BTS (Korean: 방탄소년단; RR: Bangtan Sonyeondan; lit. Bulletproof Boy Scouts), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, who co-write or co-produce much of their material. Originally a hip hop group, they expanded their musical style to incorporate a wide range of genres, while their lyrics have focused on subjects including mental health, the troubles of school-age youth and coming of age, loss, the journey towards self-love, individualism, and the consequences of fame and recognition. Their discography and adjacent work has also referenced literature, philosophy and psychology, and includes an alternate universe storyline.BTS's representation by Big Hit, rather than one of the three agencies that dominated K-pop at the time, allowed the individual members leeway to express their individuality and have input into the music.
BTS debuted in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment with the single album 2 Cool 4 Skool. BTS released their first Korean and Japanese-language studio albums, Dark & Wild and Wake Up respectively, in 2014. The group's second Korean studio album, Wings (2016), was their first to sell one million copies in South Korea. By 2017, BTS had crossed into the global music market and led the Korean Wave into the United States, becoming the first Korean ensemble to receive a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for their single "Mic Drop", as well as the first act from South Korea to top the Billboard 200 with their studio album Love Yourself: Tear (2018). The group has a large, highly organized, online community of fans known as ARMY (Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth), which translates the group's lyrics and social media posts into other languages and matches charitable contributions of BTS's members. As of 2020, some 40 million ARMY members subscribe to the band's YouTube channel, with more than 30 million following the official BTS Twitter and Instagram accounts.
As of 2023, BTS is the best-selling musical act in South Korean history according to the Circle Chart, having sold in excess of 40 million albums. Their studio album Map of the Soul: 7 (2020) is the third best-selling album of all time in South Korea, as well as the first in the country to surpass both four and five million registered sales. They are the first non-English-speaking and Asian act to sell out concerts at Wembley Stadium and the Rose Bowl (Love Yourself World Tour, 2019), and were named the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry's (IFPI) Global Recording Artist of the Year for both 2020 and 2021.On June 14, 2022, the group announced a scheduled pause in group activities to enable the members to complete their 18 months of mandatory South Korean military service, with a reunion planned for 2025. Jin, the oldest member, enlisted on December 13, 2022; the others followed in 2023.
BTS stands for the Korean phrase Bangtan Sonyeondan (Korean: 방탄소년단; Hanja: 防彈少年團), which translates literally to 'Bulletproof Boy Scouts'. According to member J-Hope, the name signifies the group's desire "to block out stereotypes, criticisms, and expectations that aim on adolescents like bullets". In Japan, they are known as Bōdan Shōnendan (防弾少年団). In July 2017, BTS announced that their name would also stand for "Beyond the Scene" as part of their new brand identity.[7] This extended the meaning of their name to encompass the idea of growth "from a boy to an adult who opens the doors that are facing forward" . The group's accolades include multiple American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, Golden Disc Awards, and nominations for five Grammy Awards. Outside of music, they have addressed three sessions of the United Nations General Assembly and partnered with UNICEF in 2017 to establish the Love Myself anti-violence campaign.
BTS was formed in 2010, after Big Hit Entertainment CEO Bang Si-hyuk wanted to form a hip hop group around RM (Kim Nam-joon), an underground rapper well-known on the music scene in Seoul. At the time, physical album sales were on the decline and digital revenues were not yet high enough to compensate.Seeing a need for diversified income streams, Bang decided to form an idol group instead, because of the potential for live concert performances and passionate support from fans of such groups. Many trainees refused to become part of an idol group, but J-Hope, RM, and Suga remained. Bang chose to vary from the usual, highly regimented idol groups and create one where the members would be individuals rather than an ensemble and free to express themselves. Auditions were held in 2010 with plans to launch the following year.The band members lived together, practicing up to 15 hours a day, and first performed before a small crowd of industry insiders in 2013.
Auditions were held in 2010 with plans to launch the following year. The band members lived together, practicing up to 15 hours a day, and first performed before a small crowd of industry insiders in 2013.BTS's representation by Big Hit, rather than one of the three agencies that dominated K-pop at the time, allowed the individual members leeway to express their individuality and have input into the music. On June 12, 2013, BTS released their debut single album 2 Cool 4 Skool, along with the lead single "No More Dream", neither of which sold particularly well at the time.On June 13, 2013, BTS made their stage debut on M Countdown with the single, "No More Dream". Nevertheless, according to Kathy Sprinkel in her book on BTS, that single was "spotlighting young people's anxiety in the face of lofty parental expectations, sent shock waves through the K-pop ranks. Here was a musical act that wasn't pulling any punches. More specifically, they had a point of view, and they weren't afraid to take on topics that are considered taboo in South Korean society and elsewhere."
In September 2013, BTS released the second entry in their "school trilogy": the EP, O!RUL8,2?. The album was released alongside the single "N.O." Similarly to 2 Cool 4 Skool, the new release had a theme of students feeling under pressure and needing to sacrifice their dreams and aspirations.According to scholar Kyung Hyun Kim, many of BTS's earlier works such as "N.O." and "No More Dreams" were "expressions of rebellion against the establishment that tapped into Korean teenagers' frustrations with the country's educational system" and, he stated, helped them build a fan base among young people in North America and Europe.That same month, BTS starred in their own variety show, SBS MTV's Rookie King Channel Bangtan, in which members parodied variety shows such as VJ Special Forces and MasterChef Korea.At the end of the year, BTS was recognized with several New Artist of the Year awards in South Korea.In November, BTS commenced their third concert tour, 2015 BTS LIVE "The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: On Stage", which began with three sold-out shows in Seoul, and was extended to Japan.
