsters), although this appears to be changing to some degree. Because tattoos are still not widely accepted in South Korea, K-pop Idols typically don’t get them or are expected to cover them up when in public or while performing. Visible tattoos must be covered with makeup, skin-colored bandages, or clothing.

There are many more examples of Jung Kook doing things his way rather than what is expected of him. In one group interview, BTS members were asked which of them was most likely to not respond to chats and text messages. They all thought for a moment, all pointed at Jung Kook, and then looked surprised that they all had the same experience with him. When one of them then asked Jung Kook why he didn’t respond to their messages, he said matter-of-factly, “Because I don’t have to.”

Another example of Jung Kook’s doing what he wants can be seen in a video of him singing karaoke-style in his own room. He sings “That’s that” by South Korean singer PSY feat. Suga (2022). He does this while other BTS members are asleep in their separate rooms nearby and it appear to be late at night or early morning; Jung Kook’s singing is so loud that it wakes them up. The video continues with V banging loudly on Jung Kook’s door and unequivocally telling him to stop singing. Jung Kook stops, but the look on his face is hard to read. He doesn’t look upset or embarrassed, although he might be. Interestingly, Jung Kook is generally known for being a considerate and empathic person, so why does he sing so loud and so late?

Relationship to Authority

Authority figures are extremely important to Enneagram Sixes because they are looking for stability, safety and security in an uncertain world. In the perception of Sixes, authority figures have the role, right, and responsibility to use their authority and power wisely and justly to help others feel safe and protected. In fact, Sixes hope this is the case. At the same time, Sixes are doubtful or concerned that authority figures won’t act in a way that is fair and worthy of their trust. What do Sixes do with these competing notions of trust and distrust in authority? They watch leaders closely, become quite loyal to the ones they admire and trust, and describe these leaders in glowing terms.

This can be observed in Jung Kook’s relationship to RM (Kim Namjoon), BTS’ leader. Jung Kook admires RM wholeheartedly and has since he first joined BTS. Jung Kook talks about RM during formal interviews as well as in more informal settings. Jung Kook credits RM, who he only knew by reputation, with his decision to join Big Hit Entertainment and BTS as a trainee. Here are quotes from Jung Kook: “RM is someone so admirable that I can’t even put it into words.” When I met RM, I saw him and thought he was amazing. In my eyes he was very handsome. “If not for RM, I wouldn’t be here today.” “My happiness began when I met him.” ”I hope he can be my leader for life.”

However, there are downsides to the way in which Sixes elevate leaders they trust. If the leader acts in ways that creates anxiety in an Enneagram Six, the leader falls from their prior elevated status and the fall is as steep as the elevation. From the Six perspective, the leader goes from being the best leader to the worst leader very quickly. Another downside can be how Sixes respond to leaders they don’t trust or they think are using their authority in an abusive way. Sixes will confront the leader, often publicly and feel that they are speaking on behalf of the group. When Sixes do this, it can be to their own detriment, such as losing their job or their standing in a social context.

A final downside in the way Sixes relate to authority is that Sixes negate their own intrinsic authority and, instead, rely on an authority figure for their sense of direction and security. In other words, Sixes don’t trust themselves enough. When asked if he sees himself as a leader, Jung Kook said he does not see himself as a leader and has never been able to take the lead with others. He added that he was curious about what would happen if he was in charge. In relation to his Qatar FIFA performance, Jung Kook explained some of his nervousness, saying, “I’m all alone without Namjoon.”

Speaking Style

My intention was to comment on Jung Kook’s speaking style and how it might relate to his being an Enneagram Six. However, from observing and listening to video after video of Jung Kook speaking in Korean and English, there is little to say. My impression is that he speaks with sincerity. In other words, he answers questions or makes comments that reflect a truthful answer. In seeking answers online, I also found very little about his speaking style, which was not true about the other BTS members. His non-verbal communication style is the exact opposite.

Non-Verbal Behavior

Jung Kook shows a great deal of non-verbal behavior, and when he does, it is frequent, intense, often funny, highly expressive and, from my perspective, endearing because it seems so spontaneous. All this is highly consistent with Enneagram Sixes, which are among the most intense and quick-reacting of the nine Enneagram types. Here are numerous examples.

Big eyes; sometimes big smile: RM (Namjoon) noted how large Jung Kook’s eyes were when he first met him. And Jung Kook’s eyes are very large and highly expressive. What exactly they are expressing would be an inference or interpretation on my part or anyone’s else. His big eyes get even bigger at times. Sometimes his big eyes look surprised or startled, sometimes curious, sometimes pleased and very warm, and so forth. His variations in big eyes do not seem to last more than a few seconds. When he smiles or feels emotionally touched in a positive way, his eyes look very soft and gentle. When he finds something funny, his whole face lights up with big eyes and a big smile, accompanied by laughing. When he is eating and enjoying his food, he often squints with his eyes when he looks at his food.

Repeating sounds and words: Jung Kook uses repeating sounds frequently, almost as if he’s singing a song with sound. Sometimes the words have a meaning; sometimes they appear to simply be sounds. However, even if the words he repeats have a real meaning, he uses them as “sound objects.” But why he chooses these particular words isn’t always clear. Here are some examples. On a Weverse live broadcast, he says, “party, party yeah,” which seems to his response to a comment from a viewer. Another time, he’s in front of the camera, has a single flower (a daisy) in his hand and says “flower, flower, flower” as he pushes the flower in front of the screen. In one video, he says “mom and dad, dad and mom” and then ends with the sound “LALALA,” followed by laughter from other BTS members. When asked about a book (possibly his favorite or one he is reading), he appears to not know the title or author, smiles looking slightly embarrassed, and says “bonobonya.” When asked for the book’s genre, he repeats “bonobonya.” BTS members laugh, not only at his answer but also at the way he says it.“Bonobonya” is a actually a character from a comic book. Jung Kook also says “Ahhh” quite often both when inhales and exhales. Sometimes these “Ahhs’ sound like a sigh and, at other times, like relief or a sense of satisfaction. He also makes sounds with his throat (sounds like the letter K) and what appears to be a soft sucking sound with his tongue behind his upper teeth.

Tongue, lips and cheek: There are so many ways Jung Kook uses his face in expressive ways and he does variations quite frequently. He puffs out his cheeks like a puffer fish; sometimes it is one cheek, sometimes the other and sometimes both cheeks at once. His tongue has even more non-verbal agility. He sometimes puts his tongue in one check with his mouth closed, so it is obvious his tongue is there. Sometimes his tongue shows gently placed on top of his lower lip. He sometimes pokes his cheek with his knuckles or is he poking his tongue through his cheek? Jung Kook bites his lower lip in a rather neutral way, but as he’s gotten older, he does it in a more explicit sexual way, often with his tongue protruding.

Highly tactile with a strong sense of smell: Jung Kook is known to have a superior sense of smell. When he was younger, he would spontaneously sniff the other BTS members. In one video, they test his sense of smell by blindfolding him while the other BTS members take various places throughout the room. Jung Kook has no difficulty sniffing out Jin and without any mistakes. Jung Kook also appears to be highly tactile. He often touches other members’ hair, clothing, rearranges their accessories, and more. My hunch is that he also has a refined sense of smell and taste, along with his “perfect pitch” hearing. These heightened senses may be separate from his Enneagram type, but could also add to the vast data sources that Sixes are attuned to.

Crying: When Jung Kook was younger, he cried frequently. Perhaps it was from feeling overwhelmed by the pressure of training, going to school, being the youngest, and/or the grueling hours spent practicing; these are guesses.  As he’s gotten older, he cries less often, but he cries readily when other  BTS members, particularly the older ones, share their challenges and difficulties. He says this is because of his gratitude for all they did to help him and his sense that as they go through their hardships, there’s nothing he can do to help them. Sixes are often sensitive in this way. They can be quite empathic to others, but particularly so with people or groups they perceive as part of their “tribe.”

In sum, Jung Kook appears highly animated and intense, particularly in the way he communicates nonverbally; this expressiveness is common among Enneagram Sixes. However, it is hard to know what these various non-verbal expressions actually mean without knowing him and asking him directly. Anything else is really interpretation and inference, which may not be accurate.

Challenges for Enneagram Sixes

All Enneagram types have their challenges that are specific to their type. Their biggest challenge lies in being able to trust and have faith in themselves. This can be thought of as learning to trust their own inner authority rather than looking externally for guidance, advice and safety. Ironically, Sixes often give remarkable advice or insights to others, but when dealing with the exact same issues themselves, they will seek outside counsel. As a second irony, the more Sixes doubt or don’t trust themselves or have faith in themselves and rely on others instead, the more uncertain they actually feel. The secret key to self-trust is not through the head or heart, but through the body, a relaxed body. Jung Kook, for example,  refers to his self-doubt and the need for faith in this quote: “I know I’m very lacking, but I believe in myself. Somehow I have this blind faith that says, ‘I can do it.’ So I’m not worried.”

The second challenge for Sixes is to relax more. Sixes, whether they are risk-averse or overly risk-taking, have heightened and easily triggered inner alarm systems. While this helps them be alert to danger, it also means they are in a continuous state of high activation. With a nervous system in this constant state of arousal, relaxation becomes difficult as does sleep. Add to this the ever-active Six mind that is curious, doubting, questioning, concerned and continuously generating alternative pathways for taking optimal action, and this becomes a recipe for not being able to relax and also sleeping difficulties.

The third challenge involves their relationship to risk. Sixes who are risk averse often see risk everywhere and then become even more hesitant to take action. It becomes a cycle in which fear creates more fear. More fearful Sixes sometimes think that worry or creating mental plans so something negative won’t occur is actually doing something to deal with their concern. They don’t recognize that their over-preoccupation with risk is the real issue. And when Sixes get a thrill from approaching risk head-on, they don’t realize that along with the thrill can be great danger, even, life-threatening danger. They dismiss the depth of the danger because the adrenaline from risk-taking is so rewarding.

Simple, Powerful Development for Enneagram Sixes

Rumi poem
Reflect on the meaning of this poem by 13th-century poet Rumi:
“Once the seeds of faith take root,
It cannot be blown away even by the strongest wind.”

Work with your fear
All humans experience fear, but Sixes are constantly driven by fear, either too much, too little or both. Take the time to explore your fear, either by yourself, with a friend or with someone you trust. Don’t be afraid of it and don’t avoid it. When Sixes identify a fear, they can use this process involving three questions: (1) Is this thought true? (2) how do I know this is true? (3) What else could be true? When Sixes are more counter-fear and about to do something thrilling and adrenalizing, they can stop and ask themselves this: What am I really feeling right now? What am I afraid of?

