BTS Memes, In-Jokes and Sayings
Have you heard other ARMY tossing around funny slogans, and wondering where they came from? Here’s a partial list of funny things BTS has said that have become repeatable salutations among ARMY.
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| Quote | Where It’s From |
| Subunit Names | Subunits are any group of BTS members that doesn’t include all 7 of them. Most of the pair matchups in BTS have a nickname that the fandom uses, or BTS uses themselves. Some of the more well-known include: Vmin (V and Jimin), 3J (j-hope, Jimin, and Jungkook), Sope (SUGA and j-hope), SIN (SUGA and Jin), 2Seok (Jin and j-hope), MiniMoni (Jimin and RM), MiniMini (Jimin and SUGA), Ji-Jin-Jung (Jin, Jimin, and Jungkook, known as the most chaotic of all combinations), the Kim Brothers (Jin, RM, V), Taegi (V and SUGA), Namgi (RM and SUGA), Namkook (RM and Jungkook)…there’s probably more. Plus there are the more-or-less official “lines” – the Rap Line, Vocal Line, Dance Line, Visual Line, 94 Line and 95 Line. |
| Personal Studios | At the HYBE headquarters, some members have their own production studio – like their own office where they can experiment with mixing tracks and writing new content. These are called: Genius Lab (SUGA), RKive (RM), Hope World (j-hope), and Golden Closet (Jungkook). You will often see the rap line’s studios in their vLives; RM’s and Hobi’s in particular are decorated with many different interesting items and collections. |
| I purple you (Borahae) | V invented this during the 3rd Muster. During the encore, BTS’ staff had prepared a surprise for them – they had handed out purple plastic covers for ARMY’s lightsticks to turn them purple (at the time, the ARMY bomb only shone with white light). V was inspired to compare the colour purple, as the last colour of the rainbow, to the endless love BTS and ARMY have for each other. |
| Lachimolala (sometimes Lajibolala or other variations) | From Run BTS! Episode 39 / 41 where they play Golden Bell games (various party games). In one game, while wearing headphones blasting music, they have to try to pass on a phrase by only watching each other’s mouths move. Jimin can’t figure out what the phrase is so he just mouths “lachimolala” to Jin – who then correctly guesses that the phrase was “carbonara”!! |
| Important Business | This is j-hope’s catchphrase when they are out and about and they can’t stop to take a selfie with fans that approach them. First appeared in the Bon Voyage series, season 1, but gets frequent use in other places too. |
| Do you know BTS? | Jin tends to pull out this phrase while travelling on Bon Voyage – we first heard him use it in Bon Voyage season 1 but it gets a lot of street use in season 3 especially. The other members go back and forth on whether it’s hilarious or terribly embarrassing. Famously, SUGA stole this phrase as an answer to a red carpet interview question, “What’s your best pickup line?” |
| Jimin, you got no jams | This is from an episode of American Hustle Life where BTS are heading to America, and practice their English on the plane. Jimin is being annoying to j-hope and RM, and RM says “Jimin, you got no jams” in English, which is used in Korea as a way of saying “you’re no fun” as it is a play on words. This same segment has j-hope saying “OMG, my hearteu” which is also pretty well-known. |
| I don’t have think | Jin said this in answer to a question during an English language interview with Access Hollywood in 2017. |
| I know her face, but I don’t know her name | This is a Jungkook quote from the same Access Hollywood interview above, in answer to a question where he is asked to name his Hollywood actress crush. When the interviewer asks him to name a movie she is in, he says, “I know movie, but I don’t know name” which is also iconic. |
| Min Suga genius Jjang Jjang Man Boong Boong (best best man bam bam) | When I Need U was released in 2015, BTS did a 1 1/2 hour long live show on Naver’s Starshow (the precursor to vLive) to launch the song and their new album. Fans were invited to leave comments and have SUGA rap them. This line – “min suga genius jjang jjang man boong boong” – was one of the lines and SUGA obliged by adding it to his rap, and the line became famous. You can see just the rap clip here and watch the whole I Need U live over on vLive. |