The last entry in BTS "school trilogy", the Skool Luv Affair EP, was released in February 2014. The release topped the Gaon Album Chart, and appeared on Billboard's World Albums Chart for the first time, peaking at number three. The EP was supported by two singles: "Boy in Luv" and "Just One Day".Following Skool Luv Affair's release, BTS played at their first fan meeting in Seoul, selecting the name A.R.M.Y. for the fan club.In July 2014, BTS hosted a concert in West Hollywood, their first show in the United States, and in August, they appeared at KCON in Los Angeles.In August 2014, BTS released the album Dark & Wild, which reached number two in South Korea. It was supported by two singles: "Danger" and "War of Hormone".The group embarked on their first concert tour, 2014 BTS Live Trilogy Episode II: The Red Bullet, which lasted from October to December 2014.The band launched their first Japanese studio album, Wake Up, in December 2014; the release peaked at number three on the Oricon Albums Chart.
BTS experimented with other styles of music besides hip-hop in The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 1, released in 2015.BTS wanted to express the beauty and anxiousness of youth and settled on the title of "花樣年華" (Korean: 화양연화; RR: Hwayangyeonhwa), loosely interpreted to define "youth" metaphorically as "the most beautiful moment in life".The album served as an introduction to their youth trilogy, a triptych of albums dedicated to the struggles of young people.The single "I Need U" was a top-five hit in South Korea and garnered the group a win on SBS MTV's The Show.The second single "Dope (Korean: 쩔어; RR: Jjeoreo)" reached number three on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart and its music video was viewed over 100 million times on YouTube.The group began the world tour extension of their Red Bullet Tour in June, titled 2015 Live Trilogy Episode II: The Red Bullet, visiting cities throughout Asia, Oceania, North America, and Latin America.[41] "For You", in Japanese, was released together with Japanese versions of "War of Hormone" and "Let Me Know" on June 17, 2015, and immediately topped Oricon's daily chart
Kim Nam-joon (Korean: 김남준; born September 12, 1994), known professionally as RM (formerly Rap Monster), is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is the leader of South Korean boy band BTS.RM released his first solo mixtape, RM, in 2015, followed by his second mixtape, Mono, in 2018. The latter became the highest-charting album by a Korean soloist in the United States in history when it peaked at number 26 on the Billboard 200. RM made his official solo debut in 2022 with the release of his studio album Indigo, which featured contributions from Erykah Badu and Anderson .Paak.For his 25th birthday, RM donated ₩100 million (US$85,810.58) to the Seoul Samsun School to help hearing-impaired students receive music education.The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, becoming the highest-charting album by a Korean soloist of all-time.[A] He has also collaborated with artists such as Wale, Younha, Warren G, Gaeko, Krizz Kaliko, MFBTY, Fall Out Boy, Primary, and Lil Nas X.As a student, RM had an IQ of 148 and scored in the top 1% of the nation in the university entrance examinations for language, math, foreign language and social studies.
Kim Nam-joon (Korean: 김남준) was born on September 12, 1994, in Sangdo-dong, Dongjak District, Seoul, South Korea, and grew up in Ilsan District, Goyang, where his family moved when he was aged four or five. He has a younger sister and is part of the Gangneung Kim clan. As a student, he actively wrote poetry and often received awards for his writing. He posted his work to an online poetry website for roughly one year, where he received moderate attention. As a result, RM expressed interest in pursuing a literary career but later decided against it.When he was twelve years old, he studied in New Zealand for four months. As a child, RM largely learned English by watching the American sitcom Friends with his mother.RM selected the name "Rap Monster" during his time as an idol trainee.At age 11, in fifth grade, RM became interested in hip-hop music after hearing Epik High's "Fly". Finding that the song had provided him comfort, he decided to look further into the genre. He was introduced to the music of American rapper Eminem by his school teacher, which first sparked RM's interest in lyricism. He would print out lyrics that he felt were "cool" and shared them with friends. RM began songwriting at that time, stating that his poetry became lyrics when combined with music.
In 2009, RM auditioned for Big Deal Records, passing the first round along with Samuel Seo but failing the second round after forgetting lyrics. However, following the audition, rapper Sleepy exchanged contact information with RM, whom he later mentioned to Big Hit Entertainment producer Pdogg. In 2010, Sleepy contacted RM, encouraging him to audition for Big Hit Entertainment CEO Bang Si-hyuk. Bang offered RM, then aged 16, a spot at the record label, which he accepted immediately and without his parents' knowledge. Bang and Pdogg soon began forming a hip hop group that would eventually become the idol group BTS.RM trained for three years with fellow rapper Min Yoon-gi and dancer Jung Ho-seok, later known as Suga and J-Hope, respectively. During this three-year trainee period, RM performed on five pre-debut tracks credited to BTS in 2010 and 2011.[citation needed] He also worked as a songwriter for girl group Glam and helped pen their debut single "Party (XXO)", a pro-LGBTQ song that was praised by Billboard as "one of the most forward-thinking songs out of a K-pop girl group in the past decade."On June 13, 2013, RM made his debut with BTS and has since produced and written lyrics for many tracks on their albums.
