On April 15, Rolling Stone officially released the second individual interview between Kim Seok-jin and senior writer Brian Hiatt, as part of a special project for its May issue. The conversation was conducted when Brian met with the members of BTS in Seoul this past February, just ahead of the group’s long-awaited studio album release, ARIRANG.

Similar to the previously released interview with Kim Nam-joon, the two delved deeply into a wide range of topics, from the making of the new album and individual projects to Jin’s reflective thoughts on life and career. One of the most interesting moments in the interview came when Brian Hiatt asked about Jin’s role within the group: “What do you like and dislike about the role of being the eldest in the band?”

With his characteristic honesty and humor, BTS’s eldest member did not hesitate to share both the endearing and somewhat ironic aspects of his relationship with the younger members.

He explained that although he is the oldest, the members don’t really treat him in a strictly hierarchical way. In fact, he himself doesn’t act like a traditional “eldest” either. “But when they act all friendly, calling me brother, and they treat me comfortably, that’s what I like the most,” he concluded.

However, Jin also candidly acknowledged the “other side” of that comfort. He noted that sometimes the members can become “overly casual,” for example through playful actions that go a bit too far, such as slapping his butt. “I guess the inverse of that is that I don’t like when they get overly casual? Like when they slap my butt, for example. I’d say that’s my least favorite part,” he said with a laugh.

There is one fact everyone knows: Jin is the oldest member of BTS. Among today’s K-pop idols, he is also considered one of the most senior in terms of career longevity. However, this is also soмєтнing people often forget. Many perceive him more like a same-age friend to the youngest members (the maknae line), thanks to his sense of humor and playful personality. In addition, his “Worldwide Handsome” title and seemingly ageless visuals often make fans feel that Jin is much younger than his actual age.

Perhaps the members feel the same way, which is why they don’t sense any generational gap with him. This makes it easy to understand why they behave so comfortably around him. It is also exactly what Jin wanted to build from the very beginning of living together — a close-knit family without the pressure of age hierarchy.

Jin once expressed a similar sentiment in the documentary BTS: The Return, when he was preparing to reunite with the members at their shared house: “In LA, when I reunited with the members, I didn’t feel like they were colleagues, but more like seeing family I hadn’t seen in a while.”

That said, in кσяєα, age-based hierarchy remains a core and strict cultural principle that strongly influences social behavior. As the eldest, Jin is not entirely unaffected by this, and at times he does feel slightly uncomfortable when some members “get overly casual.” However, this is very different from feeling disrespected or offended. From Jin’s smile, fans can clearly see that he does not reject this kind of interaction and it's actually "least favorite part".

Meanwhile, Anton Hur, the translator of the memoir Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS, once observed that Jin possesses the “power of the eldest,” yet has consistently chosen not to impose that authority on the other members. According to Hur, Jin carries that position while facing his own insecurities, but still prioritizes the group’s harmony above all else.

However, the comfort and tolerance Jin shows toward the younger members does not result in disrespectful behavior or boundary-crossing. On the contrary, it helps the younger members develop an awareness of when to joke around and when to show respect and proper manners toward Jin and the older members. They have also acknowledged that they have learned a great deal from him and hold him in high regard.

This glimpse into Jin and BTS’s everyday dynamic leaves fans reflecting with admiration:

- The morals he hold and clarity. A korean who's still hold a conservative side (in good way) but still flexible in every circumstances

- Seokjin has gone out of his way to make everyone comfortable since debut.. he’s never been the one to uphold hierarchies but the younger always respect him

- I seriously don't think that he would mind the maknae line though lol. Or Taekook not about to take the last part seriously

- Jungkook is your main butt slapper that man is not stopping anytime soon. The last sentence is so bangtan lmaooooo

- Haha, I know Jin likes everything — the way the guys treat him like an equal, being friendly and easygoing… and even when they affectionately smack his butt too

- Honestly, this just shows how healthy their relationship is. The fact that Jin prefers being treated like a friend rather than pulling rank as the eldest says a lot about his personality

- I love how honest he is like “I like it but also… maybe don’t slap my butt too much” — that’s such a Jin answer

- This makes me respect him even more. He could’ve used his position as the oldest, but instead he chose comfort and equality within the group