| Strong power thank you | This is from BTS’ appearance on the Korean variety program The Show back in 2016. Near the end of their appearance, the members were invited to say something to ARMY and V gave the fans a heartfelt thanks for always being supportive. RM – clearly in some kind of sassy mood! – translated this into English as simply “strong power thank you” and everyone cracked up. |
| International playboy | Jungkook says this as part of the Go! BTS documentary special that shows them prepping for their first American concert. He accidentally says it just as they are passing a female backstage crew member so it turned into an embarrassing and notable moment. |
| I hate snakeu | This from the photo shoot that BTS did during the Summer Package 2015, in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. For some reason the members had to each pose with a giant snake, and j-hope was his typically nervous self. At an interview afterwards, when asked how it went, j-hope declared his passionate dislike for the snake. We feel you, j-hope! |
| Hey, stob it! | This is from a legendary vLive by super chaotic trio Jin, Jungkook, and Jimin back in December 2016. While Jin and Jungkook are bickering and being ridiculous, Jimin is mostly dying of laughter. When Jimin tells them to knock off the arguing, Jin shouts “Stob it!” and is challenged to spell that by a giggling Jimin. See the Stob It clip here, and the whole live is still on vLive over here. |
| I want to be reincarnated as a stone | SUGA says this in the BTS Star! Japanese interview from February 2016, in reference to the fact that he never wants to exercise. It has become an in-joke among the members themselves, and V used this as the basis for his moving note to SUGA in Run BTS episode 56, the last in the BTS Picnic series, where V says that if SUGA comes back as a stone, he (V) will carry him to all the beautiful places in the world (aw!). Part 1 / Part 2 |
| I’m sorry for my fault | This is definitely some kind of in-joke among the members as they can easily crack each other up by saying it. It’s unclear when and how it first started but you can sometimes hear them say it deliberately to each other during Run BTS episodes as a joke. One of the earliest instances is in a tweet RM made in November 2018 apologizing for problems during a vLive he did after releasing mono, but it’s unclear if this is the first instance. You can hear JK whisper it to j-hope in the Comic Book Cafe episode of Run BTS (66/67 from early 2019), j-hope says it to RM during the Toronto episodes of Run (episode 69 while they are at lunch), plus here’s a great compilation of many more recent Run episodes where they used it to crack each other up. |
| Yoongi Marry Me / Marry Me Yoongi | This quote started from a live that SUGA did back in September 2018. An ARMY in the comments on the live said “Marry Me” and Yoongi cheekily replied with, “Bring the documents.” Understandably this caused a sensation and so now whenever ANY member of BTS is live, you will usually see many people spamming the comment section with “Yoongi marry me.” BTS started to notice these comments in recent years and V, especially, likes to happily read them out when they show up in the chat. The meme has now spread so far that other stars and idols – and even unrelated work chats! – can now find a random “Yoongi marry me” comment flying by. John Oliver on his talk show even used this quote in May of 2022 to ask Yoongi for his hand. |
| Uh huh! Listen boy! My first love story! | SUGA reads this in English as part of Track 12 (the 12th episode) of BTS Gayo, while introducing a song (“Gee” by Girls Generation, this is its opening line). It’s just so incredibly charming it became instantly quotable. |
| Flower, flower, flower flower | Jungkook says this while holding a daisy up to the camera during Bon Voyage season 4 in New Zealand. |
| You nice, keep going | This is from the May 2018 interview BTS did with Buzzfeed, while they played with puppies. One of the questions was for each member to say something to their debut-era self. Jimin said to his younger self – “Hey Jimin! You nice, keep going” which are basically words we should all live by at all times. |
| Pardon? | This is from a series of lives that RM and Jungkook did back in 2015 where RM would teach Jungkook an English word or phrase of the day. In this particular episode, the word they are learning is “pardon” and RM demonstrates how to use it by mimicking someone speaking English very quickly, and then JK responding with, “Pardon?” It’s super cute. |
