If there is anything that South Korean rapper, dancer and writer RM “Rap Monster” is famous for, it is the sense of openness he fosters among his fans. The artist, who rose to fame as the leader of the world-recording breaking boy band BTS, is famous for speaking his heart, especially when it comes to political issues.

The twenty-five year-old star has used his fame to give his support to a number of causes, including gay rights and mental health awareness. At the United Nations General Assembly in 2018, RM spoke in front of world leaders to encourage them—and the world’s youth—to support all people, regardless of color, creed or sexual orientation. “Find your conviction,” he told his listeners.

Similarly, publications such as Teen Vogue have applauded RM for creating conversations around mental health crises, especially involving young men and boys. “Everyone in the world is lonely and everyone is sad,” the magazine quoted RM.

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The Face Of A Secret

However, while RM is clearly not afraid to open up to the public about his feelings and beliefs, the singer has been pretty secretive about his love life. He and the entire BTS group have remained single in-name since their rise to fame, claiming that they have been too busy making music to fall in love.

Some fans may be wondering what has gone down in RM’s romantic world. Is he truly single? Or is one of Korea’s most adorable boys hiding something huge? And what about the ring that he was wearing?

We have done some undercover digging into the dramatic world of K-Pop romance to help Western fans understand exactly what’s behind all of the secrecy.

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The Ring & What It Means

In the past weeks, fans have drawn attention to a series of photographs and video clips in which RM appears with a ring on his left ring finger. In one shot the leader sits with his fellow band members in a recording studio, making a peace sign with his left hand. A simple band shines on his finger.

In another shot, RM appears alone on a sofa. His left hand is clutching an album cover and is thrust out towards the camera so boldly that his pose draws special attention to the studded ring that he is wearing.

While folks accustomed to Western culture may interpret this as an indication of engagement, that is not necessarily the Korean reality. According to Culture Trip, a ring does not necessarily indicate that a couple is going to get married.

The report, however, does explain rings are an important symbol of commitment in romantic relationships in Korea. An exchange of bands is normally done on the one hundredth day of a new relationship, although younger couples often gift each other rings on the twenty-first day.

As a result, we can understand RM’s newest ring as an indication that he is in an exclusive romantic relationship, but it does not mean that he is engaged.

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The Lucky Lady

While RM has been a bit brazen about showing his ring off to the world, he has been way more secretive about the woman’s identity. The official BTS social media pages show no sign of any female company beyond the woman artists who collaborate with the boy band.

Perhaps even more surprisingly, PopSugar UK reports that in the past RM has responded to questions about his love life by saying that his fans are better than any relationship. “We’ve got thousands of girlfriends here in this arena,” RM said, speaking for the entire band.

Somag News confirms that the young artist has been spotted socializing with fellow K-Pop star Hwasa. Due to her popularity, some fans believe that the pair would make a powerful match. Nonetheless, the exact nature of try pair’s relationship remains unknown for now.

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K-Pop And Keeping Things Quiet

So, what is keeping RM from going public with the woman who has stolen his heart? For K-Pop experts, the answer is obvious.

According to an in-depth report by CNN, artists in the genre not only lose popularity once they announce their relationships; they often lose their contracts, as well. The article explains how K-Pop stars E-Dawn and Hyuna announced their relationship to the public and subsequently lost their deals with Cube Entertainment as a result.

While the firing may seem strange to some fans, in the world of K-Pop it is expected. The stars are expected to be good role models for younger folks, and singledom is considered a part of that morality.

Like this pair, RM has a whole lot to lose, including his “army” of “girlfriends” that make up the big band’s passionate fan base.

Consequently, we may have to wait a long while for RM to make the name of the girl public.

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