Oli London Says BTS Obsession Isn't Reason For Identifying as Korean

The British influencer who underwent 18 surgeries to look like BTS singer Park Jimin says the K-pop band isn't their reason for identifying as Korean ... it's the country as a whole.

Oli London, who identifies as non-binary and changed their name to Jimin, tells TMZ ... they became transracial after falling in love with Korean culture while living in the Asian nation, and their BTS obsession is a physical inspiration that led to a load of plastic surgery.

While Oli tells us they worship Jimin the BTS singer like a god and aspire to be like him in every single detail, their transition is really more about a love for everything that makes up Korea ... the food, the people and the lifestyle.

As you know ... the influencer is identifying as Korean after going under the knife a whopping 18 times for a variety of plastic surgeries, including loads of work on their eyes, nose and jaw.

Oli says the transition started long before their first plastic surgery ... and they say Rachel Dolezal provided the inspiration to come forward with their truth.

TMZ broke the story ... Rachel, a white woman who infamously identifies as Black, is embracing Oli's choice to identify as Korean.