Relax more
First, recognize that keeping busy is not the same as doing something constructive and productive. In addition, make the decision to get better sleep, such as keeping regular hours and not doing highly stimulating or adrenalizing activities several hours before bedtime. Next, spend more time in nature simply enjoying the environment and walking slowly and experiencing your body moving in a relaxed state. Finally, try the Dutch practice of Niksen, which is doing absolutely nothing and without any purpose whatsoever, not even the purpose of doing nothing. It is a remarkable way of being present and being in the moment. All you do is sit down, and tell yourself this: “I’m going to do absolutely nothing right now and, with no purpose.”

Watch Jung Kook’s Music Video

Here: Enjoy Jung Kook’s live performance of  “Standing Next to You” on Jimmy Fallon (2023)

About Ginger

Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD, author of nine Enneagram books, is a speaker, consultant, trainer, and coach. She provides certification programs and training tools for business professionals around the world who want to bring the Enneagram into organizations with high-impact business applications. TheEnneagramInBusiness.com | ginger@theenneagraminbusiness.com

The photo used for this blog is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license and was downloaded from the Wikimedia Commons site. Through Wikipedia Commons, an independent reviewer confirmed that this image was under the stated license on that date listed. BTS is very careful and diligent with their copyrighted materials, which we respect and follow. All photos for this blog will be obtained from Wikimedia Commons with an International Creative Commons copyright.

The post BTS Enneagram Types: Part 9 | Jung Kook (Jeon Jungkook) Type 6 appeared first on The Enneagram in Business.

Part 8 focuses on BTS member Suga. He is the lead rapper, composer, and producer. He joined Big Hit Entertainment with the understanding he’d be a producer, would only have to rap and wouldn’t have to dance. But dance he does as a BTS member. He also writes and produces for musical groups outside BTS. In January 2018, he earned full membership with the Korea Music Copyright Association.

Min Yoongi (Suga aka Agust D) Enneagram Five | The “Wise” Person

I think Yoongi, aka by his solo name as a rapper Agust D, is an Enneagram Five, as do most people who made comments online about his type. These are all, of course, speculative in nature. What is intriguing about him is that while he is often less vocal than other BTS members, both in Korean and in English, his speaking patterns and non-verbal demeanor are highly consistent with Enneagram Fives.

Fives crave information and knowledge in areas of their particular interest and use emotional detachment as a way of keeping their involvement with others to a minimum. It isn’t that they don’t like people. In fact, many Fives are deeply curious about people and human nature. The main reason Fives want to minimize their engagement with others is because when they over-engage, they end up feeling completely drained of energy. Fives refer to this as a somatic experience of complete energetic depletion.

Fives are analytic, objective, systematic, often introspective, and highly expert in selected areas, often on topics that are intriguing to them but may be obscure to others. Fives are also very private, even to the point of secrecy, are highly independent and place a high value on maintaining their own autonomy. They tend to place less emphasis on relationships and place more importance on mental functions such as thinking and ideas.

General Description of  Yoongi

Yoongi is often described as calm, chill, reserved, and a “cooler” character than the other BTS members. Enneagram Fives are frequently described in this way. This calmness and chill means that most things don’t impact them intensely or, at least, they are not highly reactive. This non-reactivity is primarily because they disconnect from their emotions and their physical sensations in real time, especially when they are with other people. Full engagement, in the Five’s belief system and experience, places a high demand on their energy, which is what they experience as a limited resource and, thus, want to conserve.

Because Fives are the most self-contained of all the Enneagram types, they often come across as cool or remote rather than warm and inviting. At the same time, there can also be something inherently “cool” or mysterious about Fives. Ironically, the less Fives share about themselves with others, the more people become curious about them and want to approach them to get to know them better.

There are more meanings to the word “cool” in addition to composed, deliberate, a concentration of the mind that is not distractable, especially in a crisis, and poise under provocation. “Cool” also means hip, admirable, appealing or attractive in a particular way. As RM, the BTS leader says, Yoongi “has style.” And V describes Yoongi this way: “He’s quite cool on stage. Cool and amazing.” BTS member J-Hope, who himself is hip and trendy, says Yoongi  “…is cool. He pretends not to care when he does.”

Yoongi is also described by those who know him, including other BTS members, as well as those who watch him on live streams and other online platforms, as being very sweet, even deeply sweet. And this complex contrast, being someone who is detached or aloof and, at the same time, deeply sweet, is just one of the reasons for Yoongi’s nickname “Meow Meow.” As much as Yoongi, like most Fives, can appear standoffish like most cats, they can also be profoundly sweet and genuinely heartful at very deep levels, also like many cats.

Finally, Yoongi is considered a “musical genius” by people inside and outside BTS, both in South Korea and globally, and also by artists who excel in a variety of musical genres. His genius is in lyrics, melody, composition, arrangement, and production. Music is his passion area, where he thrives and appears most energetic and alive. According to BTS member Jung Kook, Yoongi’s “passion for music is overflowing.” His music is compelling on multiple levels, including that it deals with topics about life and existence in its nuance and complexity. Although not all Fives are passionate about music, they are usually keenly interested in specific things and pursue these in great depth.

Quote from Yoongi on Life as He Experiences It

“Life is tough, and things don’t always work out well, but we should be brave and go on with our lives.”
“Emotions are so different in every situation and every moment, so I think to agonize every moment is what life is.”
“Please don’t be afraid, don’t worry yourself. The end and beginning, beginning and end are connected.”
“We were born to be real, not perfect”
“You should live your life as if it’s your last day.”
“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.”

Enneagram Fives: The Search for Wisdom through the Mind

Yoongi, like most Fives, is also described as observant, noticing details and patterns in others and his environment. In fact, Fives are often called “the observer.” They feel most comfortable observing rather than engaging directly in what is occurring. It has been said that Fives are happiest when they have a “womb with a view.” From this metaphoric place, Fives like to feel safe and comfortable where they can observe, analyze, process and explore that which interests them.

Enneagram Fives use their minds to accumulate, organize and understand information, primarily in areas that are important to them. As a result, they become storehouses of information that might appear randomly chosen from the outside but makes perfect sense to them. In addition, their knowledge in these areas goes very deep. Here’s how other BTS members describe Yoongi’s mind:

Jin: “He has a variety of knowledge and always gives help with that knowledge. I’m fascinated as to where he gets that weird knowledge from.”
RM: “He lingers on things more than you would think; full of random information.”
V and Jung Kook: Yoongi has “a lot of knowledge.”

Some people wrongly think Enneagram Fives are the most intelligent of the nine types, but intelligence does not go with Enneagram type. What is more accurate about Enneagram Fives is that they rely on their thinking function to make sense of their world. And they store knowledge they accumulate in something akin to file folders in their mind, each folder a different topic area. This helps them retrieve the information when they want it. To Fives, this information is neither weird nor random. As a note, Yoongi is known to be extremely smart, but this is not because he is likely an Enneagram Five.

Some people also incorrectly think that Enneagram Fives are solely cerebral and not emotional. This is also not true. What is more accurate is that Fives typically disconnect from their feelings in real-time, moving directly into their heads to think. However, Fives do re-experience and process some of their feelings later on, most often when they are alone rather than in a situation where they have to engage with other people. This alone time for processing feelings and engaging in introspection might occur a little time later, hours later, or even weeks or months later. In some ways, Enneagram Fives experience their feelings in a pure form, uncontaminated by the thoughts and responses of others. For many Fives, as they grow and become more integrated, they realize that the true wisdom they are seeking cannot come from the mind alone. Through introspection and experience, they recognize that true wisdom comes from accessing their minds, their hearts and from their direct experience rather than only through reading, thinking and observation. This insight is a direct quote from Yoongi: “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

Fives: The Need for Solitude, Privacy and Boundaries

Enneagram Fives have an enormous need for time alone, privacy and clear boundaries with others. Boundaries refer to clear lines and limits about how much time they will spend on something, what’s OK to ask or discuss with them, how physically close they want to be with you, and what they will agree to do. Why is this so important to them? It’s about energy depletion. When Fives feel depleted, they feel so drained that some Fives describe it as “near death.” This means there is just no more vitality in them. It is not the same as being an introvert. Many Fives are introverts, but some are not. And you can find introverts in all nine Enneagram types. For Fives, it is about feeling totally drained of any resources to replenish the loss and their need to be totally by themselves in order to regain their energy.

From what Yoongi himself says on video reels and what other BTS members say about him, he needs a great deal of time alone, even when other members want to be with him. This is not referring to practice or performing time, where he is punctual and present. It refers to discretionary time. There’s an amusing video where the other BTS members want Yoongi to stay with them, but he’s clearly wanting to leave, and they drag him on the ground toward them to try to make him stay. BTS members say that once Yoongi “holes up in a studio,” he rarely goes out; he literally lives there. Fives not only relish time alone,  they require it. Spending time by themselves does not usually make them feel lonely; it is a necessity and replenishes them.

In the video of BTS member’s home tours, as well as in many videos where Yoongi is by himself, the setting is a room full of musical instruments, electronic equipment, and a variety of screens. This is plausibly where Yoongi feels most at home, in his own space. Many Fives have and need a “room of their own.” This is a space, and it doesn’t have to be large, where they are surrounded by things they are passionate about and it is totally theirs. Others may join them there, but essentially only by invitation and very rarely.

There’s a funny video reel where Jimin is in Yoongi’s space and Yoongi is ready for Jimin to leave and clearly tells him so. Jimin, with a big smile on his face, tells Yoongi he will only leave if Yoongi explicitly tells him “I love you.” Fives, like Yoongi seems to be, might feel love for someone but tend to show it through their eyes or through their actions toward the other person. Actually saying “I love you” on demand is asking a lot, even if they feel love. In the video, Yoongi only gets Jimin to leave his private space when he utters the words Jimin requires, but it takes several iterations back and forth and Yoongi begrudgingly relents.

As a note, I can’t really imagine how challenging it must be for Yoongi, if he is a Five, to have to be in the public view as a BTS member so intensely and for so long without respite. Not only being in the public view, but also having to do something that requires a huge expenditure of energy: sharing a dorm space with six strangers with only a bed to claim as your own; multiple performances to huge audiences in a variety of cities; meet and greets with millions of fans all clamoring at and wanting a piece of you; people constantly invading your personal space or asking questions and making comments that are really not their business to ask. This would be hard for anyone, especially a teenager or young adult. But as a Five, this would be at least 100 times more challenging.

