BTS Tattoos: The "7" Friendship Tattoo, Jungkook, Jimin and What We Actually Know

BTS tattoos are some of the most searched celebrity tattoos in the world, and some of the most misreported. Fans spot a glimpse of ink in a photo, a theory spreads, and within days it is repeated as fact.

This guide sticks to what has been clearly shown or explained, and flags where meanings are fan interpretation. It also explains why tattoos are a bigger deal for Korean stars than for most Western celebrities.

The "7" friendship tattoo

The most famous BTS tattoo is the one they share. In 2022, around the group's ninth anniversary, members began revealing small matching tattoos of the number 7, a tribute to the seven members and their bond. Each member chose his own placement and style, so the tattoos are recognisably connected without being identical.

Reported placements include behind the ear, on the ankle, on the leg and on a finger, and different members revealed theirs at different times through social media posts and photos. Some members' tattoos have been shown far more clearly than others, so treat any complete "where is each member's 7" list with a little caution.

The idea behind it is simple and widely copied by fans: a single small number that means everything to the people who share it. We look at the history of lucky and meaningful numbers in our guide to good luck tattoos.

Jungkook

Jungkook is the most heavily tattooed member of BTS and has spoken about his tattoos directly, including a detailed breakdown during a Weverse Live broadcast.

His best known tattoo is "ARMY" across the knuckles of his right hand, a tribute to the group's fandom, which has been widely reported as his first tattoo. The hand also carries other small designs around it.

His right arm has since become a collection of pieces, some of which cover or replace earlier tattoos. That is worth noting for anyone tempted to copy a celebrity arm piece line by line: even Jungkook has reworked designs he was not happy with, and cover ups are harder than tattooing fresh skin.

Jimin

Jimin has several smaller tattoos, but the one that drew the most attention is a series of moon phases running down his back, which he revealed in 2023 around the release of his debut solo album FACE and its single "Set Me Free Pt. 2." Fans widely link the design to BTS's debut on 13 June 2013, though the precise meaning is best treated as interpretation.

RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope and V

The other members are far less tattooed, and for most of them the "7" friendship tattoo is the main or only one publicly seen. That contrast is part of what makes the shared tattoo so meaningful: for several members, the only ink they have chosen to show is a tribute to each other.

Why tattoos are a big deal for K-pop idols

In South Korea, tattoos have long carried a stigma, historically associated with gangs, and the legal position of tattooing has been complicated for decades, with only licensed medical doctors legally allowed to tattoo under longstanding rules even as thousands of tattoo artists work in the country.

Broadcasters also tend to discourage visible tattoos on air. That is why idols with tattoos are often seen with them covered by long sleeves, bandages or makeup during television appearances. For many fans, seeing BTS members show tattoos openly on their own social media has been a small signal of changing attitudes.

Thinking of a BTS inspired tattoo?

• Make it yours. A 7, a date or a lyric can be meaningful, but it will mean more if it connects to your own story, such as a friendship tattoo with your concert crew.
• Keep small numbers readable. Tiny, fine line numbers and letters blur over time. Let your artist set the minimum size.
• Think about finger and hand placements. They look great but fade fastest and often need touch ups.
• Check any Korean text with a fluent speaker before it goes on your skin.

For more on celebrity tattoos and the stories behind them, read our guide to celebrity tattoos with real meaning, and before you book, see our list of tattoo red flags.

Reporting on Jungkook's Weverse Live tattoo breakdown by Koreaboo, and on Jimin's moon phase tattoo by Koreaboo.