Jungkook looks back on BTS’ early days: “We were not that cool”

Jungkook has opened up about his thoughts on BTS’ early days and why he still “can’t watch the footage” from their debut.

• READ MORE: Jungkook – ‘Golden’ review: a new pop king prepares to take his throne

In a new interview with New Zealand radio DJ Zane Lowe for Apple Music, the K-pop singer looked back to the beginning of the boyband’s career, saying they were “not that cool”.

“Of course, at the time, the other members looked so cool to me,” Jungkook said with a laugh. “But honestly, I still can’t watch the footage from when we first debuted or even from a few years later. It makes me feel cringe and embarrassed.”

“I’m thinking, if only I could have some of the emotions I feel now. What if? What could have been?” he continued. The BTS singer added that the group’s early days had helped shape them and their careers to what they are today, saying: “If we didn’t have that back then, I wonder if there would be the BTS that we know today.”

“We had that raw vibe for sure. It was just the seven of us all lacking something, but then trying to make it work just by ourselves. I think we are where we are today because of those days of being together and trying to make it work,” he explained.

Elsewhere during the interview, Jungkook spoke about his new single ‘Standing Next To You’, which he says allowed him to visualise a “grandiose picture”. “I could see myself right away performing on stage with that song,” he explains.

Last week, the singer released his first solo album ‘Golden’ alongside the music video for ‘Standing Next To You’. The new record also includes his singles ‘Seven’ featuring Latto and ‘3D’ featuring Jack Harlow from earlier this year.

In celebration of the release, Jungkook held a surprise concert in Times Square in New York City yesterday (November 9) that was also livestreamed online. The star performed all three singles from his debut record, as well as B-sides ‘Yes or No’ and ‘Please Don’t Change’.