Speaking Style

Yoongi’s style of speaking is highly consistent with the way in which Enneagram Fives speak. Essentially, Fives speak when they want to and don’t speak when they don’t want to. Fives dislike small talk, perceiving it as superficial and, even more importantly, a waste of their energy. Add to this that they rarely engage in small talk; Fives are also not very good at it, nor do they want to be.

When Fives do talk, it’s because they want to and are then typically straightforward and honest. To quote someone online, ”When Yoongi does speak, he often just says the truth.” When Fives talk, they tend to be concise and highly specific in their use of words. Using an abundance of words requires more energy than using just a few. Here are more online descriptions of the way Yoongi speaks: “Pithy and dry;” “Direct, short and witty;” “Great economical way with words, especially when he needs to be firm.”

Conversely, Enneagram Fives can also be quite talkative, but only under certain conditions, such as when they know a great deal about a topic and want to share it with you or when they feel really relaxed and are with others with whom they feel extremely comfortable and in a comfortable setting. When Fives know a great deal about a subject and want to share it, they can talk at great lengths, almost as if they were sharing a dissertation on the topic. Here are some online comments: “He gets hyper-chatty discussing geeky subjects like random historical facts or musical technical talk.” “Yoongi lets his guard down when happy or around the other members.”

Most Fives think a great deal, but what are they thinking about? It depends. For those Fives who are highly introspective, and not all are, they like to converse about deeply meaningful topics. Here are some quotes about Yoongi: “Yoongi is the one guy in your group that usually doesn’t talk but everything he says when he does is gold.” He has “deep, profound conversations.”

There are two additional areas related to Yoongi and his speaking style. One has to do with sarcasm and the other with talking about emotions. Online, several people described Yoongi’s speaking style as sarcastic, one even labeling him the “king of sarcasm.” After reviewing multiple transcripts, videos and written statements from Yoongi, I’ve been at a loss to describe Yoongi’s speaking style as fundamentally sarcastic. The definition of sarcasm is this: the caustic use of words, often used in a humorous way, to mock someone or something, especially to insult another. Yes, Yoongi uses words in a humorous way, but not with the intention to harm or insult another. He primarily uses irony, dry humor, and word puns to say the unexpected. Here’s an example. When asked what is the biggest difference between season 1 and season 2 of Bon Voyage, a reality series where BTS traveled around the world doing different games or activities, Yoongi answers “The biggest difference is the location and our age.”

Non-Verbal Behavior

There’s both very little and a lot to say about Yoongi’s non-verbal behavior. The reason there is little to say is that Yoongi shows minimalistic non-verbal behavior. This is quite characteristic of Enneagram Fives. They keep what is called a “poker face,” not because they are playing a card game. It’s because they are the least animated of all the Enneagram types due to their extreme self-containment, their disconnection from emotions in real-time, and because they are private and careful about what they say and do. It is an automatic response, not really a conscious choice on their part.

What can be observed about his non-verbal behavior is that he talks less often than the other BTS members and when BTS members talk together, more times than not, he sits there with a not-easy-to-read expression on his face. When he does speak, he typically uses a lower volume level with little variation in his voice tone. In other words, he is not loud nor is his voice animated. The exception is when he has occasionally a strong reaction to something, which does happen. At these times, his volume increases and his voice tone has more variation.

There is, however, a lot to Yoongi’s non-verbal behavior, which is both subtle and nuanced. This is true for most Fives. In Yoongi’s case, it’s in his eyes and his mouth. With all Fives, their eyes tell a story. With most Fives, it almost seems like they are watching themselves from back inside their heads, while with some others, it’s almost like they have eyes behind their heads that are watching themselves. With Yoongi, his eyes appear as if they are closer to the front of his face as he observes himself and others. This is challenging to describe in words, but here’s an attempt. Some people have “alpha” eyes where their eyes seem to come energetically forward toward others in a strong way. There are also “beta” eyes, eyes that don’t come forward, but neither are they retracted. “Beta” eyes tend to be more receptive eyes. Five eyes tend to have neither “alpha” nor “beta” eyes; their eyes are more self-watching eyes. Yoongi’s eyes appear to me to be slightly back from where we can visibly see his real eyes, but not very deeply back. When he likes something, his eyes come forward a bit more, but when he dislikes something, his eyes retreat further back into his head.

Yoongi’s mouth expressions and his smile are another story entirely. Of course, he smiles when onstage; it is a performance. Offstage, however, Yoongi smiles when he feels happy, when he laughs at something, or when he feels deeply touched. Sometimes, he half-smirks or half-smiles when amused. He sometimes laughs at his own humor, but sometimes doesn’t. But when he gives his full smile, his entire face lights up, including his eyes. This spontaneous smile appears so genuine and sincere that it is deeply endearing. Sometimes Yoongi also cries on stage when extremely touched or deeply happy.

Challenges for Enneagram Fives

The direct expression of emotions is the biggest challenge for Fives unless they have done a great deal of development work, particularly related to accessing their emotions, being more embodied, and practicing directly expressing their feelings in real-time. They have habitually disconnected from their emotions when they are actually occurring so how to reconnect is neither obvious nor intuitive for them. In addition, one of the paths for reconnection is through the body or somatic structure because all feelings are experienced in the body. Most Fives also disconnect from their somatic experiences as a way to disconnect emotionally.

In the case of Yoongi, if he is indeed a Five, is that he is not as visibly emotionally responsive as the other BTS members, although his micro-expressions give some indication: an eyebrow slightly raised, a small half-smile on his face. But sometimes he is extraordinarily expressive, often using his music and performances as the vehicle. His music, particularly his solo music, is highly emotive and introspective. In his solo performances, he is fully embodied and dramatically energetic. And on stage during solo performances, Yoongi appears totally engrossed in his performances, yet when he is performing and something not on stage draws his attention, he often has a strong positive and full-hearted emotional response. An example would be when he spots another BTS member in the audience who is there to support him or when someone attending  the show screams out “Marry me Yoongi!” At these times, Yoongi shows a deep level of pure joy, love and pleasure from what appears deep within him.

The description above illuminates two aspects of Enneagram Fives. On one hand, it dispels the incorrect idea that Fives do not have deep feelings. They can and they do. It also says a great deal about Yoongi and his ability and willingness to be increasingly emotionally transparent. Most Fives prefer to be more opaque as if they are wearing an invisibility cloak where they can observe us but we can’t see them. Yoongi in recent years has been verbal and forthcoming about his personal and emotional challenges, as has Namjoon (RM). It is my guess that Yoongi’s level of self-disclosure has been helpful in his healing process, both as a person and especially as an Enneagram Five.

Simple, Powerful Development for Enneagram Fives

Rumi poem
Reflect on the meaning of this poem by 13th-century poet Rumi:
Open your hands
If you want to be held

Allow yourself to both offer and accept resources from others
The Five worldview is that resources are scarce and so they must conserve the few resources they have. This belief contributes to their intense need for autonomy and independence. Otherwise, they reason, they will end up depleted. However, resources are only scarce if you rely solely on yourself. Ask others, and allow others, to do things for you. You don’t have to do this all by yourself.

Reconnect through your breath
Fives breathe primarily into their head area only or, at most, through their necks. Breathing this way disconnects you from your full body and somatic reactions, which then restricts your access to your feelings. Practice breathing by inhaling through your nose, then allow your breath to filter down your body through your neck, your torso, your belly area, your legs and your feet. Do this until it becomes comfortable for you and you will recover your body experiences and gain greater access to your emotions.

Watch Yoongi’s (Agust D) music video

Here: Watch and hear Yoongi’s (Agust D) music video, “Haegeum” (2023).

The word haegeum has multiple meanings. A haegeum is a traditional Korean musical instrument, a two stringed vertical fiddle with a hardwood bow strung with horsehair. The meaning of haegeum is also freedom from societal boundaries, restrictive rules and unexamined expectations as a movement into personal and societal liberation. Agust D, Yoongi’s rap stage name, stands for Suga spelled backward plus DT, the initials of Daegu Town, his birthplace.

About Ginger

Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD, author of nine Enneagram books, is a speaker, consultant, trainer, and coach. She provides certification programs and training tools for business professionals around the world who want to bring the Enneagram into organizations with high-impact business applications. TheEnneagramInBusiness.com | ginger@theenneagraminbusiness.com

The photo used for this blog is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license and was downloaded from the Wikimedia Commons site. Through Wikipedia Commons, an independent reviewer confirmed that this image was under the stated license on that date listed. BTS is very careful and diligent with their copyrighted materials, which we respect and follow. All photos for this blog will be obtained from Wikimedia Commons with an International Creative Commons copyright.

The post BTS Enneagram Types: Part 8 | Suga (Min Yoongi) Type 5 appeared first on The Enneagram in Business.

Part 7 focuses on BTS member Kim Taehyung. He is one of three younger band members, known as the maknae group. He is a lead dancer, vocalist and visual; visual means member(s) who most closely match the Korean beauty ideal.

Kim Taehyung (V) Enneagram Four | The “Unique” Person

From what I read, almost everyone who has typed Taehyung thinks he is an Enneagram Four, and I would agree that Four is his most likely Enneagram type. However, I doubt that people who guessed his type actually know him and, of course, I don’t either. What I found particularly interesting about him is that his behavioral patterns are nearly identical onstage – while performing or during practice sessions for performances – as they are off-stage in more informal settings. This overlap gives more credibility to observations of him related to his Enneagram type. However, this blog should be taken as speculation about Taehyung’s type rather than a definitive answer about his type.

Enneagram Fours desire deep connections with their own inner worlds and with others and feel most energized and vibrant when they authentically express their feelings and experiences. Fours tend to be inspiring, creative, introspective, deep, emotionally expressive and also intense, self-conscious, and emotionally changeable or moody.

Their fundamental belief is that they are different from other people and always will be. But how are they different? Are they different because they are unique and special, which is how Fours like to think of themselves? Are they different because they are deficient in some way? As they explore why they feel so different, Fours become highly introspective and particularly sensitive to feelings of deficiency and rejection.

Quotes from Taehyung

In these quotes from Taehyung, you can read about the emphasis he places on feelings, relationships, the importance of being unique, and the pain that comes with emotional separation.

