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Stanford's 'Namjooning' Seminar Builds a Well-Being Course Around BTS Leader RM

Stanford University is running a first-year seminar called 'Namjooning, and other well-being inspiration from BTS,' which uses BTS leader RM's approach to art, nature and self-care as a starting point for studying mental health, according to the university's course listing and The Korea Herald.

By 2FC NEWSROOM · Published

BTS leader RM takes a mirror selfie with an orange phone, wearing a dark jacket over a pink shirt
Image: RM's official Instagram (via The Straits Times)

BTS leader RM has inspired a class at Stanford University. The first-year seminar 'Namjooning, and other well-being inspiration from BTS' (PSYC 65N) takes its name from the fan term for RM's habit of slowing down to enjoy nature, art, books and bike rides, and uses it as a way into the study of mental health and well-being.

According to Stanford's course listing, the three-unit seminar is taught by James R. Jacobs, who heads health and well-being at the university. It covers sleep, anxiety, creative block, self-love and self-awareness, diet and exercise, and therapy. The listing says students will not just repeat advice like 'get plenty of sleep' but use data to test it. Students read fiction and scientific papers, view art and YouTube videos, and finish with a final project inspired by RM's 2022 solo album 'Indigo.'

The course is new this Autumn 2026 quarter, and it drew wide media attention this week after reports by STARNEWS and The Korea Herald. The listing notes that BTS performed at Stanford in May 2026 and that RM is set to co-curate an exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art starting in October 2026.

Confirmed

  • Stanford's official IntroSems listing describes PSYC 65N, 'Namjooning, and other well-being inspiration from BTS,' as a new three-unit first-year seminar in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, offered in the Autumn quarter.
  • The course is taught by James R. Jacobs, Stanford's associate vice provost for health and well-being and executive director of Vaden Health Services, per the listing.
  • According to the listing, topics include nature, biking, art and literature ('collectively known by some fans as Namjooning'), sleep, anxiety and creative block, and self-love and self-awareness, studied through quantitative approaches.
  • The listing says assignments include brief in-class presentations, brief writings, some quantitative reasoning and 'a final project inspired by RM's Indigo.'

Reported by other outlets

  • The Korea Herald reported the course on Nov. 10, 2026, saying students will read fiction and scientific papers, analyze art and watch videos, including material on RM's creative journey; The Straits Times republished the report the same day.
  • STARNEWS covered the seminar on Nov. 9, 2026.

Analysis

Interpretation by 2FC NEWSROOM, not reported fact.

2FC NEWSROOM analysis: A university building a for-credit well-being course around a K-pop idol shows how far RM's public image as a reader, art lover and advocate for self-care now reaches beyond music.

Sources

Conflicts of interest: None.

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