Here's Why BTS Will Be A Long-Running Group, According To Photographer MJ Kim

Photographer MJ Kim is a world-renowned professional who has worked with global superstars like Paul McCartney, Madonna, Natalie Portman, and more. He also got to photograph BTS on three different occasions – and from these encounters, MJ Kim realized BTS have something very special to them, which will inevitably hold them together as a successful idol group for a long, long time.

MJ Kim explained that he got to work with BTS once every year for three years since his arrival in Korea. He praised that each year, BTS came back a little more popular than the one before. Yet, MJ Kim recalled, the members grew more humble each time.

They had such great manners the first time we met. Then they came back with the same amazing manners the second time. And the third time we met, they still had the best manners I’ve seen.

— MJ Kim

MJ Kim also shared an episode with BTS members that truly moved him and eventually made him realize that BTS are in this for the long run. Once, BTS had to shoot pictures and videos for 18 hours in a row – an inevitable booking due to their packed schedules.

Usually, the photo shoots and video shoots are held on separate days. But these guys were packed with schedules that it had to be done on the same day. So they had to be on set for 18 hours straight.

— MJ Kim

So even when MJ Kim was done with his photo shoot by 6PM, BTS still had 4 more hours to go for video shoots. While a killer schedule like such could be exhausting for anybody, MJ Kim was surprised by BTS who didn’t seem affected at all!

Then BTS came to say goodbye to MJ Kim – and what they said to him has stuck with the photographer all these years!

All the members came up to me and said, ‘Thank you for coming to work with us from the morning all the way through the evening. And thank you for smiling at us and keeping the ambiance light and fun for us’. That’s usually the staff’s goodbye to the models, you know? And they were so genuine, so sincere about it too.

— MJ Kim

And he believed this “good-naturedness” which belongs to every single BTS member will be the sole trait that holds them together for a good while and taking them places!

I have never heard anything like that from anyone in my years of working as a photographer with celebrities both Korean and international. I realized that BTS are in it for the long run. They’re going to last a long time with that attitude.

ARMYs can’t help but gleam with so much pride for the members who are charming the whole industry with not only their visuals and talents, but also their irresistible personalities!