| You’re so lovely, I’m so lovely, we’re so lovely, lovely, lovely, lovely | Jimin shouts this in the background, as j-hope is being interviewed, as they are coming off stage during the Love Yourself tour in Europe. You can see it on the DVD of Love Yourself In Europe, on the behind the scenes disc (Disc 2). |
| Night apple is poison apple | This is apparently a favourite Korean saying of RM’s father – that an apple in the morning is gold, but an apple at night is poison (i.e. bad for you). The saying can be heard a few different times used by a variety of members, but is perhaps best known from Jungkook’s vLive in June 2019, where he was eating an apple at night and a commenter warned him that it wasn’t good for him. JK responded with (in English) “night apple is poison apple, but I’m okay, because I’m JK.” |
| Party Party Yeah | From a vLive that Jungkook did in 2020. While playing with filters, he saw one that had disco-style lighting and said “Party party yeah!” He’s since said it on other vLives too (by request from commenters). Someone on YouTube turned it into a disco remix and it’s both hilarious and just one more in an endless parade of creative ARMY creations! |
| Rock bison | From Run BTS! Episodes 95/96. The members play with a variety of toys from their childhood including Beyblades. Jimin ends up with the Beyblade called Rock Bison and he cheers for his team loudly and often, resulting in a meme (and a lot of wins!). You’ll sometimes see BTS using Rock Bison as a team name now. |
| Bak Bak | From Run BTS episode 150 – members play a game where common texting memes/codes are given and have to explain what they mean. V and Jimin eventually sort out (with JK’s help) that “bak bak” means “daebak daebak” (awesome awesome) and then go on to use it at every opportunity. |
| Min Yoongi, I will sue you! | This is from a very early fan sign (2014?) where a passionate fan yelled out that SUGA was so attractive, and giving her such a hard time, that he should be held responsible – and thus she was going to sue. This phrase caught on so quickly that it gets yelled at SUGA at least once every concert and fan sign, and often several times by multiple people. |
| Niagara pokpo! | This is how V expressed his love for Niagara Falls during the Toronto series of Run BTS episodes (69/70/71). |
| Beach? B*tch? | This is a clip from American Hustle Life where Jimin and V are practicing their English. Jimin would like to go to the beach. That’s not what V heard! |
| I like hamburgers and Sprite | j-hope says this in the April 2018 Ask Anything Chat by Most Requested Live in an adorable and quotable way. But he has declared his love for hamburgers and Sprite in other places, too. |
| It’s Rap Monster, not Dance Monster | This from a pre-debut member log that RM did, posted originally to their website, where he talks about how dancing is hard for him. Beware the horrifying haircut of pre-debut RM! |
| Army hearts banga banga | Suga says this while he is “translating” for the other members into English during the October 2017 Ask Anything Chat with Most Requested Live. You can see the segment at around the 10 minute mark; various members speak in Korean while Suga more-or-less translates. When JK says, in Korean, “We can make ARMY’s hearts drop by sniping them” Suga translates this as “ARMY hearts bang-a bang-a.” |
| Infires | From a classic interview for KCon in 2014. Suga wants to talk about what “inspires” him but instead says “infires” and after RM corrects him, Suga and JK decide to embrace the modified version. |
| Trusfrated | Jungkook said this instead of “frustrated” when asked in an interview which English word he finds hardest to pronounce. Since then it has turned up in a few different interviews and is kind of an in-joke among the members. |
| Kaepjjang | SUGA’s signature word circa 2017, meaning “ultimately superb.” They use it a lot in 4th muster. |
| Bono Bono Ya | JK was in a playful mood during Run BTS Episode 66/67 when they went to a comic book cafe; when asked to read a line from his chosen comic he went with “bono bono ya” (the comic was called Bono Bono after the main character, a sea otter). |