“I have a big heart full of love, so please take it.”
“You can’t just come into someone’s life, make them feel special and then leave.”
“Forget what hurt you but never forget what it taught you.”
“Unless you open up and share your feelings, no one can understand what you are going through.”
“I may not be poetic, but I’d love to write songs that convey my true feelings.”
“Be yourself. Create your own unique style.”

General Description of Taehyung

Descriptions of Taehyung from those who have met him in person or know him well, as well as other BTS members, are remarkably consistent. He is described as passionate, creative, intense and dramatic. In a sense, he is described as the least predictable BTS member in the way he responds, both in terms of what he says and how quickly he says it. He is also highly predictable in his strong, quick emotional responses and how truthful he is when he reacts. Namjoon (RM) says on tape that he thought Taehyung has a  “unique character”  that he found “puzzling” at first, but had come to realize that “your strangeness is your unique charm.” Along the same lines is a comment from another person: Taehyung is “eccentric with quirky traits that make him standout.”

To add more flavor to the above description, two video reels reflect the uniqueness and dramatic quality of Taehyung. BTS has many videos of them altogether when they are asked a single question to which each of them responds. Often the question is something simple such as what is your favorite color or what is your favorite food. In one reel, the question is about if you were to enter a room and music were playing to represent you, what would your music be? Other BTS members simply name the song or musical genre. When Taehyung responds, he dramatically sings what sounds like an Italian opera.

Another example is a video of Taehyung taking us on a house tour, which several of them did once they had moved into their own homes. Here’s what Taehyung says during the tour. He studied interior design for six months so he could actually design the house himself. He wanted it to be a reflection of him, an expression of himself, which is common with Fours and their living space. He drew out what he wanted, even for the art, of which there is an abundance. The house color scheme is dramatic: beautiful black furniture with white walls to showcase the very colorful, highly unusual art, with many large pieces, mostly in vivid colors. And then there are the quirky touches: a colorful mickey mouse sculpture with what looks like two Mickeys, plus a set of medium size, colorful Muppet stuffed animals set against the black couch. In other words, dramatic, tasteful, vibrant, original, and expressive of him, which is common for the homes of many Enneagram Fours.

Speaking Style

Because I don’t understand Korean, I relied on Korean speakers from online forums for these descriptions: “constructs sentences in uncommon ways; creative use of words such as ‘hospital uncle’ instead of ‘my uncle who is a doctor;’ sometimes jumbles sentences; idiosyncratic speech; his use of language is unique and innovative; often uses incomplete sentences, often when he appears excited, anxious or emotional.” Two additional comments are worth noting. ”It’s almost like Tae’s mind is seeing everything in another dimension and he can’t describe it in adequate terms.” “He takes a while to convey what he means or instantaneously expresses a reaction.”

The speaking style of Enneagram Fours, as above, reveals a great deal about their inner process. Almost more than anything, Fours want to express themselves and also be understood by others. This helps them feel seen, accepted, connected and validated. For Fours, however, communicating and also being understood get complicated. Many Fours describe their own inner experience as akin to having multiple movie screens operating simultaneously. Some screens are in color, some in black and white and most come with audio. So when they want to express themselves and be understood, which movie screen do they share? The other issue is that, like movies, their inner screens are also moving forward in time. So if Fours do share something, their inner experience has likely shifted to a very different place from when they first started to express themselves. This also explains why their sentence structure and phrasing can become complicated. They start to share something, then realize it’s not quite what is occurring or what they want to say, and then they start again, all in an effort to be understood accurately.

Non-Verbal Behavior

Taehyung is, in a sense, one of the most non-verbally expressive among the seven BTS members. In other words, whether on stage or off-stage, it is easy to tell through his body language if he is sad, joyful, angry, fearful, impatient, puzzled, frustrated, intrigued, and a multitude of additional variations of emotional expression. This can be readily observed primarily, but not only, through his strong facial expressions, primarily his mouth and his eyes. When he likes something, his eyes shine and his mouth takes on an almost harp-like shape. When Taehyung becomes angry, his eyes become intense and he pouts with his mouth. When he’s fearful, his eyes get very large or very small and his whole face, including his mouth, are reminiscent of Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream.”

In addition, his shifts in facial expressions appear instantaneous and dramatic. Online commentators have said: “Is he hamming it up?” “Is he purposely adapting his expression to match the context [onstage or offstage.]” “How does Taehyung go from nonchalant to over-the-top so quickly?” To put it another way, when Taehyung looks happy, he looks almost ecstatic. When he appears afraid, he looks close to terrified. When he’s angry, he often looks like he’s fuming. And when sad, he cries quickly and deeply, often appearing to need consolation from others. As a note, Taehyung does, at times, appear to purposely “ham it up” during some performances or in other videos where he directly faces the camera. However, his strong facial expressions appear so frequently and, in most cases, so spontaneously, that they appear to be the way in which he naturally expresses himself.

From an Enneagram Four perspective, however, Taehyung’s non-verbal emotional response patterns make sense. Fours place a high value on their own self-expression and the authentic communication of emotions. Fours are also emotionally intense; they feel their feelings intensely and often identify with them, believing I am what I feel. If Taehyung is a Four, he would feel his emotions strongly and feel a need to express them directly. In addition, most feelings come in waves, shifting unpredictably at times. Rather than exaggerating his emotions, at least consciously, Taehyung is more likely reacting directly from his inner experience at that moment in time.

Challenges for Enneagram Fours

Enneagram Fours, like all of the Enneagram types, have their own challenges. Their overarching challenge is a paradoxical one. On one hand, Fours want to feel unique, different and special and to be acknowledged for these qualities. On the other hand, Fours want to feel deeply connected to others and become distressed when a connection they savor either doesn’t occur or gets disrupted. Their paradox is this: how can Fours experience and maintain the depth of relationships they so desire while they are keeping themselves separate from others based on their need to be different? They want to feel part of something yet keep themselves apart from it.

The other major challenge for Enneagram Fours relates to the way they continuously, both consciously and unconsciously, compare themselves to other people. Although all of us compare ourselves to others at times, Fours do this consistently, partly as a way to understand how they are different from others. After the comparisons, Fours conclude they are better than that person, not as good as that person, or both. When they feel better than the other person, they feel superior. When they feel not as good, this triggers their sense of being deficient or not good enough. From this sense of deficiency, Fours try to remedy the situation by competing, becoming more adept at something, finding fault with the other person, or just feeling bad about themselves.

Simple, Powerful Development for Enneagram Fours

Rumi poem
Reflect on the meaning of this poem by 13th-century poet Rumi:
“You are not a drop in the ocean.
You are the entire ocean in a single drop.”

Relax your comparing behavior
The first step is to observe the subtle and more obvious ways in which you compare yourself to others and do so without judging yourself. Just notice. The second step is to reflect on how these continuous comparisons do and don’t support your self-acceptance, growth and overall well-being. If you decide to work on comparing less, do this: When you notice you are comparing yourself to another person, pause before deciding if you are better or worse and, instead focus on what you think they have and allow yourself to appreciate that they have this. Truly experience appreciation for what they have instead of comparing yourself to them.

Explore your deeper feelings
You may not realize this but underneath the feelings you want to express are more than likely much deeper feelings that you have not explored. What are they? What can they illuminate about you that is important for your self-reflection and growth?

Watch Taehyung’s music video

Here: You can watch and hear V’s (Taehyung’s) music video, “Love Me Again” (2023).

About Ginger

Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD, author of nine Enneagram books, is a speaker, consultant, trainer, and coach. She provides certification programs and training tools for business professionals around the world who want to bring the Enneagram into organizations with high-impact business applications. TheEnneagramInBusiness.com | ginger@theenneagraminbusiness.com

The photo used for this blog is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license and was downloaded from the Wikimedia Commons site. Through Wikipedia Commons, an independent reviewer confirmed that this image was under the stated license on that date listed. BTS is very careful and diligent with their copyrighted materials, which we respect and follow. All photos for this blog will be obtained from Wikimedia Commons with an International Creative Commons copyright.

The post BTS Enneagram Types: Part 7 | V (Kim Taehyung) Type 4 appeared first on The Enneagram in Business.

Part 6 focuses on BTS member Jimin. He is one of three younger band members and was the last to join the group. Before he joined BTS, he was already an accomplished contemporary dancer. He has since been their main dancer and lead vocalist, having learned vocals after joining the group.

Park Jimin (Jimin) Enneagram Two | The “Loving” Person

I think Jimin is most likely an Enneagram Two, as do most people online who know or think they know the Enneagram. The perceptions of others, of course, does not determine your Enneagram type. At the same time, it is intriguing that whether in Korean, English or some other language, many people perceive Jimin as an Enneagram Two.

Twos want to be liked by those they want to like them, try to meet the needs of others, and attempt to orchestrate the people and events in their lives. The word orchestrate can have many meanings, all of which apply to Twos in some way: arrange, influence, help plan out, guide, and more, often behind the scenes. They prefer to not be front and center and, instead, focus on supporting others in doing well.

Essentially, Twos want to help others get their needs met, fulfill their purpose or dreams, not suffer alone or in prolonged ways, and achieve positive outcomes. Because of this, Twos offer their time, resources, emotional support, advice and more. In general, Twos are empathic, supportive, motivating, warm and generally accommodating.

The Two’s focus on others has its downsides. They can become overextended to exhaustion by doing so much for others and become distressed or angry when they feel unappreciated, even if they may not express this externally. Because they focus on others and not themselves, Twos often lose touch with their own real needs and their own true value. Unconsciously, their generosity is a way of being important to other people and what do they gain in return? Validation for their self-worth and affirmation of themselves as kind, thoughtful, and generous people.

Quotes from Jimin on Supporting Others

In these quotes from Jimin, you can read how he, like almost every Enneagram Two, focuses on other people, how important he believes it is for others to pursue their dreams and how he is there for them in this endeavor.

“Never give up on a dream you’ve been chasing almost your entire life.”
“I hope you will never give up. Remember, there is a person here in Korea, in the city of Seoul, who understands you.”
“Once your heart has been moved, it will develop into something better and positive.”

General Description of Jimin

These are words and phrases often used to describe Jimin, taken from a variety of sources, including BTS members themselves, people who have interacted with him in different ways, and my own observations from watching their videos. Jimin is experienced and perceived as charming, cute, friendly, playful, and childlike at times, with a strong desire to be liked and be everyone’s friend. These descriptions all align with Enneagram Twos. He is also affectionally described as an “angel” and a “hugging fairy” because he is prone to reaching out to his bandmates with heartfelt hugs.