On August 5, 2014, Big Hit Entertainment released a trailer for BTS' first studio album Dark & Wild, which was set to be released on August 20. The rap track, officially credited to BTS as "Intro: What Am I to You?", was a solo performed by RM.[26] Through reality television show American Hustle Life, which was used to produce Dark & Wild,RM formed a working relationship with Warren G, who offered to write BTS a beat.In an interview with Korean magazine Hip Hop Playa, Warren G stated that he had befriended BTS through the program and had kept in touch with the band after they returned to South Korea.On March 4, 2015, RM released a single with Warren G entitled, "P.D.D (Please Don't Die)" ahead of his first solo mixtape RM following an offer by Warren G to collaborate.[28][30] The track reflected how RM felt towards those who hated and criticized him at the time, which he used to find very upsetting. That same March, RM collaborated with hip hop project group MFBTY, EE and Dino J on the song "Bucku Bucku".He featured in the song's music video and also had a cameo appearance in a music video for another song by MFBTY, "Bang Diggy Bang Bang".RM had first formed a lasting working relationship with MFBTY member Tiger JK after meeting and expressing admiration for him on a TV show in 2013, when Tiger JK was promoting his song "The Cure".
On March 17, 2015, RM released his first solo mixtape, RM, which ranked 48th on Spin's "50 Best Hip Hop Albums of 2015". The mixtape addressed a variety of topics, such as RM's past on the track "Voice" and the idea that "you're you and I'm me" in the track "Do You". When discussing the track "God Rap", RM described himself as an atheist, believing that only he could determine his fate.The production process for the mixtape lasted around four or five months, with RM working on it in between BTS' activities. The following year, RM recalled that he had largely written about the negative emotions he had been carrying, such as anger and rage, but stated that the songs are not "100% under [his] sovereignty" and that he felt many parts of the mixtape were "immature". He also added that he hoped his next mixtape to be something he worked on by himself.Following RM's release, he featured along with Kwon Jin-ah on Primary's "U" that April. In May, he collaborated on Yankie's ProMeTheUs alongside Dok2, Juvie Train, ILLSON, Topbob and Don Mills. In August, RM collaborated with Marvel for Fantastic Four's soundtrack in Korea, releasing the digital single, "Fantastic" featuring Mandy Ventrice through Melon, Genie, Naver Music and other music platforms.In September, he headlined hip-hop concert All Force One 2015 - Hot & Cool alongside Korean veteran rappers Paloalto and Verbal Jint.
In August 2016, vocal duo Homme released a single titled "Dilemma", which was co-produced by RM and Bang Si-hyuk.In March 2017, RM collaborated with American rapper Wale on a special socially-charged track called "Change", released as a free digital download along with an accompanying music video filmed two weeks prior to the track's release.The pair first formed a relationship over Twitter, with Wale reaching out to RM in 2016, having seen RM's cover of his track "Illest Bitch". RM decided on the topic of "Change", saying that though the two rappers were extremely different, their commonality lay in the fact that both America and South Korea had their political and social situations and that both of them wanted the world to change for the better.One month later, RM featured on the track "Gajah" with Gaeko of Dynamic Duo.In December, RM collaborated with Fall Out Boy on a remix of their song "Champion". The track reached number 18 on Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles and helped RM reach number 46 on the Emerging Artists chart for the week of January 8, 2018.He also made history as the first K-pop artist to chart on the Rock Digital Songs chart, at number two.RM released his second mixtape, Mono, which he referred to as a "playlist", on October 23, 2018. He became the first Korean artist to top the Emerging Artists chart in the United States with its release.
On March 25, 2019, Honne announced that RM would feature on a remake of their 2018 single "Crying Over You" alongside singer BEKA; it was released on March 27. Originally slated for a January 2019 release, the remake had been postponed due to "unforeseen circumstances".Chinese singer Bibi Zhou was added to the Chinese release, appearing with RM and replacing BEKA.The same day, Big Hit Entertainment released the song "Persona" as a trailer for BTS' Map of the Soul: Persona EP, performed as a solo by RM. Persona debuted at number 17 on Billboard's YouTube Song Chart.In July, RM featured on the fourth official remix of Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road", titled "Seoul Town Road", in which he "infuse[d]...his English-language verse with a surprisingly good Southern twang".The following year, RM featured on Younha's "Winter Flower"; it was released on January 6, 2020. This was followed by a feature on the track "Don't" by South Korean indie singer eAeon, from his second solo album released on April 30, 2021.In November, RM also collaborated with Tiger JK on the track "Timeless", as part of his final album under the Drunken Tiger stage name. Tiger JK originally expected RM's lyrics to contain self-praise, which was the trend of rap at the time; RM instead wrote lyrics about leaving behind the historical meaning of Drunken Tiger's name.
Kim Seok-jin (Korean: 김석진; born December 4, 1992), known professionally as Jin (진), is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and member of the South Korean boy band BTS. Jin has co-written and released three solo tracks with BTS: "Awake" in 2016, "Epiphany" in 2018, and "Moon" in 2020, all of which have charted on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart. In 2019, Jin released his first independent song, the digital track "Tonight". He made his official debut as a solo artist in October 2022, with the release of the single "The Astronaut".Apart from singing, Jin appeared as a host on multiple South Korean music programs from 2016 to 2018. In 2018, he was awarded the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit by the President of South Korea along with his bandmates for his contributions to Korean culture.Jin was scouted by Big Hit Entertainment for his looks while walking down the street—he was studying acting at the time and had no background in music—and subsequently auditioned as an actor for the company before becoming an idol trainee.On June 13, 2013, he made his debut as one of the four vocalists in BTS.In 2019, Jin was ranked as the overall 13th most popular idol and sixth among girls aged 13–19 in South Korea, via data collected by analytics company Gallup Korea.As of 2018, Jin lives in Hannam-dong, Seoul, South Korea.Additionally, he and his older brother opened a Japanese-style restaurant in Seoul called Ossu Seiromushi in 2018.
Kim Seok-jin was born on December 4, 1992, in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.His family consists of his mother, father, and elder brother. In 2007, he traveled to Australia for a study camp in order to learn English.Jin originally wanted to be a journalist but decided to pursue acting after watching Kim Nam-gil in Queen Seondeok. While in junior high school, he was scouted by South Korean K-pop agency SM Entertainment off the street, but rejected the offer at the time.Initially intending to be an actor, Jin attended Konkuk University and graduated with a degree in Film Studies on February 22, 2017. He later enrolled in graduate school at Hanyang Cyber University to pursue studies in areas other than music.Jin is a tenor and plays the guitar.In the 2019 novel BTS: The Review, members of the Grammy panel praised Jin's stable breath control and strong falsetto, calling it a "silver voice".Journalist Choi Song-hye of Aju News noted that BTS' singles such as "Spring Day" and "Fake Love" displayed Jin's vocal stability, while the B-side "Jamais Vu" showcased his emotional range.Hong Hye-min of The Korea Times described Jin's voice as "tender, sorrowful,free-spirited" and considered it to be the "standout element" on the solo ballad "Epiphany".Critic Park Hee-a, discussing "Epiphany", stated that Jin "sings the most sentimental emotions" of the solo tracks on Love Yourself: Answer (2018). In a review of "Fake Love", Park said that Jin's belting "proved effectiveness".
"Epiphany" was released as a trailer for BTS' then upcoming compilation album, Love Yourself: Answer, on August 9, 2018. Described as a "building pop-rock melody" by Billboard, the song's lyrics discussed self-acceptance and self-love. The full version of the song was eventually released as a track on Answer, peaking at number 30 on the Gaon Digital Chart and number four on the US World Digital Song Sales chart.In October, Jin was awarded the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit by South Korean president Moon Jae-in alongside his bandmates.On June 4, 2019, Jin released his first independent song "Tonight" via SoundCloud as part of BTS' sixth anniversary celebrations."Moon" was released in 2020, as part of BTS' fourth Korean studio album Map of the Soul: 7. Variety writer Jae-Ha Kim described the track as a power pop song addressed to the band's fans."Moon" peaked at number one on the Gaon Digital Chart and number two on the World Digital Song Sales chart.In March 2022, Jin injured his left hand and underwent surgery to correct it, following which he abstained from certain performances during BTS' Permission to Dance on Stage concerts in Las Vegas, withdrew from some group events, and sang while seated for most of the band's performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. He enlisted as an active duty soldier on December 13 at the Yeoncheon army base in the North Gyeonggi Province.He was formally discharged on June 12, 2024, becoming the first member of BTS to complete their military obligations.
Jin is a tenor and plays the guitar. In the 2019 novel BTS: The Review, members of the Grammy panel praised Jin's stable breath control and strong falsetto, calling it a "silver voice".Journalist Choi Song-hye of Aju News noted that BTS' singles such as "Spring Day" and "Fake Love" displayed Jin's vocal stability, while the B-side "Jamais Vu" showcased his emotional range.Hong Hye-min of The Korea Times described Jin's voice as "tender, sorrowful, [and] free-spirited" and considered it to be the "standout element" on the solo ballad "Epiphany".Critic Park Hee-a, discussing "Epiphany", stated that Jin "sings the most sentimental emotions" of the solo tracks on Love Yourself: Answer (2018). In a review of "Fake Love", Park said that Jin's belting "prove[d] [the song's] effectiveness".Following his discharge from the military in June 2024, Jin hosted a fan event at Jamsil Arena in honor of BTS' 11th anniversary.In July, he was announced as a torchbearer for the South Korean delegation at the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris,and the first global ambassador for the French jewellery and watch brand Fred.The single earned Jin his first solo entry on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 51 and his third number one on the World chart.The following month, South Korean food manufacturing company Ottogi announced Jin as the new advertising model for its Jin Ramen instant noodles brand; a commercial featuring Jin was released on November 11.
Under the band's name, Jin has performed three solo songs: "Awake", "Epiphany", and "Moon". "Awake", which he co-produced, was released in 2016, as part of BTS' second Korean studio album Wings.The song peaked at number 31 on the Gaon Digital Chart and number six on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart in the United States.He shared a Christmas version of "Awake" for free on SoundCloud that December."Epiphany" was released as a trailer for BTS' then upcoming compilation album, Love Yourself: Answer, on August 9, 2018. Described as a "building pop-rock melody" by Billboard, the song's lyrics discussed self-acceptance and self-love.The full version of the song was eventually released as a track on Answer,peaking at number 30 on the Gaon Digital Chart and number four on the US World Digital Song Sales chart.In October, Jin was awarded the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit by South Korean president Moon Jae-in alongside his bandmates."Moon" was released in 2020, as part of BTS' fourth Korean studio album Map of the Soul: 7. Variety writer Jae-Ha Kim described the track as a power pop song addressed to the band's fans.[21] "Moon" peaked at number one on the Gaon Digital Chart and number two on the World Digital Song Sales chart.In July 2021, Jin was appointed Special Presidential Envoy for Future Generations and Culture by President Moon Jae-in, alongside his bandmates, to help "lead the global agenda for future generations" and "expand South Korea's diplomatic efforts and global standing" in the international community.
