It is officially Suga day! The BTS member, who is a part of the hyung line, turns 29 (international age) on Wednesday, March 9. While Suga is a bias or even bias wrecker for many in the fandom, there are a few who are torn between his real self and his two of his stage egos. Those who’ve been following BTS for a while would know about Suga’s alter ego but for those new to the fandom, here’s a quick look at Suga, his real self Min Yoongi and his alter ego Agust D.
To begin with, Min Yoongi is the rapper’s real name. Born in South Korea’s Daegu, Yoongi was interested in rap at a very early stage in his life. Speaking with Ten Asia during their initial days, Suga had revealed that it was when heard Reggae Muffin by Stony Skunk that he was drawn to hip-hop. He finally fell for hip-hop when he heard Epik High. Soon enough, Min Yoongi’s life took a drastic turn, leading him in front of the Big Hit Entertainment doors (now known as HYBE).
He adopted the stage name Suga, which was reportedly suggested by Bang Si-hyuk. The name was inspired by Suga’s favourite position during basketball matches, Shooting Guard. But it seemed that the rapper wasn’t done with just two names. In a rare turn of events, Suga introduced his third side – Agust D – via his first mixtape. When fans met Agust D, he was unlike the Yoongi/Suga we’d previously seen. The new avatar was rawer, grittier than Yoongi’s BTS self, making the alter ego gain a standalone recognition. Agust D is a rearrangement of Suga’s name along with a nod to his hometown. Agus is Suga spelt backwards while DT stands for Daegu Town. The three identities are as different as their names.
Min Yoongi, who often pops up in specials such as Bon Voyage, Summer Special Packages, In The Soop or even Run BTS episodes, is a lot open and cuter version of himself. A side that is seen only when the group is on the road with less stage work on their mind. Yoongi comes across as a soft cat, thus the emoji associated with him, when he is in his element. The Yoongi side of the BTS member often pops up with a wide, gummy bear smile. It would be safe to say that the Yoongi side of our dear birthday boy appears to be the time he’s put all guards down.
On the other hand, Suga is a blend of his personal persona and his stage personality. Suga, as a characteristic, comes across as a person who means business while adding sprinkles of fun. One mention of Suga and you know he’s all about music – mostly producing it for his group and bringing the house down with them.
Agust D, much like Suga, is also a performer at heart but this personality of the rapper appears more personal to Yoongi. Unleashing all hell, Agust D doesn’t filter his thoughts when he is in his avatar. It is this raw, don’t care attitude that helps the alter ego rise above the other two versions of the rapper. The music composed under Agust D is also different from the ones Suga composes for BTS.
While his approach to songs for BTS caters to the overall theme and message of the group, Agust D gives Yoongi space to explore his own thoughts. He doesn’t shy away from addressing subjects that have been bothering him. His song 28 from his second mixtape is the perfect example of it. Augst D rapped about the dilemma he is facing as a 28-year-old.
While Suga had once said in the past that all three avatars are the same yet different, speaking with Time Magazine in 2020, the rapper explained how he feels Suga and Agust D are different. “The difference is that there is a lot more that I can openly express and that I can show a more raw side to myself (with Agust D). What’s similar is that both sing of dreams and hope,” he said.
Regardless of the avatar, we adore you Min Yoongi! Happy birthday!