One person who knows Jimin and wrote about him describes him as “adorably sassy.” This phrase caught my attention as an apt description of many Twos. People sometimes incorrectly think of Enneagram Twos as only sweet. However, I always teach that Twos can be more on the sweet side, some are more spicy, and most Twos are a combination of both. Almost all Twos have a positive outlook on life and people, and they tend to be gentle spirits; hence, sweet. Twos can also be spicy, edgy, witty, spirited and, yes, sassy. Sassy can have both positive and negative meanings, but when combined with the word “adorable,” as is the case with Jimin, it is clearly meant in a positive way.

Enneagram Twos: Attunement to Others and Kindness

Jimin is also extremely attentive to other BTS members, noticing their needs and offering them whatever he can. Twos pay a great deal of attention to others by noticing the non-verbal indicators related to how they are feeling, observing their patterns of behavior over time, and more. When BTS members were asked in a group interview which member they went to to relieve their stress, they all pointed to Jimin. Like most Twos, Jimin is known for helping others without being asked, being the person other BTS members go to for comfort, support and empathy.

From what I’ve read, Jimin also started the tradition of surprises and gift-giving within the band, although this way of showing appreciation for one another has now spread throughout BTS members. Enneagram Twos are often master gift-givers, and they especially enjoy giving surprise gifts that they believe will delight the other person. In fact, Twos even prefer giving unexpected presents to being told exactly what someone else wants. Why they do it is to show their care and affection. How they are so good at it is that Twos pay such keen attention to what someone likes, what suits them, and even what might delight them. Twos take great pleasure in selecting the gifts so if they are told explicitly what to get, their satisfaction and pleasure diminish.

As another example of Jimin’s thoughtfulness, Jimin is currently, as are all BTS members, serving their mandatory time in the South Korean military service. During their initial training period, all recruits are given only one hour of phone time on the weekends and during holidays to speak with others. Jimin gave up some if not all of his phone time to other recruits so they could connect with their friends and family. He also brought them extra food whenever he could.

Enneagram Twos: Friendliness

Jimin is most often described as a very friendly and warm person, which is how Twos are often described. It can be said that others expect Twos to always be friendly and warm, although this is not always the case. And when Twos don’t live up to this expectation, they get criticized for being cold, which is not really what this is about. I read some comments online that in person, Jimin is not as warm with people he just meets as people expect him to be. I also observed this in a video where two US women, about the same age as BTS members, went to a BTS photo shoot, although they were not musicians and didn’t know the BTS members. They expected Jimin to be one of the friendliest BTS members and were surprised that he spent some time observing them before he became warmer and friendlier.

To explain this in terms of Enneagram Twos, it can take Twos some time to warm up to strangers. There are several reasons for this. First, because they attune to others and pick up a lot of data about them, Twos like to get a feel for or a sense of someone before they interact with them. This can take some time, especially if this involves a group of people. The second issue is that people often feel it is OK to reach out and touch or hug Twos because they smile at you and appear warm and huggable. Touching or hugging a person without a prior relationship or without asking permission is actually an invasion of a person’s personal space, and Twos have to contend with this more than most other Enneagram types. In many BTS reels or videos, interviewers reach out and touch Jimin without permission. When this occurs, he says nothing, but other BTS members frown or they do something to stop this. Finally, Twos generally like people, but not everyone. When they don’t like someone for whatever reason, their warmth toward that person diminishes, while they remain polite.

Enneagram Twos: Underestimation of Their Own Value

Even though Jimin was a top student at school and has always been an excellent dancer, he has sometimes been underestimated as an artist and has underestimated or doubted his own value as an artist and a person. In these quotes from Jimin, you can read how he, like almost every Enneagram Two, is uncertain about their own value, partly because they are searching for a sense of self-worth and value from others rather than from themselves.

“I don’t think of myself as that valuable. I think of others who I love as valuable to me.”
“Please cherish me and treat me with love.”

Jimin’s minimization of his own talents can be read in his response to an interview question from W Korea on January 23, 2023:

Question: “What have you been up to lately?”

Jimin’s response: “Lately, I am working on a solo album. That’s what I have been up to. Nothing special…”

Commentary: Soon after, his solo album, “Face,” came out with his now highly successful singles, “Closer than This” and “Like Crazy,” both of which he also co-wrote. These were hardly ‘nothing special.’ Perhaps Jimin was being humble; perhaps he wasn’t acknowledging his own talent; perhaps he didn’t really know how good his solo album was because it had yet to be released. If Jimin is an Enneagram Two, this would make sense as Twos tend to get their sense of their worth based on the responses of others rather than from an inner sense of knowing whether something they’ve done is good or not.

Speaking Style

The following descriptions of Jimin’s speaking style are excerpted from multiple people online who understand Korean. As a non-Korean speaker, I am not in a position to confirm this information, but these descriptions, which are direct quotes, contain themes that were mentioned multiple times online by different people: “polite, slightly formal language; uses a lot of words to express himself, especially when compared to other BTS members; soft-spoken and clear except when angry; then his words get blurry.”

Although all the above descriptions are consistent with the speaking style of Enneagram Twos, the last item referring to his words becoming blurry when angry is quite common in Twos. Although Twos are an emotional, relational Enneagram type, they also repress or hold down their own emotions – fear, sorrow, joy and anger – just enough so they can still resonate with other people’s feelings without having to deal with their own emotions too deeply. As a result, when Twos do feel a strong emotion, they can often be at a loss for words to express themselves or feel highly conflicted about expressing anger directly. Because Twos are highly relationship-oriented, the often perceive conflict with others, particularly those they care about, as threatening to disrupt or sever their connection to the other person.

The following descriptions of Jimin’s speaking style are ones that can be heard whether he is speaking English or Korean. Some people have a different speaking style when they talk in their native language, but Jimin does not appear so. These descriptors were pretty universal when people made online comments and mirrored what I could hear in his speech patterns: “voice sounds delicate; speaking voice sounds sweet; soft tone; graceful speech; mesmerizing voice.” In general, Twos speak with a more gentle, inviting, and graceful voice tone.

Non-Verbal Behavior

Very little was said online about Jimin’s body language nor did I personally observe a wide variation in his non-verbal behavior. What is most obvious about Jimin is that he smiles most of the time. And when he smiles, he does so both with his mouth and with his eyes. The frequency of his smiling and the matching or alignment between his mouth and eyes is often seen in Twos and also contributes to their credibility as a friendly, approachable and optimistic person. He also displays a very small range of emotional responses. He does show sorrow and sadness on occasion. Fear and anxiety are sometimes apparent, but primarily seen when BTS would go on adventures that involve physical risk. Very occasionally, Jimin shows anger in some of the more casual BTS videos, but these expressions are rare. These can be explained in terms of how Enneagram Twos repress their emotions, as described in the explanation of Jimin’s speaking style.

I would be lapse not to mention the particular way in which Jimin generally moves, both on and off stage. His movements look and feel lyrical, like a poem in motion. He moves in space as if weightless.

Challenges for Enneagram Twos

There are specific areas that are challenges for Enneagram Twos. Twos get a great deal of positive reinforcement for their kindness, generosity, and ability to help and support others. Twos also seek out affirmation from others and, unfortunately, this leads to challenges to their self-esteem. In other words, when others like, approve of, or appreciate what Twos do, Twos feel very good and their self-esteem rises or inflates. However, when the opposite occurs and others do not give them positive reinforcement or, even worse, do not like what they’ve done, their self-esteem deflates. In other words, Twos place their self-esteem in the hands of others.

For Twos, then, it seems natural and easier to simply focus on other people. Focusing on themselves and on their own feelings and needs is unfamiliar territory. Twos also believe that to focus on themselves rather than others is inherently selfish and being selfish is a highly negative quality. Thus, Twos have a big challenge knowing what they need and engaging in true self-care.

Simple, Powerful Development for Enneagram Twos

Rumi Poem
Reflect on the meaning of this poem by 13th-century poet Rumi:
“Love yourself completely
Return to the root of your own soul”

Explore your own feelings deeply
While Twos are adept at helping other people explore their feelings, they are not good at exploring their own deeply. Ask yourself regularly “How am I feeling right now?” Make sure to answer this question each time you ask it. Getting more in touch with how you feel will help you better identify what you actually need from yourself and from others.

Learn to say NO
Twos have a very hard time saying no to other people. When they do say no, Twos can have trouble sticking to it or may say no in such a soft way that others don’t even hear it as a no. Twos can also feel guilty saying no. Recognize that saying no is strength, not selfishness. Saying no sets a boundary, one that tells others not to cross. Whenever you are about to say yes, ask yourself the first two questions: Do I really want to do this? Why do I want to do this? Then make a choice.

Watch Jimin’s music video
Here: You can watch and hear Jimin’s music video, “Closer than This “(2023)

Watch Jimin’s dancing
Here: This video shows Jimin dancing to I Need U (2019)

About Ginger

Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD, author of nine Enneagram books, is a speaker, consultant, trainer, and coach. She provides certification programs and training tools for business professionals around the world who want to bring the Enneagram into organizations with high-impact business applications. TheEnneagramInBusiness.com | ginger@theenneagraminbusiness.com

The photo used for this blog is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license and was downloaded from the Wikimedia Commons site. Through Wikipedia Commons, an independent reviewer confirmed that this image was under the stated license on that date listed. BTS is very careful and diligent with their copyrighted materials, which we respect and follow. All photos for this blog will be obtained from Wikimedia Commons with an International Creative Commons copyright.

The post BTS Enneagram Types: Part 6 | Jimin (Park Jimin) Type 2 appeared first on The Enneagram in Business.

Part 5 focuses on Kim Namjoon (stage name RM), the first BST member, BTS’ team leader, and main rapper. He is also an accomplished composer and music producer, having written or co-written most of BTS’ music from the beginning and a member of the prestigious Korea Music Copyright Association.

I start the blogs about BTS member’s Enneagram types with Kim Namjoon (RM) for many reasons. First, he is the BTS member for whom I could find the largest quantity of relevant information. Why such an abundance of information about Namjoon? First, he is the BTS leader and has been from their start; people have a great deal to say about him based on his role and he typically speaks on behalf of the group. Because I have written books about and teach Enneagram-based leadership development, I have been especially intrigued by his exceptional leadership of BTS and how it might relate to his Enneagram type. Second, he is fluent in English, having learned it from “Friends,” whereas other BTS members are in different stages of understanding or comfort conversing in English. Because of Namjoon’s leadership role and also due to his high level of English fluency, he often speaks at award shows, during both formal and informal group interviews, and on other forms of media. Thus, he offers numerous data points that indicate what his Enneagram type may be.

