BTS Suga Profile: From Underground Rapper to Global Icon (2024 Updated)

Who is Suga? 

Suga, whose full name is Min Yoongi, was born on March 9, 1993. He is a member of famous K-pop boy group BTS, and serves as a rapper and producer of the group. 

He also actively promotes as a solo artist under the stage name Agust D.

Suga’s Biography

• Birth Name: Min Yoongi
• Stage Name: Suga, Agust D
• Date of Birth: March 9, 1993
• Zodiac Sign: Pisces
• Nationality: Korean
• Instagram: @agustd

Suga’s Basic Info

Suga was born in Daegu, South Korea, as a member of the Yeoheung Min clan, and is known to have an older brother. 

He graduated from the Global Cyber University with a degree in Broadcasting and Entertainment in 2019, and later enrolled in the Master of Business Administration program in Advertising and Media at Hanyang Cyber University.

Suga’s Career

• Before BTS

Suga, who was interested in rap from an early age, worked a part-time job at a recording studio at the age of 17. He began composing and arranging music, alongside rapping and performing around the same time.

He was also active as an underground rapper with the stage name Gloss, and produced the song “518-062” in 2010, as a member of the hip hop crew D-Town 

Suga originally joined the Big Hit Entertainment (Now Big Hit Music) as a producer and trained for 3 years alongside fellow BTS members j-hope and RM. 

• BTS

Suga debuted with BTS on June 13, 2013, and has since released an extensive discography with the group. He also took on the stage name “Suga” upon debut. 

Additionally, due to his role as BTS’s producer and other solo releases, Suga was announced as a regular member of the Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA).

You can read more about the achievements and releases of Suga as BTS via the profile of BTS.

• Solo

Suga has appeared as a featuring artist and even participated in the composition of several non-BTS songs, with notable ones being IU’s “Eight”, PSY’s “That That”, and Halsey’s “Lilith”, among others. He also released collaboration song “SUGA’s Interlude” (with Halsey), digital single “People, Pt. 2” (with IU), and an OST titled “All Night” for BTS World (with RM and Juice WRLD). 

Suga also has various solo projects and songs credited under BTS and as Suga of BTS. 

Meanwhile, as soloist Agust D, Suga has released the mixtapes “Agust D” (2016) and “D-2” (2020). He dropped his 1st solo studio album “D-DAY” in 2023.

Suga also prove his popularity by embarking on his 1st solo world tour “SUGA Agust D TOUR” and releasing a Disney+ documentary titled “SUGA: Road to D-DAY”.

The male idol is also selected as the brand ambassador for Valentino.

In 2023, Suga began his mandatory military service as a social worker. 

Additional facts about Suga 

Suga became interested in rap after hearing “Reggae Muffin” by Stony Skunk, and decided to become a rapper after listening to “Epik High”. He began writing lyrics and learn about MIDI by age 13. 

Throughout his career, Suga has made various remarkable donations using his own name, as well as using the name of “ARMY” (BTS’s fandom). He has also spoken openly about mental health and shows clear support for the LGBTQ+ community. 

His stage name, Suga, is derived from the first syllables of the Korean term for “shooting guard” – a position he played in basketball. Meanwhile, the alias Agust D is derived from the initials DT for his birthplace, Daegu Town, and “Suga” spelled backwards.

Suga is nicknamed “Motionless Min” because he isn’t an active person and wouldn’t do anything on his day off. 

Health Issue

In 2013, Suga was diagnosed with appendicitis and underwent surgery. He was discharged but then re-hospitalized due to inflammation of the surgical site. Consequently, he was unable to attend year-end music festivals at the time. 

In 2016, Suga suffered an ear injury and had to take a one-week break from performing, leading to him not participating in choreography at year-end music festivals. 

In 2020, Suga underwent surgery to repair an injury in his left shoulder, which struggled to move properly after the male idol suffered from an motorcycle accident in 2012. As a result, he took a break from promotional activities and only resumed in 2021. 

Controversy

In 2013, Suga published a questionable post, where the phrase “찍어버림” can be translated to “take a photo” or “hit”, leading to netizens accusing the male idol of being overly aggressive. 

In 2020, he was accused of using the voice of Jim Jones – a notorious massacre leader of the United States, in the track “What Do You Think” from his mixtape “D-2”. In the end, Big Hit had to release an official statement apologizing for the careless use.

According to the company, Jim Jones’ speech was selected as a vocal sample “without any special intent” by the song’s producer (not Suga), who was unaware of the speaker’s identity.