Jin of BTS and Tom Cruise tackle spy missions, film, and teamwork on 'Run Jin'

"Run Jin" is bringing out the big guns with an interview between Tom Cruise and Jin! 

On "Run Jin" Episode 35, the BTS member had a quick interview session with the “Mission:Impossible” actor who channeled the hit spy film series’ main character, field agent Ethan Hunt, in a mission.

The episode began with the iconic “Mission:Impossible” theme song, after which Jin revealed he is about to interview Cruise, who was currently promoting the series’ newest installment “Mission:Impossible – The Final Reckoning.”

During the interview, Cruise said he knew BTS, and that he was a big fan.

“We all know BTS… Congratulations for your band, your career, and what you created… It’s very impressive. I’m a big fan and I’m very happy to be here, to be on your show right now,” he said, quickly flustering Jin.

“BTS members, Tom Cruise knows us!” The K-pop star exclaimed.

According to Cruise, he loves the culture, people, history, food, and movies of South Korea. In fact, he isn't just familiar with samgyeopsal or Korean grilled pork belly. He loves it, Tom said, leading Jin to recommend mulhwe or spicy raw fish soup, his favorite dish.

Jin revealed "Mission:Impossible" was among the first movies he watched when he turned 15 years old. Some of the movies from the franchise were rated R15+ in South Korea.

While discussing the movie, Cruise admitted he found some of the stunts, which he did himself, very challenging.

“The stuff that you’re seeing with the wing-walking had never been done before. I didn’t know physically what it would take. Within 5 minutes, it was like the hardest weight workout you’ve ever done ever. I really had to improve my power to be able to do it, and the wind is so hard that when you step out of the cockpit it hits you so hard that it's hard to breathe… It's going so fast. The type of training I had to do, it surprised me. I had to change my whole training regime. It was definitely the most challenging action I’ve ever done,” he shared.

He also noted that it took seven years to complete the film.

“Seeing how the filming was done, it made me think ‘Someone can actually do that?’  You’ve done such amazing things, and I have so much respect for you…I try a lot of new things too, but when it comes to my life, I like to be safe,” shared Jin.

“I like to be safe too! We just have different definitions of what ‘safe’ is,” Cruise joked in reply.

Cruise emphasized the importance of respect and open communication in keeping a team together, which made Jin agree as part of BTS for more than 13 years.

Jin also joked that he wanted to be an agent like Cruise’s character in "Mission: Impossible," leading the actor to reveal his familiarity with "Run Jin:" He's seen Jin doing some agent-like activities as part of show, Tom said.

“I’d just like to work on the radio. Would that be possible?” Jin asked.

“You can be the radio guy, absolutely! The radio guy who is traveling in the airplane that’s on fire as they’re talking on the radio and you’ve got to land but you’ve got to keep on the radio… or in the car chase, you got to stay on the radio, and then they guy who’s driving gets shot, and you have to take over but you have to keep being on the radio… [Is that] good?” Cruise joked back.

“No good… I think I might be better off as BTS,” Jin laughed.

After the interview wrapped up, Jin was quickly sent to an area in Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi on a mission to “deactivate a bomb” in 15 minutes after resolving an obstacle course based on the movie.

Jin completed 4 missions, which included dartboards, scavenger-hunts in a maze, passing through wires, and problem-solving. He won on his second try.

“I did it! Tom Cruise, I did it! I feel like I really am a part of the IMF,” he commented.

“I interviewed Tom Cruise and tried to do something similar [to Mission:Impossible], although it wasn’t similar at all…I can’t jump off moving trains and hang from planes in the air. I just tried out a light version of it, but even that was so hard, which made me realize how much work and effort he puts into his films. I’ve always loved Tom Cruise’s ‘Mission:Impossible’ films since I was a kid, and I’ll be cheering for it to become another box-office hit. Run Jin will also continue to run a little more,” he added.

It was later revealed after the episode that Cruise had taken up Jin’s recommendation for mulhwe and promised to take him out for food soon.

"Run Jin," released on YouTube every Tuesday, is a variant of BTS’ long-running variety show “Run BTS.”

The show, currently on it’s 35th episode, has guest-starred a lot of well-known Korean stars like his co-BTS member J-Hope, K-drama star Park Hyung Sik, South Korean Olympian fencer Oh Sang Wook, popular entertainer Jonathan Yiombi, and members of the groups TXT and Enhypen. The 36th episode will be the show’s final episode.

BTS is set to make a return as a full group after the upcoming discharge of members RM, Suga, Jimin, V, and Jungkook this coming June.

Before that, Jin released his sophomore album “Echo” on May 16, following the release of his debut album “Happy” shortly after his June 2024 discharge from mandatory military service. 

— Jiselle Anne Casucian/LA, GMA Integrated News