In searching online regarding what people said about Namjoon’s possible Enneagram type, the answers were more varied than for any other BTS member. I have no way of knowing how well these individuals know the Enneagram, but the reasoning given for why they thought Namjoon was a particular type did not convince me because they focused on one and only one particular aspect of Namjoon. Some thought he was Five because he’s intellectual, but intellectuality does not go with any particular type. Namjoon happens to be very smart and loves books. His knowledge, according to other BTS members is broad and deep. Fives tend to have deep knowledge, but only in areas that really interest them. Some said he’s a Six because he’s careful, but being careful in itself does not make a person a Six. Others said Namjoon is a Seven because he’s an innovator, but many types can be innovative. Actually, all nine Enneagram types can be innovative, just in nine different ways. And Namjoon is very focused and pursues is interests in-depth, which is not characteristic of type Seven. Finally, others said he must be a Four because he’s deep, introspective and likes art. While it’s accurate that Fours are all those things (except they may not like art), so can people of other Enneagram types.

Kim Namjoon (RM) Enneagram One | The “Good” Person

I believe Kim Namjoon is most likely an Enneagram One, an Enneagram type that seeks a perfect world and works diligently to improve both themselves and everyone and everything around them. They strive for quality, are organized and perceptive, and are very honest while also being polite. Although they strive for perfection, they will be the first ones to tell you they are not perfect. They also tend to be highly self-critical, particularly when they make a mistake. Namjoon often speaks about mistakes.

Quotes from Namjoon about Mistakes

“I’m always afraid of making mistakes. I think I was born that way.”
“These faults and mistakes are what I am, making up the brightest constellation of my life.”
“Even if you’re not perfect, you’re a limited edition.”

General Description of Namjoon

He is often described as elegant, almost regal-looking. People online often refer to him as “perfect” or the “perfect man.” The tallest of all BTS members, he appears especially tall because he stands up straight, as is true for most Ones. Rarely do Enneagram Ones slouch over or hunch over. This can be thought of as having close to perfect posture.

From BTS’s start in 2011, Namjoon has also been perceived as a “grown-up” or highly mature, rather than appearing more child-like, even though he is younger than three BTS members and older than three others. Generally, the more adult word “handsome” has been applied to him even in his younger years; handsome is a word more often used to describe adult males, not younger ones. Other BTS members, with the exception of Jin, who goes by the moniker of “Word Wide Handsome,” have historically been described as cute, adorable and other endearing adjectives that are used to describe younger people or children rather than adults. It is common for Enneagram Ones to feel like and be treated as if they are adults at an early age. The reason for this is that Ones, even as children, tend to be highly self-controlled, principle-driven, organized and extremely responsible, and they try to adhere to the rules in order to be as “good” as possible.

Enneagram Ones: Principle-driven and the Importance of Integrity

Enneagram Ones, even as children, do their best to act in alignment with their basic principles or values, referred to as integrity. These principles often include the following: self-development, taking responsibility, and fairness.

Namjoon takes his own and the self-development of the other BTS members extremely seriously. He often comments about his own self-development journey and, especially but not only because of his role as the BTS leader, encourages the other six BTS members to do the same.

Taking responsibility is another Enneagram One core value, and Namjoon demonstrates this quality over and over again. As BTS’s leader, in addition to his fluency in English, he often speaks on behalf of the group in public settings. Thus, he is also thrust into the spotlight whenever the group or he makes what is perceived as a mistake. The mistakes that he speaks publicly about are often related to words used in lyrics or the use of props that have meanings for which he or they were unaware. This is particularly an issue since he comes from a rapper background. In rap, certain English words may be used that have a meaning or context that is not obvious in Korean culture. Yet when this occasionally occurs, Namjoon studies the issue for understanding, then speaks to it publicly, expressing sincere remorse when such things occur. In other words, he does not gratuitously say “I am sorry if you were offended.” He actually apologizes with emotional sincerity and explains the issue and why it occurred.

Fairness is an important guiding Enneagram One principle; Namjoon manifests this value in several ways. For example, he favors leading BTS as a “democracy;” many group decisions are settled by a round of rock-paper-scissors. He also treats each BTS member fairly, not appearing to favor one over another even though he has special individual relationships with each one.

Control

Although everyone, no matter what their Enneagram type, likes to control, there is a particular way control is extremely important to Enneagram Ones. Enneagram Ones exhibit a high degree of self-control and also pay attention to controlling their immediate environments to make sure everything is going the way it should. Namjoon appears, at least in public and I assume in private as well, to have control over his reactions, what he says, and how he says it.

However, how he controls BTS members, interviews and interviewers is intriguing. When BTS members are “out of line” literally and figuratively, in interviews, members might get “the look” of subtle disapproval to stop fidgeting. He motions with his hands or moves toward them on stage and without calling too much attention to this and moves them physically to a different place on the interview stage where they are supposed to be. Namjoon also intervenes when an interviewer says something inappropriate. For example, a female interviewer kept touching Jimin while all BTS members were standing nearby. Jimin’s body language showed he didn’t like it, yet the interviewer continued touching him. When a Namjoon “look” didn’t stop the interviewer, he gracefully but clearly stood between her and Jimin to stop the touching.

Overall Style

Descriptions of taste and style are often subjective, yet Ones have a particular style that is compelling: sophisticated and tasteful; minimalistic; more classic than trendy although they sometimes use selected trendy elements. Namjoon is described by others as looking “well put together,” and he usually looks this way. There’s an elegant professionalism to his clothing, his hairstyles, and his jewelry choices. Most of the time, his clothing looks perfectly tailored and his jewelry is classic. All BTS members wear earrings at times except J-Hope, and most BTS members use a variety of earrings at different times. Namjoon, however, generally wears only one or two classic, simple, medium-sized hoops in each ear, in either gold or silver.

In addition, there’s a recent amusing video of Namjoon packing for a trip, going to his large closet with an abundance of clothing options. In it, he carries out a large armful of clothing, yet still says that he has nothing to wear. The meta meaning is likely that while he obviously has plenty to wear, what he has is not the right clothing for the occasion, as he perceives it.

In the documentary “BTS Monuments: Beyond the Star,” several BTS members show their homes, large ones that they have purchased since BTS members decided to live separately. Thus, their homes reflect them and their preferences more closely than when they were living together. In Namjoon’s home, he shows an exquisite yet precise art collection with each perfectly framed on his walls. He has a ceramic collection that is carefully curated with each item beautifully visible while clearly protected from breakage. It looks like an art gallery. In the rest of the tour, we see him continuously sweeping the floor in a home with minimal furniture, gently lamenting that there always seems to be dust everywhere. He also comments that he didn’t realize how important cleanliness and order were to him until he moved into his own place. It looks like an Enneagram One paradise.

Speaking Style

Namjoon’s speaking style maps to the ways in which Enneagram Ones speak: concise, precise, fluid, with carefully chosen words and also polite, direct and gracious. These are ways people describe his speaking style:

“Carefully chosen and precise word selection and sentence structure”
“Assured and confident speaker”
“Thoughtful verbally and in writing”
“Uses perfect standard Korean”
“Speaks elegantly and eloquently in several languages”

 Non-Verbal Behavior

Namjoon’s nonverbal patterns are consistent and predictable, even as they may vary according to the context he is in. First, he moves in space with grace and poise, even though he is known amongst BTS members for bumping into things or breaking small items. They tease him about this and, at least, externally, he takes this in stride. Gracefulness and poise often align with Enneagram Ones, which doesn’t mean they don’t break things. It refers to their overall demeanor.

Namjoon also exhibits a nonverbal behavior that is typical of Ones: pointing his finger when he talks, particularly the index finger. This finger-pointing serves several purposes: to emphasize an important point they are making verbally; to get another person’s attention, particularly but not only, about something that person should start or stop doing; or to emphasize the importance of a critical comment (akin to what is called “wagging your finger” as an idiom). Namjoon uses pointing his index finger so often that in a video reel in which Jung Kook mimics the other members’ verbal and non-verbal way of speaking, Jung Kook emphasizes Namjoon’s pointed finger, and the other BTS members, including Namjoon, all laugh in recognition.

In addition, Namjoon also clenches his jaw when he doesn’t like or disapproves of something. Although he does this subtly and not for extended periods of time, it is a very common and largely unconscious non-verbal response in Enneagram Ones. Their displeasure emerges somatically, plus clenching the jaw also prevents them from saying something critical or possibly impolite. Many Ones say that they experience sore jaws, although they may not realize that their jaw clenching is the source of this.

Namjoon’s non-verbal style can be described as self-controlled as opposed to impulsive and serious as opposed to silly or fundamentally playful. Namjoon is fluid in his responses but also expresses himself non-verbally in more measured, controlled ways. If he likes something, his whole face smiles, including eyes, mouth, and facial muscles. However, when he doesn’t like something, he stays very still and sometimes gives a look of displeasure. He is a master of the “side eye,” a subtle sideways glance of the eyes that conveys a variety of reactions such as disbelief, disapproval, and skepticism. Namjoon also uses a subtle version of the “eye roll,” a non-verbal gesture that can have multiple meanings: impatience, annoyance, or even boredom.  When he uses the “side eye” and “eye roll” gestures, they are done in a subtle, not blatant way. This form of subtle interpersonal behavior is highly consistent with Enneagram Ones. Ones have what is called a judging or discerning mind, meaning they sort quickly that something is good or it is not and they have polite but easy-to-read non-verbal reactions in these situations.

Although Namjoon can be funny and playful at times, he just as often sits back and watches the other BTS members get silly and a bit rambunctious without getting involved himself. Sometimes, he’ll join in with hearty laughter when something delights or amuses him, but he is just as likely to watch what is going on without joining in himself. In general, he can be described as a more serious-minded person, which is an apt description of Enneagram Ones. 

Namjoon’s Leadership

He is BTS’ team leader and has been from the start, but why was he chosen? In Korea, there is deference and respect for age, but he is not the eldest BTS member so age alone doesn’t explain the decision to make him the group leader. When he was selected as the first BTS member, Namjoon was already an accomplished underground rapper and respected in the Korean musical community. This talent and respect would give him credibility as a leader. In addition, Bang Si-Hyuk, from Big Hit Entertainment, chose Namjoon as the group’s leader, perceiving Namjoon as being “fluid” and having “depth of character.” Although talent and accomplishment can go with any Enneagram type, being “fluid,” such as being well-spoken and poised, can easily describe most Enneagram Ones. “depth of character” can also go with several Enneagram types, but especially Ones because they are values and principle-driven from an early age.

