Although Jungkook is a global superstar known for his warm and kind personality, he is, at heart, an introvert. He is not someone who naturally takes the initiative to approach others or quickly forms new friendships. In multiple interviews, he has mentioned that he does not have many close friends. He has also explained that the meaningful relationships he does have tend to last for years and are built on a strong foundation of trust.
During several live broadcasts on Weverse, Jungkook has spoken about a close friend outside the entertainment industry—someone he has remained close to since childhood. Meanwhile, when it comes to his friendships within the entertainment world, fans are most familiar with Jungkook's famous "97-liner" friend group, which includes top K-pop idols born in 1997, such as Mingyu of SEVENTEEN, Cha Eunwoo of ASTRO, and Jaehyun of NCT. They are also people he has known for many years, dating back to their trainee days.
At the same time, Jungkook prefers to keep his private life and friendships away from the public spotlight rather than putting them on display. As a result, most of what fans know about his friendships has come through other celebrities or by chance.
And in one such instance, fans discovered yet another of Jungkook's friendships—this time with one of South Korea's most well-known television actors, Yeo Jin Goo!
Considering that both of them were born in 1997, fans could easily αѕѕume that this shared age served as the starting point of their friendship. In an interview, Yeo Jin Goo confirmed that he tends to form friendships with people his own age within the entertainment industry. What is particularly noteworthy, however, is that he and Jungkook did not become friends directly at first, but were introduced through a mutual acquaintance and the two quickly grew close over a surprisingly shared hobby: football.
The actor shared, "I’ve begun making friends in the same field. Jungkook is actually a friend of a friend. And that friend isn’t from the entertainment business… But that’s how I was introduced to Jungkook. Through soccer." His comment surprised many, as it revealed that even celebrities often form friendships in ways no different from ordinary high school boys.
News of Yeo Jin Goo and Jungkook being close friends sparked long-standing curiosity among fans about how their friendship began and what they had in common. Fortunately, there came a time when Yeo Jin Goo felt comfortable enough to open up further about their relationship and address those questions.
He went on to share his thoughts, saying, "When I realized that he and I are the same age, I kind of opened up to him really quickly. For some reason, I’ve never had any actor friends who are my age… So I’ve always wondered what it would feel like to have that kind of friend." He added, "As for Jungkook and I, we get along pretty well because we share similar personalities. A lot of the time, we hang out at cafes."
In another interview following the completion of his drama The Crowned Clown, Yeo Jin Goo was asked why the two rarely spoke about their friendship in public. The actor gave an explanation that deeply moved and convinced fans. He explained that when they first became friends, Jungkook was already a “superstar” — and had only grown even more famous since then — so he felt the need to be careful when mentioning their friendship in order to avoid causing any unnecessary trouble for either of them. He also noted that despite his busy schedule, he still makes time to meet his friends, including Jungkook and Park Bo Gum.
In reality, Yeo Jin Goo and Jungkook rarely mention each other in interviews and reveal very little about their “secret” friendship, yet they have consistently supported one another behind the scenes throughout their careers. Fans vividly remember the first time they learned of their friendship, when BTS’s “Golden Maknae” sent a snack and coffee truck to the set of Hotel del Luna to cheer on his actor friend, with a message reading: “I will cheer on ‘Hotel del Luna.’ From Jin Goo’s friend, JUNGKOOK.”
Later, Yeo Jin Goo returned the gesture by sending a coffee truck to support Jungkook at BTS’s fan meeting in Busan. The actor included sausages — Jungkook’s favorite food — along with a heartfelt message: “Have a cool day full of happy memories! -Jungkook’s friend, Jin Goo-.”
Although fans have only caught brief glimpses of their private moments, through a few words or gestures, it is clear that their friendship is rooted in empathy and mutual support across all aspects of life. Their bond may be quiet, but it is deeply meaningful — and fans cannot help but feel moved by the genuine care they show for one another.
