Namjooning at Stanford: Inside the cool new course on mental wellness inspired by BTS’s RM
Stanford University in the USA is officially part of the BTS Army. The private research university has introduced a freshman seminar class inspired by the K-pop group’s leader RM, whose real name is Kim Nam-joon, and his approach to mental well-being.
Widely recognised for his high IQ (148), fluent English and his articulate speeches on global stages, most notably his historic address at the United Nations General Assembly, RM’s personal habit of reading, visiting art museums, collecting modern Korean art, and finding peace in nature inspired a global fan phenomenon called ‘Namjooning’ — a lifestyle centred on slowing down and staying present. For years, fans have used the term to describe RM’s philosophy of mindfulness and intentional slow living.
Now, James R. Jacobs, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford, is delving deeper into the practice with the three-unit class titled ‘Namjooning, and other well-being inspiration from BTS’. The course, PSYC 65N, focuses on “practices to support mental health and well-being” while drawing “inspiration from RM wherever we can,” according to its official description. The curriculum includes reading fiction, analysing scientific papers and viewing art and YouTube videos. Students will prepare in-class presentations, write papers and complete a final project inspired by RM’s 2022 debut solo album, Indigo.
PSYC 65N launched its first cohort in September, at the start of Stanford’s autumn quarter. It meets twice a week and will conclude in December. Currently, nine students are enrolled, though it has a capacity for up to 18
This isn’t the first time that Stanford has launched a course based on a pop star. In 2024, it launched ‘The Last Great American Songwriter: Storytelling With Taylor Swift Through the Eras’, a student-initiated course offered to undergraduates. The year prior, it introduced ‘All Too Well (Ten Week Version),’ a course dedicated to Swift’s 2012 hit All Too Well.
Stanford’s new RM course follows the global megastar’s visit to the campus in May, when he performed three sold-out shows with BTS at Stanford Stadium. During the trip, members of the group were spotted exploring Stanford and its surrounding communities, including Redwood City pizza spot Vesta and the Hub Pickleball Club Silicon Valley in Campbell.
RM returned to the region in October to celebrate the opening of RM x SFMOMA: Between You and Me, a showcase of more than 170 pieces from both his personal art collection and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s holdings.
Pictures courtesy: Getty Images
