Among the celebrities who are friends with BTS, Kim Jong Kook is certainly one of the most representative and well-loved by ARMYs. The singer is known to have a close friendship with BTS’s younger members, V and Jungkook, thanks to their shared pαѕѕion for working out at the gym.

Fans even suspect that it was Kim Jong Kook who introduced BTS’s current fitness trainer, Ma Seon Ho, to the two members. During V’s military service, trainer Ma also shared that he had accompanied Kim Jong Kook to visit the idol at his base.

In several videos on Kim Jong Kook and Ma Seon Ho’s personal YouTube channels, as well as photos shared on Instagram, they also revealed moments of spending time at the gym with the two BTS members—proof of their good friendship.

Not only is he close with V and Jungkook, but Kim Jong Kook was also deeply impressed by BTS’s eldest member, Jin, when the idol appeared on an episode of Running Man. Just one of his manners alone made Kim remark that Jin was truly different from other celebrities.

Specifically, Kim Jong Kook’s comment about Jin came during an old episode of Running Man. Jin joined the show as a special guest where he had a direct showdown with senior Ji Suk Jin—who is also close to the idol.

Before the challenge, the members were asked to pick cars to determine teams. When it was Jong Kook’s turn to choose, he happened to pick Jin’s car. Another lucky cast member who also ended up with Jin was comedian Yang Sechan, and the three had a fun conversation together.

Suddenly, Sechan shared that he usually calls anyone wealthier than him “hyung” (older brother), so he thought he should call Jin “hyung” because Jin was richer. For context, Yang Sechan was born in 1986, while Jin was born in 1992, and the comedian also enjoys a certain level of fame in the кσяєαn entertainment industry.

At first, Jin was flustered and shy when Sechan called him “hyung.” But after hearing the reasoning, Jin agreed and even said that he usually does the same thing. He then jokingly responded like a true senior: “Yes, Sechan-ah.”

Everyone burst into laughter at Jin’s candid “wealthy” acknowledgment! This moment also made Kim Jong Kook, who was sitting next to them, excitedly point out that this was exactly what set Jin apart.

Kim Jong Kook said that Jin wasn’t trying to appear overly modest but instead presented himself as he really was. Normally, celebrities would feel embarrαѕѕed or deny being as rich or famous as people might think. But Jin was the opposite—he accepted others’ compliments and showed confidence in his own popularity and success.

What made Jin’s approach clever was the way he added humor and friendliness, making the conversation comfortable. So even though he “admitted to being wealthy,” people found him all the more genuine and loved his straightforward personality.

Even Jin himself admitted that he wasn’t trying to act humble—he simply acknowledged what he had. Jong Kook and Sechan were completely won over by his authenticity and admired him even more. They even encouraged Jin to maintain this personality, since not many people can pull it off.

Clearly, humility is a virtue, but deliberately downplaying yourself to please others is a different story. Instead of hiding his efforts or achievements, Jin boldly affirmed his true value, striking a balance between confidence and sincerity that others couldn’t help but admire.

Through this moment, fans also saw a very mature side of Jin: knowing who he is, where he stands, and how to carry himself!