From the start, all BTS members embraced and relied on Namjoon’s leadership to guide them, support them in hard times, and offer perspective and encouragement when they needed it most. In the Korean musical community, Namjoon is regarded as one of the best, if not the best, leaders in the entire K-pop community. From all the video reels I’ve seen, Namjoon doesn’t appear, at least to me, to be trying to be the best. Instead, he is trying to be the best version of himself and do his best on behalf of BTS as a whole.

Namjoon stepped into BTS leadership in his late teenage years, with few role models in the industry. How does a person learn to become a leader without role models or leadership training? They have to rely on themselves. My guess is that he had to embrace his natural inclinations as an Enneagram One leader. Leadership style, no matter what age, grows out of our Enneagram type.

Enneagram One Leadership Style

Ones believe that their job as a leader is to set clear goals, aspirations and expectations and also inspire others to achieve the highest quality. One leaders pursue excellence and lead by example.

For Enneagram Ones, leading by example doesn’t mean others should be just like them. It means everyone should try to be the best version of themselves. What matters is not that you are perfect, even though Ones are sometimes called perfectionists. In actuality, Ones are more perfectionistic, knowing they are not perfect. What matters to them is that they and you are continuously improving yourself as a person and as a professional and holding yourself to a high standard. He has been referred to as a “perfect role model,” as he leads with constancy, integrity and humility.

Namjoon, as is common with One leaders, also exhibits “principle-based leadership.” For him and many Ones in leadership roles, growing others is a key principle and commitment. This means not creating clones, but helping others continuously develop through advising, providing resources including their own time, and being available when needed to offer support and encouragement. Namjoon has done this over and over, including doing his best as part of the team – songwriting, dancing, singing and rapping – and also not competing with or trying to outshine other BTS members. He’s described as putting the group before himself.

What has also helped BTS as a group is the way Namjoon deals with issues that arise. As is true for most Enneagram Ones, he is neither conflict-avoidant nor conflict-inducing. However, when conflict arises within the group or from an external factor, he deals with issues directly, taking a problem-solving orientation. His pragmatism, calm, and even-handed way of problem-solving are also characteristic of Enneagram Ones.

Challenges for Enneagram Ones

All Enneagram types have their challenges, and Ones are no exception, whether in a leadership role or just in life. Ones can be very hard on themselves to do things right and get deeply discouraged and extremely self-critical when they make mistakes. Because of this, they can get very discouraged. Ones also take on so much responsibility that they exhaust themselves through relentless hard work. In addition, Ones have difficulty fully relaxing or being spontaneous because they feel the need to exhibit so much self-control. When they feel like things are not within their control, they can become highly anxious with a deep need to “fix” whatever they can. All of this and more can get in the way of their closest relationships. And it can be hard to feel like the “grown-up” in the room, especially at a young age. This can lead to feeling lonely.

Simple, Powerful Development for Enneagram Ones

Rumi poem
Reflect on the meaning of this poem by 13th-century poet Rumi:
“If you are irritated by every rub, how will you be polished?”

Breathwork
Practice breathing into your heart area just as much as you breathe into your belly (gut) and head areas. This will help you gain greater access to your feelings, thus helping you become more integrated.

Cultivate acceptance
You can cultivate true acceptance of yourself, others and that which surrounds you through the simple things in life. Notice how the flower in nature is perfect just as it is, even when some of its petals may not be. Notice your internal critical voice and befriend it rather than believing it or fighting against it. Notice your high expectations and ask yourself gently: Is this something I really believe and does believing it truly serve me?

Watch Namjoon’s music video

Here: You can watch and hear RM’s (Namjoon’s) music video, “Lonely” (2022), written in a hotel room in Las Vegas.

About Ginger

Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD, author of nine Enneagram books, is a speaker, consultant, trainer, and coach. She provides certification programs and training tools for business professionals around the world who want to bring the Enneagram into organizations with high-impact business applications. TheEnneagramInBusiness.com | ginger@theenneagraminbusiness.com

The photo used for this blog is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license and was downloaded from the Wikimedia Commons site. Through Wikipedia Commons, an independent reviewer confirmed that this image was under the stated license on that date listed. BTS is very careful and diligent with their copyrighted materials, which we respect and follow. All photos for this blog will be obtained from Wikimedia Commons with an International Creative Commons copyright.

The post BTS Enneagram Types: Part 5 | RM (Kim Namjoon) Type 1 appeared first on The Enneagram in Business.

Why I am even writing about BTS member’s Enneagram types?

There are several reasons I am even writing blogs on BTS members’ types, particularly in light of the fact that I fully believe we can’t accurately type other people. We don’t know what really occurs within them, and Enneagram type is about the inner dynamics of thinking, feeling, and behaving and is most closely linked to a person’s motivational structure. In addition, I also believe and teach that typing someone we don’t know, and especially public figures, is problematic because what we think they may be like from how they appear in public may be substantially different from what they are truly like as people.

As an Enneagram teacher of nearly 30 years and author of nine Enneagram books, several of which are best sellers and translated into multiple languages, I’ve become increasingly adept at accurately typing people and teaching others how to do so. One of my books, The Art of Typing, has become a major resource for Enneagram professionals worldwide. Still, typing someone else is not necessarily accurate. When I do help people identify their type through my certification programs or in organizational settings, I take into account a multiplicity of factors and try to be as objective, non-judgmental and non-interpretative as possible. In other words, I try to stick to observable and verifiable facts.

My sources and resources

I know I do not know BTS members personally, so my take on their Enneagram types could be misinformed. My sources are varied: “Beyond the Story” (2023), a 496-page book reviewing the 10 year-history of BTS with numerous direct quotes from all seven BTS members; “BTS Monuments: Beyond the Star,” (2023), an eight-episode Disney+ release that shows members describing their everyday lives, what goes on behind the scenes at concerts, sharing their vulnerabilities and greatest satisfactions; endless reels of BTS video clips doing just about everything; and lots of online sleuthing.

My explanations for why I think a certain Enneagram type best fits each BTS member focuses on what they say about themselves, the patterns of their reactions to a variety of situations, and my direct observations from watching them on reels, videos, “BTS Monuments,” plus a bit of my intuition. In addition, I rigorously searched the internet for commentary on their speaking styles by people who understand Korean because I do not. Speaking style involves patterns of words used and sentence structure, but it also includes the rhythm, tone and melody of a person’s voice, and that I understand in almost any language because of my behavioral science background. Speaking style and non-verbal patterns offer a glimpse into a person’s type, but these are only two factors.

What is the Enneagram: an overview

The Enneagram is a powerful and multi-layered system that some refer to as “personality,” but I believe is better described as our ego structure; the Enneagram illuminates nine ego structures or types. These nine ego structures are the nine different human architectures, each with a specific pattern of thinking, feeling and behaving. The Enneagram shows you who you are or, better said, who you think you are. The beauty of the Enneagram is that the purpose of identifying your type is not to know your type number. The purpose of knowing your type number is to show you specific ways to develop beyond your type to help you to not identify with your ego structure and to relax its hold on you through precise developmental activities specific to your Enneagram type.

There is much more to the Enneagram than a person’s type number, although accurately discovering your type number One through Nine is the essential first step. As an Enneagram teacher and author of nearly three decades, some may wonder why I do not include additional aspects of this dynamic system – for example, wings, arrows, instincts, subtypes, level of self-mastery –  in these blogs, especially since I obviously must know them. The reason is simple. I did not need to get overly complicated in order to explain what I believe might be the BTS member’s types and why.

Speculative summary of BTS member’s Enneagram types

Below is a summary of what I think are the Enneagram types of BTS members. The blogs that follow this blog explore my reasoning for this speculation or hunch, and I know I could be incorrect in this. That said, I offer data and reasoning to support my conjectures, both of which are very important when identifying both our types and when helping others find theirs.

Kim Namjoon (RM): Enneagram One
Park Jimin (Jimin): Enneagram Two
Kim Tae Hyung (V): Enneagram Four
Min Yoongi (Suga): Enneagram Five
Jeon JungKook (Jung Kook): Enneagram Six
Jung Hoseok  (J-Hope): Enneagram Seven
Kim Seokjin (Jin): Enneagram Nine

Do BTS members know the Enneagram?

I do not have an answer to this question because I have no direct evidence to suggest they do or do not know the Enneagram. In general, South Koreans are familiar with the MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator), even sharing their scores as conversation starters or to get a sense of compatibility with potential romantic partners. South Korean celebrities often share their MBTI scores publicly. BTS members have taken the MBTI; there’s a video of them discussing their MBTI scores. From my online sleuthing, it appears they may have taken the MBTI multiple times, however not always with the same score each time. This does happen with the MBTI.

But my guess would be that at least some of the BTS members have at least heard of the Enneagram, and some of them may be familiar with it. The reason I say this is that South Korea has an active Enneagram community. I know this because I have taught the Enneagram there many times. The other factor is that BTS members, in my opinion, are generally introspective and intrigued by better ways of understanding themselves. It’s hard to imagine they have not been exposed to the Enneagram because it is such a powerful system supporting our self-understanding and self-acceptance as well as our growth and transformation. In addition, BTS is on an international stage with a great deal of exposure to international trends and a great deal of contact with other international artists. The Enneagram is still on trend, and many artists utilize the Enneagram, with musicians being more “under the radar” on this than those in the film industry who talk more about it.

Watch BTS’ music video

Here: You can listen to BTS’ music about what it means to be a celebrity, an idol, a person in the public zone: “IDOL” (2018)

Forthcoming blogs on BTS member’s types

Stay tuned for the next blogs on my hunches about the BTS members’ Enneagram types along with my data points and reasoning for this might be accurate. And because the Enneagram is about psychological and spiritual development based on self-observation and self-responsibility, I include a few development tips in each blog.

About Ginger

Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD, author of nine Enneagram books, is a speaker, consultant, trainer, and coach. She provides certification programs and training tools for business professionals around the world who want to bring the Enneagram into organizations with high-impact business applications. TheEnneagramInBusiness.com | ginger@theenneagraminbusiness.com

The post BTS Enneagram Types: Part 4 | Typing Factors appeared first on The Enneagram in Business.

