Stanford University offers a course inspired by RM (Kim Namjoon) of the K-pop phenomenon BTS.
Freshman course “Namjooning, and other well-being inspiration from BTS” under Stanford’s Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department approaches mental health and well-being practices lifted straight from RM’s personal wellness playbook. Not ARMY? You might still want to take notes.
“Topics will include nature, biking, art, and literature (collectively known by some fans as Namjooning); sleep, anxiety, and creative block; self-love and self-awareness; medications and substances, diet and exercise; nutritional supplements; psychotherapy and coaching,” the Stanford IntroSems page on the course reads.
The course will also tackle quantitative approaches to advice such as ensuring one gets “plenty of sleep,” to fully grasp what “plenty” actually looks like, sleep quality, and the impact of sleep on one’s well-being, and so on.
The instructor for the course, James R. Jacobs, has been associate vice provost for health and well-being and executive director of Vaden Health Services for a decade.
“For the past six years I’ve taught an IntroSem on Secrecy (PSYC55N), but for 2026 I am excited to engage students in well-being, through a quantitative lens,” he said.
The term “Namjooning” was coined and popularized by BTS stans (fans), who call themselves ARMY, around 2019 to describe a slow, intentional way of living, inspired by the popstar’s hobbies.
“This includes taking walks to the parks, admiring nature, hanging out with crabs, and having fun with friends,” BTS said in an AskAnythingChat video.
