Actor Tom Cruise and BTS’ Jin fanboy over each other in viral episode of YouTube show Run Jin

SEOUL – “Do you know BTS?” Jin of K-pop boy band BTS asks, grinning at American actor Tom Cruise across the studio set of the South Korean singer’s YouTube variety show, Run Jin.

The question has become something of a cultural in-joke in South Korea – the gold standard for determining whether a foreigner has done his or her homework. Cruise, ever the prepared performer, does not miss a beat: “Yes! I know BTS. We all know BTS.”

This playful exchange kicked off the much-anticipated 35th episode of Run Jin, featuring the unlikely pairing of one of K-pop’s most beloved figures and the legendary Hollywood action star. The episode was uploaded to BTS’ official YouTube channel on May 20.

Filmed during Cruise’s promotional visit to South Korea for the spy action movie Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning about two weeks prior, the meeting came at Cruise’s initiative. Jin mentioned in a recent radio interview that Cruise’s team had requested to appear on his show.

For Jin, 32, the encounter was significant.

“The first movie I saw after I turned 15 was Mission: Impossible (1996), starring Tom Cruise,” he said, referring to the film’s age restriction, largely for its intense action. “Having him today on this show is such an honour.”

Cruise, on his 12th visit to South Korea, responded warmly: “Your band and your career and what you’ve created – it’s very impressive. And I’m a big fan.”

The conversation flowed easily, with Cruise, 62, sharing his appreciation for the people and culture of South Korea, adding: “They make great films here”, before diving into food talk.

Jin recommended his favourite: mulhwe, a local dish combining slices of raw fish, vegetables and seafood in a spicy gochujang-based cold broth.

Cruise, who said he loves spicy food, promised to try it – and kept his word. The episode concludes with footage of him tasting the dish and giving it a thumbs-up.

When Jin inquired about the jaw-dropping aerial stunts in the latest instalment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Cruise pointed out that the wing-walking scene had never been done before.

“The wind is so hard that when you step out of the cockpit, it hits you so hard that it’s hard to breathe... I had to change my whole training (regimen).”

Jin then joked about joining Cruise’s fictional Impossible Mission Force team. As Cruise suggested various action-packed roles, Jin backed away fast, adding: “I’d just like to work the radio. Would that be possible?”

Cruise, playing along, escalated the scenario. “The radio guy who is travelling in an airplane that’s on fire as they’re talking on the radio. And it’s got to land, but you got to keep on the radio. And then, the guy who’s driving gets shot and then you have to take over.”

As the stakes grew higher, Jin said: “I think I might be better off as BTS.”

Perhaps the most endearing moment occurred off-camera.

May 8, the day of the filming of the YouTube video, happened to be Parents’ Day in South Korea. When Jin asked for a wefie to show his mother, Cruise suggested they video-call her instead.

The impromptu call with Jin’s family, shared separately on social media, became a viral moment with BTS fans worldwide.

Meanwhile, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which is showing in Singapore cinemas, has dominated the South Korean box office since its May 17 release. It drew more than 970,000 viewers in its first week, according to the latest data from the Korean Film Council.

The film’s opening-day attendance of 423,945 set a new record for 2025, outperforming South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK