BTS Members' Representative Emojis, Explained One by One

Are there official BTS emojis?

No. Nobody at BTS or their label handed out one emoji per member. What you see in fan bios, captions and comments is a shared habit that grew over the years, the same way nicknames do. That is why two fan accounts can use different emojis for the same member and both be right.

The animal emojis stuck because they are quick to type and easy to read. Writing the koala and the bunny next to each other in a comment says "this is about RM and Jung Kook" in two characters, without spelling out names that search filters or strangers might pick up.

The most common emoji for each member

This is the set you will meet most often. We describe each emoji in words, so you can find it on your keyboard by searching its name. Treat it as the fandom's usual reading, not a rule.

• RM: the koala. It matches Koya, his BT21 character, and fans have used it for years. Some also add a plant or a flower, because he loves parks and nature.
• Jin: the hamster is the classic, for his cheeks and his playful side. The alpaca turns up too, from RJ, his BT21 character, and the astronaut or the rocket since his solo song The Astronaut.
• Suga: the cat, often the black cat, for his calm, sleepy, sharp-tongued image. Some fans add the cookie for Shooky, his BT21 character.
• j-hope: the squirrel is very common, and so are the sun and the horse. The sun works because his stage name means hope and fans call him their sunshine.
• Jimin: the baby chick, a fan favourite for years. The puppy also appears, from Chimmy, his BT21 character.
• V: the tiger and the bear are both used, and many fans add the purple heart for him, because he is the one who coined Borahae in 2016.
• Jung Kook: the bunny, by far the most consistent of all. It fits his smile and Cooky, his BT21 character.

The emojis that mean all seven

For the group and the fandom, the purple heart is the universal sign. It comes from Borahae, "I purple you", which V coined at a fan meeting on 13 November 2016: purple is the last colour of the rainbow, so it is a love that lasts a long time. A single purple heart at the end of a message is how many ARMY sign off.

Seven emojis in a row, one per member and usually in age order, mean OT7, one true seven. Some fans also use the number seven or a superscript seven after their username. Strictly speaking that small seven is a character, not an emoji, but it carries the same idea, and it is the reason for the ⁷ in our own name.

Where the animal emojis came from

Most of these choices have more than one source, which is why they vary. Some come from moments fans clipped and shared, like a member being compared to an animal on a variety show or in a live stream. Others come from BT21, the character line BTS created with LINE FRIENDS in 2017, where each member designed his own character.

That mix explains the doubles. Jin is both hamster and alpaca, Jimin both chick and puppy, V both tiger and bear. Neither choice is wrong: one comes from how fans see the member, the other from the character he drew. If you are not sure which one a friend uses, look at their bio before you reply.

How to use them in bios, captions and group chats

A few habits make emojis readable to other fans and less confusing to everyone else.

• In a bio, one emoji for your bias plus the purple heart is the clearest signal: ARMY will get it at a glance.
• For an OT7 line, keep one fixed order. By age it is Jin, Suga, j-hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook; many fans put RM first as the leader instead.
• In a group chat, give each friend their bias emoji as a nickname: it makes planning a concert or a watch party much quicker.
• Avoid mixing two systems in one line, for example a BT21 emoji for one member and an animal emoji for another: people will read it as two different members.
• On photos and fan art, credit the artist in words; emojis are a shortcut, not a substitute for a name.

From the screen to something you can wear

Many fans like to carry their emoji code offline: a koala sticker on a laptop, a bunny keyring, a purple heart pin on a bag. If you prefer something more discreet, a song title or a member's initials say the same thing to anyone who knows, and nothing to anyone who does not.

That is the way we work at Mima&Lulù⁷. We are two ARMY in Rome with an embroidery machine, and we turn BTS songs and in-jokes into embroidery made in Italy. Our designs are fanmade, inspired by BTS and not affiliated with BTS, HYBE or BigHit Music. Each piece is ready in about 7 days from payment, plus courier time, and shipping is free over 119 € in the EU and over 89 € in Italy.

• OT7 portraits oversize sweatshirt or t-shirt, from 36,90 €: all seven together, the wearable version of a row of seven emojis.
• Yeontan oversize sweatshirt, from 44,90 €: for V fans, a tribute to his dog, 50% cotton and 50% polyester, sizes S to 2XL.
• 'Jungkook' baseball cap, from 22,90 €: for bunny-emoji people, 100% polyester with an adjustable strap.
• Smeraldo garden bucket hat, from 20,90 €: for Jimin fans, in corduroy, with no size to guess.