| She dropped the cheesecake | This is a misheard lyric from SUGA’s solo song “Seesaw” and is so well-known, that the members themselves have been caught sing-songing it on a few different occasions (the real lyric is “Alright, banbokdwen shisogeim”, meaning, “Alright, a repeating seesaw game“). SUGA himself referenced it in a 2019 Bangtan Bomb about what kind of cake to get for RM’s birthday. RM once sang the line softly to himself while having cheesecake on a plane, and j-hope has been heard singing it as well. |
| Team KimSeokjin | Jin has the most wins and fewest losses on Run BTS! (of course some intrepid ARMY have done statistical analysis!). At some point the other members realized this and started naming their team “Kim Seokjin” or some variant in order to secure the win. It actually seems to work – so far a team named “Team Kim Seokjin” has never lost on Run BTS – so now you’ll see them competing over the name, even if Jin isn’t actually on their team! |
| I was born in Busan first | Part of Jimin’s ongoing semi-joke that Jungkook copies everything he’s ever done. When listing the ways JK has copied him, Jimin often points out that he was born in Busan first. |
| Car Door Guy / Third One From The Left | These were both trending phrases on social media referring to Jin. The first, “Car Door Guy,” is from the 2015 MMA awards, where he emerged from a car onto the red carpet looking dazzling and causing an international stir. The second, “Third one from the left,” is from the 2017 Billboard Awards, where Jin’s flying kiss on the red carpet also had social media falling in love with whoever this handsome stranger was! |
| What Yoongi wants, Yoongi gets | This isn’t a direct quote, but rather a saying among the fandom that is also sometimes referred to by BTS themselves. SUGA has the nickname “Minstradamus” for his ability to correctly predict the future, no matter how crazy it may seem. From the earliest days in the band, SUGA was announcing his intentions to have their music listened to worldwide, to play in the biggest stadiums, and to rule the charts – things that seemed like impossible dreams and ridiculous boasts at the time. But you know what they say…what Yoongi wants, Yoongi gets. |
| #afobangfo | A Twitter hashtag that stands for “ARMY Forever Bangtan Forever,” reportedly invented by Jungkook. |
| Nico Nico Nii | This is from the closing stage at one of their Japanese concerts during the HYYH On Stage Epilogue tour in 2016 (called KYNK On Stage Epilogue in Japan). They are performing Attack on Bangtan and after JK tears up the bridge, they cut to V – with everyone else’s microphones in his face – where he says “nico nico nii” in a high pitched baby voice (it’s a quote from an anime called Love Live). See a clip of it here. |
| Am I…charming? | Caption Jimin used on a selfie tweet back in 2013 and the other members still harass him about it from time to time. |
| Tata Mic | A phrase V repeated in adorable, childish fashion during a photo game clip made for 8th Festa. After j-hope (his partner) won a bluetooth mic, V wanted one too, and cheated to get one – claiming that his prize slip said “Tata mic” and refusing to give any further info. (Of course the staff caved in, they are all totally whipped for V!). The innocent, wide-eyed look he gave while asking for his treat is now known as his “Tata mic face.” |
| Ian | In August 2023, Jungkook shared a link to an Enhypen TikTok video on Weverse, and in doing so, he accidentally revealed that he had a secret TikTok account with the username “Ian”, which was one of his potential stage names considered before BTS’ debut (along with Justin Seagull). He decided to keep the account, make it public, and change the username to “LetJungCook7” but he will NEVER live down the “Ian” username, which ARMY mercilessly teases him about. |
| International Pop-K Sensation Sunshine Rainbow Traditional Transfer USB Hub Shrimp BTS | This is an ever-evolving meme started in Bon Voyage Season 2 in Hawaii. As the members found out they were doing well on the charts, they started to refer to themselves ironically as “international popK sensation BTS” as they were travelling around. The other words were added mainly by Jin and SUGA as they waited for their lunch at a food truck one day, and Jungkook added the “shrimp” part for…no good reason. This phrase was embossed on the back of a silk robe for the Run BTS! PJ party episode (97/98) (see photo below) and SUGA was the lucky winner who got to wear it. It still pops up sometimes today with modifications and additions. |
ARMY have their own jokes too, mostly on Twitter. See a really funny thread of legendary ARMY memes here.