In 2016, Jin collaborated with bandmate V on the single "It's Definitely You", released as part of the Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth original soundtrack,and later received a co-nomination for Best OST at the 2017 Melon Music Awards. In June 2018, Jin featured on an alternate version of "So Far Away", a song from bandmate Suga's debut mixtape Agust D (2016), alongside bandmate Jungkook, which was released during the band's fifth anniversary celebrations.Jin's solo covers include "Mom" by Ra.D, "I Love You" by Mate, and "In Front Of The Post Office In Autumn", originally by Yoon Do-hyun in 1994.They were released on SoundCloud on May 7, 2015, December 3, 2015,and June 7, 2018,respectively. He has also made several appearances as a co-host for Korean music award shows, such as Music Bank and Inkigayo.On June 4, 2019, Jin released his first independent song "Tonight" via SoundCloud as part of BTS' sixth anniversary celebrations.[33] The acoustic ballad was composed by Jin and Big Hit record producers Slow Rabbit and Hiss Noise. Written by Jin and bandmate RM,[34] the song's lyrics are inspired by Jin's relationship with his pets.[35] The track was met with a generally positive reception, with praise for Jin's vocals and the song's calming atmosphere.Jin released his second independent song "Abyss" via SoundCloud and YouTube on December 3, 2020. An acoustic ballad inspired by his feelings of anxiety, doubt, and burnout, Jin co-wrote and co-composed the track with RM and record producers Bumzu and Pdogg.
In October 2021, Jin sang the main theme for the TvN drama series Jirisan. Titled "Yours", the single's release was accompanied by a music video featuring footage from the show.On December 4, Jin released the short trot-style song "Super Tuna" via SoundCloud as a gift to fans in celebration of his 29th birthday. It quickly went viral after an accompanying performance video was posted on the BTS YouTube channel that same day.The video ranked first on YouTube's World Popular Music Video for eight consecutive days and trended in 56 countries, including Korea, Peru, and Singapore. A subsequent dance challenge arose on TikTok, with videos using the sound receiving over 141.8 million cumulative views in 10 days.in collaborated with Nexon in August 2022 as a special game developer for MapleStory. The project was chronicled in the form of a two-episode mini web series, Office Warrior Kim Seok Jin, published to MapleStory Korea's YouTube channel.[42] On October 21, "Tonight", "Abyss", and "Super Tuna" were made available on streaming services worldwide as official singles under Jin's name. All three songs subsequently simultaneously occupied the top three of the November 5 issue of the World Digital Song Sales chart, making Jin the third solo artist in the history of the chart to do so.in released his debut solo single "The Astronaut", which he co-wrote with the British rock band Coldplay, and an accompanying music video on October 28.[45] He performed the song live with the band later that same day in Buenos Aires, Argentina during their Music of the Spheres World Tour; the show was broadcast live to cinemas worldwide in over 70 countries.
Min Yoon-gi (Korean: 민윤기; born March 9, 1993), known professionally by his stage names Suga (슈가, Korean pronunciation: [ɕʰuɡa̠]; stylized in all caps) and Agust D,[A] is a South Korean rapper, songwriter and record producer. Under Big Hit Entertainment, he debuted as a member of the South Korean boy band BTS in 2013. His first solo mixtape, Agust D, was released in 2016 and re-released in 2018 to digital download and streaming platforms, reaching number three on Billboard's World Albums Chart. In 2020, he released his second solo mixtape, D-2; it peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard 200, number seven on the UK Albums Chart, and number two on Australia's ARIA Album Chart.Suga released his debut solo album, D-Day, in 2023. It debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, tying him with BTS bandmate Jimin as the highest-charting South Korean solo artists of all time. A full member of the Korea Music Copyright Association, Suga has songwriting and production credits on over 160 songs, including Suran's "Wine", which peaked at number two on the Gaon Music Chart and won Best R&B at the 2017 Melon Music Awards.Min Yoon-gi was born on March 9, 1993, in Daegu, South Korea.[2] The younger of two sons, he attended Taejeon Elementary School, Gwaneum Middle School, and Apgujeong High School.[3] He is of the Yeoheung Min clan.
Suga became interested in rap after hearing "Ragga Muffin" by Stony Skunk, stating that it was different from anything he had ever heard before. After hearing Epik High, he decided to become a rapper.By age 13, he began to write music lyrics and learned about MIDI. He worked a part-time job at a record studio by age 17. From then on, he began composing and arranging music, rapping, and performing.[2] Before being signed, he was active under the name Gloss as an underground rapper.[7] As part of the hip hop crew D-Town in 2010, he produced "518-062", a song commemorating the Gwangju Uprising.Originally joining the company as a music producer,[9] Suga trained under Big Hit Entertainment for three years alongside bandmates J-Hope and RM. He made his debut as a member of BTS on Mnet's M Countdown with the track "No More Dream" from their debut single album 2 Cool 4 Skool.[10] He has produced and written lyrics for a variety of tracks on all of the band's albums.Suga wrote and performed the introductory track "Intro: The Most Beautiful Moment in Life" for BTS' third Korean-language extended play (EP) The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 1 (2015).[11] Released on April 17,[a] in the form of an animated music video,[12] its lyrics addressed fears associated with reaching adulthood at the end of one's adolescent years through the use of a sports metaphor.
Pt. 1's follow up EP, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 2, featured another introduction performed by Suga, called "Intro: Never Mind", that recounted his teenage years.[13] The track preceded the EP on November 15.[15] It was later included as the opener on BTS' 2016 compilation album The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever.[16] Suga did not perform another introductory track for BTS until 2020's "Interlude: Shadow", from the band's Map of the Soul: 7 album.[16][17] Released ahead of the album on January 10,[18] the rap track referenced "Intro: O!RUL8,2?" from the 2013 EP of the same name and discussed BTS' fame, comparing its reality to the celebrity about which O!RUL8,2? dreamed;[19] Tamar Herman of Billboard described the interlude as "evocative, yet brash", noting in particular how its sound changes midway through to show "this dichotomy between the relationship of how fame and audiences watching him affects his idea of self".Under BTS' name, Suga has released two solo songs. The first was an autobiographical track titled "First Love", that appeared on the band's 2016 studio album Wings. Reminiscent of a monologue, the song is a rap serenade to Suga's childhood piano that personifies his relationship with the instrument as if addressing a friend.[20] The second was "Trivia: Seesaw", about the up-and-down nature of falling in love, which he performed for BTS' 2018 compilation album Love Yourself: Answer.
