BTS member Suga, real name Min Yoongi, has taken part in something very different from music promotions. The 33-year-old K-pop star is now a co-author of a clinical manual created to help children with autism spectrum disorder.
The book, Mind Program, is led by child psychiatrist Cheon Geun Ah. The program focuses on helping children and teenagers improve their social skills through music.
Most social skills programs depend a lot on language and thinking ability. Because of this, they are not always helpful for children with lower developmental levels. The Mind Program was created to solve that problem.
Instead of using words as the main tool, it uses music and simple activities. Through these, children can interact, express feelings, and connect with others more easily.
The collaboration between Professor Cheon and the Haeguem rapper began in the fall of 2024. At the time, Suga had already been consistently interested in mental health, especially when it comes to children and adolescents. Both shared the same concern that children with autism need long-term support, not just short treatments. That idea led them to work together on this program.
Suga’s role didn’t stop at supporting the idea. In 2024, he made a donation of 5 billion won and opened the Min Yoongi Treatment Center at Severance Hospital in September. From the early planning stages, he shared ideas and helped shape how music would be used in the program.
The BTS rapper also joined the pilot program himself as a volunteer music instructor. Over several months, he worked directly with children. He observed how they responded and how music helped them express themselves. That experience became an important part of the program’s development.
The manual is expected to be used by therapists and specialists as a practical guide in the future.
At the same time, Suga is preparing to return to his role on stage. BTS will make their full-group comeback after around 4 years on March 20 with their fifth studio album Arirang. It is an important moment for the group as they reunite after completing their military service last year
The comeback will be followed by a large-scale live event, BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG, held at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21. The concert is expected to draw tens of thousands of fans, with 22,000 standing spots prepared. It will also be streamed globally for those who cannot attend in person.
The album’s title track, “SWIM,” carries a message about moving forward at one’s own pace and pushing through challenges. Following the Seoul event, BTS is also setto begin a large-scale world tour, with dozens of shows planned in multiple cities.