Stanford offers course on well-being inspired by BTS leader RM

Stanford University is teaching a first-year seminar inspired by BTS leader RM, using the K-pop star's favorite pastimes as a way into the science of sleep, anxiety and well-being.

The three-unit course, "Namjooning, and other well-being inspiration from BTS," is listed as PSYC 65N and offered by the School of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, according to Stanford's course listings.

The seminar is new this year. It began on Sept. 22 and runs until Dec. 4, meeting twice a week, and has nine students enrolled, the university's class schedule shows.

"Namjooning" is a term fans use for RM's favorite ways to unwind, from cycling and visiting art museums to reading, journaling and spending time in nature, Malay Mail reported. The word comes from his real name, Kim Nam-joon.

The course description calls the seminar "fundamentally about well-being practices and struggles," though "we will take inspiration from BTS wherever we can."

Its topics range from sleep, anxiety and creative block to self-love and self-awareness, medications and substances, diet and exercise, nutritional supplements, and psychotherapy and coaching.

The description says it "will not suffice to simply extol the entirely sensical advice" to get plenty of sleep. Instead, students use quantitative approaches to work out how much sleep is enough, whether all sleep is equal, what the research says about naps and what remains controversial.

RM of BTS speaks at the APEC CEO Summit at the Gyeongju Arts Center in Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 29, 2025. Photo by AFP/Anthony Wallace

Students read fiction and scientific papers, analyze art and watch videos, including material on RM's creative journey, The Korea Herald reported. Assignments include written work and presentations, along with a final project inspired by Indigo, the 32-year-old's 2022 solo album.

The listing names three prerequisites: "a desire to flourish at Stanford and in life, an appetite for data, and a healthy respect for BTS."

The seminar is taught by James R. Jacobs, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences who also heads Vaden Health Services, Stanford's student health center. Stanford's course pages do not indicate any involvement by RM or his agency, Big Hit Music.

The description notes that BTS would perform at Stanford in May. The group played three sold-out shows at Stanford Stadium on May 16, 17 and 19 during its Arirang world tour.

RM, an avid art collector, co-curated "RM x SFMOMA: Between You and Me," which draws on his own collection and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art's holdings. The exhibition opened on Oct. 3 and runs until Feb. 7, 2027.

BTS wrapped up the South American leg of the tour in Sao Paulo on Oct. 31 and will open its next Asian leg in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on Nov. 19.