In 2018, Suga was awarded the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit, alongside his bandmates, by then President of South Korea Moon Jae-in, for their contributions to the promotion of Korean culture.[22] He was appointed Special Presidential Envoy for Future Generations and Culture by Moon in July 2021, again alongside his bandmates, to help "lead the global agenda for future generations" and "expand South Korea's diplomatic efforts and global standing" in the international community.The stage name Suga (슈가) is derived from the first syllables of the term shooting guard (슈팅 가드), the position he played in basketball as a student.[64] He adopted the alias Agust D in 2016 for his mixtape, which is derived from the initials DT for his birthplace, Daegu Town, and "Suga", spelled backwards.Suga writes, composes, arranges, mixes, and masters his own material.[2] Over 160 registered songs are credited to him by the Korea Music Copyright Association.[65] He plays piano and produces mainly hip hop and R&B music.[2][66] His lyrics involve themes that are "full of dreams and hope," conceived with the intent of his music becoming "many people's strength."He cites Stony Skunk and Epik High as his inspirations to pursue hip hop music. Particularly, he credits the former's reggae-hip hop hybrid album Ragga Muffin (2005) and its title track for igniting his interest in the genre.
Suga released a free self-titled mixtape via SoundCloud on August 15, 2016.[24] He decided against releasing the project as a commercial studio album, describing it as the "feeling of being trapped in some sort of framework."[2] On the record, he discussed his struggles with depression and social phobia, among other topics.[25] Fuse TV rated it one of the top 20 mixtapes of 2016.[26] The following year, Suga composed the song "Wine" for singer Suran, with whom he had previously worked on a song for his mixtape.[27] At Suga's studio, Suran heard a rough draft of "Wine" and asked Suga for the song.[28] The record peaked at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart in South Korea and won the Best R&B genre award at the Melon Music Awards on December 2, 2017.[29][30] Suga also received the Hot Trend Award for his work on the track.[31] Suga made his first mixtape available on digital download and streaming platforms in February 2018.The reissued project reached number three on Billboard's World Albums Chart, number five on the Heatseekers Albums chart, and number 74 on the Top Album Sales chart in the United States. Suga, as Agust D, reached number 46 on the Emerging Artists chart for the week of March 3.Suga writes, composes, arranges, mixes, and masters his own material.[2] Over 160 registered songs are credited to him by the Korea Music Copyright Association.[65] He plays piano and produces mainly hip hop and R&B music.
In January 2019, Suga provided a rap feature on Lee So-ra's single "Song Request". The track was co-written by Suga and Tablo of Epik High, who also produced the track.[34] The single debuted at number three on the Gaon Digital Chart, and number two on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart, with 3,000 downloads during the song's first two days of availability.[35][36] Suga later produced the track "Eternal Sunshine" for Epik High's Sleepless in extended play, which was released in February.[37][38] He co-wrote and produced the digital single "We Don't Talk Together" for singer Heize, which she released on July 7.[39] In December, American singer-songwriter Halsey released the song "Suga's Interlude", from her third studio album Manic, which both featured and was produced by Suga.On May 6, 2020, IU released the digital single "Eight" featuring and produced by Suga.[41] The song debuted at number one on both the Gaon Digital and World Digital Song Sales charts.[42][43] Suga released his second mixtape, D-2, together with the music video for its lead single "Daechwita", on May 22;[44] the single peaked at number 76 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[45] The mixtape debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200 and became the highest-charting album by a Korean soloist in the US at the time.[46] It also became the first Korean solo release to reach the top 10 in the United Kingdom, opening at number seven on the UK Albums Chart.
In 2021, Suga re-composed Samsung's signature ringtone, "Over The Horizon". The track was unveiled on August 11 as part of Samsung's "Unpacked 2021" event.[48] He also produced the single "You" for Japanese singer ØMI, which was released on October 15.[49] In December, Suga featured on the single "Girl of My Dreams" from American rapper Juice Wrld's posthumous album Fighting Demons.[50] The single debuted at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, earning Suga his second entry on the chart as a solo artist.Suga was announced as a brand ambassador for Valentino and the face of the Maison Valentino Essentials campaign for the brand's menswear staples in January 2023,[55] and as an ambassador for the NBA in April.[56] His debut solo album D-Day, was released on April 21 under his Agust D alias. Featuring the singles "People Pt. 2" and "Haegeum",[57] the album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, Suga's first top-10 entry on the ranking, tying him with bandmate Jimin as the highest-charting South Korean solo artists in the history of the chart. A Disney+ documentary, titled Suga: Road to D-Day, chronicling the project's creation and following the rapper on a music road trip across different countries, premiered the same day as the album.[59] Suga also hosted a five-episode radio show, Agust D Radio, weekly on Apple Music in promotion of D-Day; the premiere episode aired on April 17.[60] He embarked on the Suga Agust D Tour, his first solo world tour, the following week, playing several shows in the US,[61] followed by visits to Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan.
