One of Jungkook's skills that Suga's finds "unfathomable"

 

One of Jungkook's most famous nickname is the "golden maknae," given to him by Namjoon, the leader of BTS, in the year the group debuted. From the very beginning, Namjoon recognized and highly valued Jungkook abilities based on what he witnessed firsthand. Indeed, the insight of a talented leader has never been wrong.

More than a decade after debut, the nickname "Golden Maknae" seems to perfectly capture who Jungkook is. From his appearance and personality to his talent and career, everything about him is truly shines like gold, earning admiration and praise from everyone. Even Jungkook himself has acknowledged a strong connection to the word "golden," going so far as to use it as  the title of his first solo album.

In particular, Jungkook's album "GOLDEN" reflects the results of more than ten years of trials and growth—a true test of fire refining gold. During this process, one skill stood out, honed to near perfection, that even Yoongi found astonishing and difficult to comprehend when Jungkook revealed it during a conversation about the completion of his debut album.

First, while recalling behind-the-scenes stories, Jungkook revealed that the album's title track, "Standing Next To You," was recorded just one day after he finished recording "Seven." This decision was nearly spontaneous, as producer Andrew Watt—who was present during the recording of "Seven"—suggested trying out a few other songs he had written for Jungkook. Among the songs he listened to, Jungkook liked "Standing Next To You" the most and decided to record it. Impressively, he memorized the entire song in less than a year and returned to the studio the very next day to record it.

If that alone doesn't sound extraordinary, a remark from Taehyung further illustrates just how exceptional Jungkook's recording skills are. Taehyung noted that he usually takes about three days to record a single song, which is already considered fast. Many idols and artists, by contrasts, may spend a week or even a month working on a single track. Jungkook, however, can record a brand-new song in just two days—a clearly remarkable difference.

Yoongi confirmed that Jungkook's vocals had truly reached a new level based on what he heared about the solo recording sessions. He commented, "I only heard about your recording process this time around. I felt that you had upgraded to another level because you've gotten so much faster."

However, that wasn't even the most shocking part. Jungkook later revealed another fact that left Yoongi completely speechless: he recorded for only three hours per day during the production of "Golden." Initially, Yoongi assumed Jungkook must have recorded around nine hours daily to finish so quickly—which would already be considered a fast pace for producing a full solo album.

Jungkook completed the work in less than half the average time, prompting Yoongi exclaim that it was truly an "unfathomable" improvement. He also acknowledged that Jungkook naturally works faster than anyone else once fully focused—partly due to his innate musical genius and partly due to the ten years of training and experience He has accumulated as an artist.

That said, the recording sessions were by no means easy. Jungkook also pointed out the harsh reality of this extremely tight schedule. Despite the unusually fast pace, the sessions were intense and stressful. He admitted to feeling nearly exhausted, saying, "I almost died while recording this song. It was so tiring... Preparing for the album, the time was really short, so there wasn't much time. In a week, I think I recorded about four or five songs... Five sounds like too much, so I'll say four."

If you hear that Jungkook recorded for only three hours per day, or that he could learn a song in a single day and record it the next, you might think his natural talent—being "born for music"—makes it easy. In reality, however, it requires not only innate ability but also rigorous training, immense focus, and undenying determination. Another impressive aspect is that Jungkook doesn't just surpass expectations in speed—he delivers results where quality matches quantity, showcasing the exceptional vocal ability of a top-tier artist.

Ultimately, Yoongi's acknowledgment further highlights Namjoon's foresight in giving Jungkook the title of "Golden Maknae" from the very beginning. He started with a foundation of "gold" in talent, but it is the continuous refining of that gold through ten years of effort truly defines his value. This is why the Golden Maknae continues to shine brighter and earn greater admiration, never losing the significance of his title.