BTS and the Enneagram: Basic Instincts Part 3

It is in the one-to-one instinctual area where BTS has flourished. The one-to-one instinct focuses on individuals in relation to one other person, affection, intimacy, bonding and attraction. This instinct is also referred to as the intimacy or sexual instinct. This instinct also involves emotionality, often intense emotionality.

As BTS often says at the start of their performances, but also at interspersed moments, “Let’s go!”

Intimacy

Intimacy between BTS members

The seven BTS members got to know each other from an early age, initially sharing a small one-room living space, then moving to a house where some pairs shared the larger bedrooms, but many members had their own smaller rooms. But they ate together, played together, and worked together. As a unit, they were intimate, but they also formed intimate, non-exclusive “pair bonds” at certain time periods and for certain activities pairs had in common. In other words, more than just being a high-functioning social group, which is the social instinct, BTS members have also formed multiple relationships between them as individuals, which is the one-to-one instinct.

Here are just a few examples of their one-to-one relationships.

RM and Jung Kook
Jung Kook is the youngest BTS member and he greatly admires RM professionally. Jung Kook actually joined BTS partly due to RM although they did not know each other. RM, as the second oldest BTS member and the BTS leader, has always watched out for and taken great pride in Jung Kook’s development and achievements. Jung Kook regularly spontaneously hugs RM around the waist, even to this day, in both public and private.

Jin has unique individual relationships with all BTS members
Jin and RM: the two oldest members who share a more mature perspective on the work and experience of BTS and also watch out for the other five BTS members

Jin and Jung Kook
Jin shuttled Jung Kook to school in the early years, they both love to cook and also enjoy pulling pranks on other members and being silly together

Jin and Suga
They share a love of solitude, Jin has gotten Suga to relish the experience of fishing, even night and early morning fishing even though Suga likes to sleep.

RM and Suga
Both came to BTS as accomplished rappers, but they are also the most obviously intellectually oriented as well as self-reflective and philosophical. In addition, both are songwriters and producers.

J-Hope and Jimin
These are the two most accomplished contemporary dancers, so they pair together in dance routines, both formally on stage and informally in their time off-stage. They are also both extremely playful.

Suga and Jimin
Suga sees Jimin as a close younger brother and loves his voice, while Jimin looks up to Suga as a person and an artist.

Jung Kook, Jimin, and V
This triangle of the three youngest BTS members ­ – called maknaes meaning youngest – is a constantly shifting set of pairs and sometimes all three are together. They sing and dance together in private, hug each other constantly, feed each other when eating, give each other water when needed, and more. At points, Jung Kook and Jimin appear closer, while at other times, it’s Jimin and V or V and Jung Kook.

Intimacy between BTS and ARMY

What are indicators of intimacy? How does BTS create intimacy with millions of ARMY worldwide?

Here are just some factors that indicate intimacy: being vulnerable; not feeling judged; feeling seen and heard; expressing sincere, not gratuitous, appreciation; reciprocity; trust; setting and respecting boundaries; eye contact and congruence; authentic responses; and using affectionate nicknames.

Nicknames as an indicator of intimacy

Here is a list of just some of the affectionate nicknames ARMY worldwide uses for individual BTS members. As a note, it is not clear which if any of these BTS members use for one another.

Jung Kook’s nicknames
He has the most nicknames: bunny and baby bunny because he used to put on bunny ear headpieces, makes animated faces like a bunny and has teeth that resemble bunny teeth. Also in his nickname repertoire are Kookie, Jung Kookie, and JK, all for somewhat obvious reasons. He’s also called banana milk because he likes banana milk. In addition, he’s referred to as the Golden Maknae. Gold comes from a dream his mother had when she was pregnant with him, but also because he is so multi-talented.

Suga’s nickname
Meow Meow because ARMY thinks he’s like a cat: slightly aloof, but very cute, cuddly and sweet.

RM’s nicknames
RM stands for Rap Monster because early on, he was primarily a rapper. Also called Rapmon, a diminutive of Rap Monster, and Joonie because his real first name is Namjoon.

Jin’s nickname
Jin is often referred to as WorldWideHandsome or WWH and sometimes introduces himself this way. Although this could sound arrogant, Jin expresses this name with a sense of deprecating irony. Jin is, in fact, really handsome, but does not appear to have an attitude about this.

Jimins’ nickname
Mochi (rice cakes) because his cheeks resemble them.

J-Hope’s nickname
Hobi which derives from his stage name J-Hope because the English word Hope sounds more like Hob (a Korean pronunciation)

Other ARMY-BTS intimacy indicators

Fan-signings
In their earlier years, BTS members engaged in fan signings where they would be seated on an elevated platform behind a long table. Fans (ARMY) would line up to get something signed by them and engage one-to-one with each member. In these interactions, which can be viewed on YouTube, BTS members would make direct and warm eye contact with each fan, engage in spontaneous interactions with them and smile or look genuinely concerned depending on the conversation. ARMY would often bring them gifts. BTS members would exhibit genuine delight when receiving certain gifts from fans such as stuffed animals, their favorite foods, a fun picture, or an amusing headband. The interactions appear fully genuine and ones of mutual gratitude.

Social media platforms
From the start, BTS has been online as a way to communicate when their resources were scarce. They have continued this with a massive number of videos of them online. You can see videos of them just waking up or in pajamas; frequent and almost always spontaneous live social media sessions when they do something very normal and intimate such as eating and slurping, washing dishes, showing their homes or living quarters; showing Jung Kook’s dog Bam, which Jung Kook brushes (also on video); running around barefoot; answering questions live or asking fans questions live and interacting with their answers; appearing live with no apparent agenda and just seeing what happens; showing videos of themselves practicing and making mistakes and that being OK. None of these appear scripted.

Emotionality

An essential ingredient of the one-to-one (intimacy) instinct is the willingness and ability to be emotional, even intense, and show genuine emotionality. BTS thrives in this arena. They cry easily and without seeming embarrassment. They cry when they are sad, but also when they are overjoyed. Sometimes they cry from frustration or from sheer exhaustion. Their eyes well up on stage when singing about something that arises from within them or when they feel emotionally moved ­– for example, one of them says something heartfelt to another of them into the microphone, or they verbally express their love of ARMY. Sometimes they cry because they feel hurt by something.

They express joy through their faces, showing congruence in their eyes and mouths. Sometimes people smile with their mouths but not their eyes, which usually means they are not really feeling happy. Not BTS. BTS members smile in contexts where smiling makes sense; something good happened. One of them says something that delights or touches another of them. They get asked an interview question that is amusing to them. They win an award, act professionally on stage, and then scream in delight when they are together or in private.

BTS members also express anger overtly and verbally. When Jung Kook gets frustrated when other BTS members cheat at games they play together (which they do to prank him), he tells them he’s mad. When an ARMY member says (writes) something during an online live session that crosses a privacy boundary, the BTS member says so.

When BTS appeared on Ellen DeGeneres’ program, she asked them directly if they had ever dated or “hooked up” with any ARMY members. RM, who speaks fluent English and comes from a hip-hop and rapping background, certainly knew exactly what she meant. He graciously pivoted and explained that being on this show was their ARMY connectivity. Instead of accepting his answer and recognizing the inappropriateness of her question, Ellen asked the translator to explain the meaning of “hook-up” in Korean. In any culture, asking a question this personal would be considered an invasion of privacy; in Korean culture, it is even more inappropriate. The following year, when BTS again appeared on Ellen, she asked the same question, to which V shouted “NO,” and RM suggested, with polite sarcasm, that now probably everyone in Korea knows what the word “hook-up” means. BTS subsequently unfollowed Ellen on all her social media platforms and never again appeared on her show.

BTS members seem to have extremely strong emotional mirroring neurons. When one of them is feeling upset, they comfort each other. When one cries, often others will tear up as well. They also resonate emotionally with each other’s joys, taking pleasure in each other’s success. When one of them feels fearful, they protect that member.

BTS also resonates with ARMY, as evidenced by what they say online and onstage, without embarrassment. They tell ARMY how much ARMY means to them. BTS members also share with each other and with ARMY their deeper feelings of depression, bouts with anxiety, experiences with feeling lost or lonely, and more.

RM has said on numerous occasions that he wants ARMY to feel BTS’s sincerity. This sincerity, genuineness and authenticity is hard to miss.

BTS and the sexual instinct

BTS members have come of age, moving from boys to men. And because they strive to be true to themselves and reflective of themes in society, particularly among their age group, what now arises are manifestations of the sexual instinct in terms of attraction.

Yes, BTS members are all attractive, each in their own way. They are flirty in a fun flirting, cute flirting way. And why not! They blow kisses into the camera, make “I love you” signs with their hands, sometimes engage in flirty banter in their online lives, and post pics of each other that show their attractiveness. Now that they are all in their twenties or early thirties, they sometimes lift shirts slightly, occasionally post bare-chested photos that are not highly revealing, hold roses in their mouths and smile into the camera with a flirty glance, and use their tongues while performing in a wide variety of seductive ways that are still, in my opinion, in good taste. They also use the shoulder shrug combined with a sideways glance or jackets falling off shoulders, often to reveal their upper arm muscles.

Then there’s the “pants grab” (I’m using a euphemism here) movement that BTS now uses, and they are not the only performers who use this. This dance move originated with Michael Jackson in 1983 during a performance of “Billie Jean” and is now used in choreography of all kinds, including but not only rap and hip hop. BTS started using this movement most noticeably in their music video “Blood Sweat & Tears” (2016), with two of the older BTS members (RM and J-Hope) doing the complete grab and the other members doing minimalist versions of this move. It is a statement of masculinity, self-assertion and is a reflection of BTS’ movement from boys to men.

Music Video

This new age of BTS can also be heard and seen in one of their more recent songs, “Butter” (2021), which received 108 million views in the first 24 hours of its release. There are many different choreographed versions of “Butter,” some more playful and innocent and others more sensual/sexual but not over the top.
Click on this link to watch a music video of “Butter” that has both the innocence and sexuality that is also BTS.

About Ginger

Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD, author of nine Enneagram books, is a speaker, consultant, trainer, and coach. She provides certification programs and training tools for business professionals around the world who want to bring the Enneagram into organizations with high-impact business applications. TheEnneagramInBusiness.com | ginger@theenneagraminbusiness.com

The photo used for this blog is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license and was downloaded from the Wikimedia Commons site. Through Wikipedia Commons, an independent reviewer confirmed that this image was under the stated license on that date listed. BTS is very careful and diligent with their copyrighted materials, which we respect and follow. All photos for this blog will be obtained from Wikimedia Commons with an International Creative Commons copyright.

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