Jung Ho-seok (Korean: 정호석; born February 18, 1994), known professionally as J-Hope (stylized in lower case), is a South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter, dancer, and record producer. He made his debut as a member of South Korean boy band BTS in 2013, under Big Hit Entertainment.J-Hope released his first solo mixtape, Hope World, in 2018. It was received positively by critics and peaked at number 38 on the US Billboard 200, the highest-charting album by a Korean solo artist at the time. He became the first member of BTS to enter the Billboard Hot 100 as a soloist in 2019, when his single "Chicken Noodle Soup", featuring singer Becky G, debuted at number 81. In 2022, J-Hope released his debut studio album Jack in the Box. In 2023, he released his single "On the Street" with J. Cole.J-Hope was born Jung Ho-seok on February 18, 1994, in Gwangju, South Korea, where he lived with his parents and older sister, Jung Ji-woo.In March 2019, J-Hope enrolled at Hanyang Cyber University for the Master of Business Administration program in Advertising and Media. He previously graduated from Global Cyber University with a degree in Broadcasting and Entertainment.In 2018, he was awarded the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit by the President of South Korea along with the other members of the group.[52] He had the most liked tweet in the world for 2018 when he posted the "In My Feelings Challenge".
Before debuting with BTS, J-Hope was part of an underground dance team called Neuron, and took dance classes at Gwangju Music Academy for six years, from fourth grade to his first year in high school when he signed with Big Hit Entertainment.[3] He was relatively well known for his dance skills, and won various local prizes, including first place in a national dance competition in 2008.[4] His dancing eventually led to an interest in singing, and he auditioned to become an idol trainee.[1] While a trainee, J-Hope appeared as a featured rapper on singer Jo Kwon's song "Animal", released in 2012.On June 13, 2013, J-Hope made his debut as a member of BTS on M! Countdown.[6] He was the third member to join the band as a trainee after RM and Suga.[7] Under the band's name, he has performed four solo songs: "Intro: Boy Meets Evil", "Mama", "Trivia 起: Just Dance", and "Outro: Ego". The first two were released in 2016 as part of BTS' second studio album Wings. Lyrically, "Boy Meets Evil" was about "the thoughts of a boy faced with the evil that is temptation" and showcased J-Hope's rapping abilities,[8] while "Mama" was a "quirky hip-hop" ode of appreciation to his mother that "captures his animated delivery and onstage style."Just Dance", released in 2018 on the band's fourth studio album Love Yourself: Answer, was a "funky hip-hop" song that "uses the titular activity as a metaphor for love".
"Outro: Ego", also an upbeat, "funky" track, from 2020's Map of the Soul: 7, reflected on J-Hope's career and the decisions and hardships he faced through the years, additionally addressing the "dichotomy between his stage persona and his birth identity".J-Hope also collaborated with bandmate V and Swedish singer Zara Larsson on the single "A Brand New Day" for the official soundtrack of the BTS World mobile video game. The single was released on June 14, 2019.J-Hope cites the adventurous nature of Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas and the works of Kyle, Aminé, and Joey Badass as influencers on his style and work on Hope World. The idea of peace has also provided a basis for much of his lyrics, stating that "it'd be fantastic to become a part of someone's personal peace through my music" in an interview with Time magazine.[49] The idea of "representing the modern generation" has also influenced his work on BTS' music.[7] There was also a reference to Douglas Adams' science fiction series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.Following revisions made to the Military Service Act in December 2020, J-Hope was granted an automatic postponement of his mandatory military service in 2021, until the end of 2022.[58] On February 26, 2023, Big Hit announced that J-Hope had filed a cancellation request for the deferment and would be proceeding with his conscription.
J-Hope has been described as having an upbeat and energetic tone to his music and performances.[44][45] His mixtape, Hope World, was described as having a fun nature and variety of musical genres, including synth-pop, trap, house, alternative hip hop, funk-soul, and retro elements.[16][46] In a review published by The 405, Emmad Usmani praised the mixtape's concept and production, writing "J-Hope showcases exceptional creativity, genuine personality, and a cohesive sense of direction over the 20 minutes of the project".[47] Jeff Benjamin of Fuse wrote that the atmospheric style of "Blue Side", Hope World's outro track, "leaves the listener curious for what's coming next from J-Hope".[48] The lyrical elements of the mixtape, notably the lead song "Daydream", was praised by Billboard for its discussion of the difficulties an idol faces in their career, various literary references, and fun presentation of the serious subject matter.J-Hope has been a member of the "Green Noble Club", which recognizes high-value donors of Child Fund Korea,[a] since 2018. On February 18, 2019, he donated ₩100 million (US$90,000) to the organization in support of those attending his high school alma mater in Gwangju. He previously donated ₩150 million ($135,000) in December 2018, but requested the donation be kept private at the time.[63] In December 2019, he donated another ₩100 million.[64] On November 17, 2020, he donated ₩100 million in support of children experiencing economic difficulties amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
J-Hope's first solo release, outside of his work with BTS, was the 2015 rap track "1 Verse"—it sampled "El Chapo" by The Game—uploaded for free via the band's SoundCloud.[14] A darker sound in comparison to what he would become known for later on in his career,[15] the song addressed J-Hope's haters, particularly those who continuously listened to his music just to criticize him, and showcased his ability to mold his vocals and rapping style to reflect the content of his lyrics.On March 1, 2018, J-Hope released his first solo mixtape Hope World worldwide, accompanied by a music video for the lead single "Daydream".[16] A music video for the B-side single "Airplane" followed on March 6.[17] The mixtape debuted at number 63 and peaked at number 38 on the Billboard 200, making him the highest-charting Korean solo act on the ranking at the time. Six of the album's tracks entered the World Digital Song Sales chart, with "Daydream" topping the chart and making J-Hope one of only ten Korean artists, including BTS, to reach number one.[18][19] The success of his solo debut led to him ranking at number three on the Emerging Artists chart and peaking at number 91 on the Artist 100;[20] he became the fifth Korean artist and second Korean soloist (after Psy) to chart on the latter.Hope World charted in ten countries worldwide, and "Daydream" charted in three.[21][22] The mixtape ranked at number five on Billboard's year-end World Albums Chart for 2018.
