FIRST READ · MON 7 AM ETTHE WEEKEND LEXICON · SAT 9 AM ETSUGA
- Stage name
- SUGA
- Birth name
- Min Yoongi
- Born
- March 9, 1993
- Hometown
- Daegu, South Korea
- Position
- Lead rapper, record producer and songwriter
- Agency
- BIGHIT MUSIC
- Fandom
- ARMY
- Debut
- 2013
- Generation
- 3rd gen
SUGA, born Min Yoongi, is the lead rapper, producer and songwriter of the seven-member group BTS, and he releases solo work as Agust D. His solo trilogy of Agust D, D-2 and D-DAY, together with his 2023 world tour, made him one of the most commercially successful Asian rappers. After finishing his social work military service in 2025, he rejoined the group for the ARIRANG album in March 2026 and the world tour that followed. HYBE has said the tour will run through the first half of 2027, with group and solo projects planned after it.
Birth details: sugamusic.com
In their own words
“I feel like I might not be able to become a master of one genre, but I can wear many hats”
“I want to keep doing music until the day I die.”
“Now that I'm used to it, I think I'm actually a good fit for this job.”
“We should live doing what we want to do.”
- Hip-hop groups Hearing hip-hop acts around age 13 pushed him to learn MIDI and start making music. sugamusic.com
Timeline
- 2006Start of his music journey
- 2010D-Town and Big Hit trainee years
Produced a song about the Gwangju Uprising with the crew D-Town, auditioned for Big Hit in rap and composition, signed, and moved to Seoul, working as a delivery man to support himself.
- 2013Debut with BTS
Debuted as SUGA, the group's lead rapper, and went on to produce, write and compose many of its songs.
- 2016First mixtape as Agust D
Introduced his alter ego with the Agust D mixtape, which dealt with depression, fame, anxiety and poverty.
- 2018KOMCA membership
Became the first BTS member promoted to full membership of the Korea Music Copyright Association because of his songwriting output.
- 2022BTS hiatus begins
The group went on a break so members could pursue solo work and complete military service.
- 2023D-DAY album, documentary and world tour
Released the album D-DAY, the documentary SUGA: Road to D-DAY, and a 28-date solo tour across the U.S. and Asia with about 330,000 attendees.
- 2025Finishes social work service
Neared the end of his social work military service in June 2025, the last BTS member to be discharged.
- 2026ARIRANG album and world tour
BTS released ARIRANG on March 20, their first full studio album since Be, which topped the Billboard 200 for three weeks, then began a world tour in April.
Latest
- ARIRANG World Tour extended into 2027, with group and solo projects planned
On HYBE's Q3 2026 earnings call, CEO Lee Jae-sang said BTS will keep touring through the first half of 2027 and that more dates will be announced. The company is also preparing group and solo activities for after the tour. The tour resumes in later November with more Asian shows and stops in Australia.
billboard.com - HYBE confirms BTS will work on music and varied projects alongside the tour
Lee said the company is discussing post-tour plans with all seven members. HYBE reported record quarterly revenue and operating profit, driven largely by the BTS comeback and tour, with concerts averaging about 70,000 fans per show.
iheartradio.ca
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- billboard.com: BTS Plans to Add More ARIRANG Tour Dates & Work on New Music & Solo Projects in 2027
- sugamusic.com: About SUGA - SUGA Music
- iheartradio.ca: HYBE CEO Confirms BTS Group & Solo Plans for 2027 – iHeart Radio
- consequence.net: What Every Member of BTS Has Done Since Their 2022 Hiatus
- elle.com: BTS Goes Dapper in Tailored Suits on the ‘ARIRANG’ Album Cover—See Every Look
- rollingstone.com: BTS Suga Nears Military Service End, Reports Say March ...
Last researched Nov. 12, 2026