J-Hope released the full version of the mixtape's closing track, "Blue Side (Outro)", for free via BTS' SoundCloud page on March 1, 2021, in celebration of Hope World's third anniversary.In 2019, J-Hope released a free collaboration single, "Chicken Noodle Soup", featuring American singer Becky G, on September 27.[25] The track debuted at number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100, making J-Hope the first member of BTS to chart on the Hot 100 as a solo artist, the third Korean solo artist to rank on the chart (after Psy and CL), and the sixth Korean artist overall to do so. "Chicken Noodle Soup" also became J-Hope's second song to debut at number one on the World Digital Song Sales chart.On June 14, 2022, Hybe Corporation announced that J-Hope would be the first member of BTS to begin promotions as a solo artist.[27] His debut solo album Jack in the Box, released on July 15, was preceded by the lead single "More" on July 1.[28][29] J-Hope made his performance debut at Lollapalooza on July 31, as the headlining act for the final day of the festival. He became the first South Korean artist to headline a main stage at a major United States music festival. In September, J-Hope featured on the single "Rush Hour" by Crush.[31] He was nominated for six awards, including Artist of the Year and Song of the Year, at the MAMA Awards, and made his solo performance debut at the show as the headliner for day two of the event, on November 30.
He also made his solo performance debut at Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve on December 31.A documentary titled J-Hope in the Box, chronicling the making of J-Hope's debut album and his appearance at Lollapalooza, was released for streaming globally on Weverse and Disney+ in February 2023.[35] He was announced as a brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton that same month.[36] J-Hope released the collaboration single "On the Street", with American rapper J. Cole, on March 3.[37] He became the first member of BTS to earn a top-40 entry on the UK Singles Chart following its debut at number 37, setting a new record as the highest-charting Korean soloist in the history of the chart at the time.[38][39] He also earned his highest peak on the US Hot 100 at number 60.Big Hit released a six-part docuseries titled Hope on the Street in March 2024, accompanied by the special album Hope on the Street Vol. 1. Recorded before J-Hope began his mandatory military service a year prior, both projects explored his artistic roots and street dance background. The first episode aired globally on March 27 on Prime Video and on TVING in South Korea, while the album followed on March 29, with "Neuron" featuring Gaeko and Yoon Mi-rae as its lead single.In January 2020, J-Hope was promoted to a full member of the Korea Music Copyright Association.
Park Ji-min (Korean: 박지민; born October 13, 1995), known mononymously as Jimin, is a South Korean singer, songwriter and dancer. In 2013, he made his debut as a member of the South Korean boy band BTS, under the record label Big Hit Entertainment.Jimin has released three solo tracks under BTS' name—"Lie" in 2016, "Serendipity" in 2017, and "Filter" in 2020—all of which have charted on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart. He released his first credited solo song, the digital track "Promise", which he co-wrote, in 2018 and recorded the duet "With You" with Ha Sung-woon for the soundtrack for the TvN drama Our Blues in 2022. Jimin released his debut solo album, Face in 2023. It debuted at number one in South Korea and Japan, and number two in the United States, while its second single, "Like Crazy", debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, making him the highest-charting Korean solo artist in history on the Billboard 200 and the Hot 100 at the time, and the first to debut atop the latter.[A] Jimin is the first Korean solo artist to top the Billboard Artist 100 chart.Park Ji-min was born on October 13, 1995, in Geumjeong District, Busan, South Korea.[4] He is of the Milyang Park clan.[5] His immediate family includes his mother, father, and younger brother.When he was a child, he attended Busan's Hodong Elementary School and Yonsan Middle School.[6] In middle school, he attended Just Dance Academy, where he learned popping and locking.
Prior to becoming a trainee, Jimin studied contemporary dance at Busan High School of Arts and was a top student in the modern dance department.[8] A teacher suggested that he join an entertainment company, leading him to Big Hit Entertainment. Once he passed the auditions in 2012, he transferred to Korean Arts High School, graduating in 2014.Jimin graduated from Global Cyber University in August 2020 with a major in Broadcasting and Entertainment. He was awarded the President's Award, the school's highest honor.[10] As of 2021, he is enrolled at Hanyang Cyber University, pursuing a Master of Business Administration in Advertising and Media.Jimin was awarded the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit in 2018, alongside his bandmates, by the President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, for their contributions to the promotion of Korean culture.[36] Three years later, Moon appointed him Special Presidential Envoy for Future Generations and Culture, alongside his bandmates, to help "lead the global agenda for future generations" and "expand South Korea's diplomatic efforts and global standing" in the international community.The Cultural Conservation Society awarded Jimin a plaque of appreciation in 2019, for performing buchaechum, a traditional Korean fan dance, during the 2018 Melon Music Awards and helping spread the dance outside of Korea.[86] In October 2021, he became the first idol to spend 34 consecutive months atop the brand reputation ranking for individual boy group idols[87] and the only one to top the overall ranking for three consecutive years.
Jimin was the last Big Hit trainee to be added to the lineup that would eventually become BTS. Of the band's seven members, he spent the shortest period of time—six months—as a trainee prior to debuting.[12] On June 13, 2013, he debuted as a vocalist and dancer in BTS with the song "No More Dream" from their first single 2 Cool 4 Skool.[13] Under the band's name, he released three solo songs: "Lie", "Serendipity", and "Filter". "Lie" was released in 2016, as part of the band's second Korean studio album, Wings. It was described as stunning and dramatic, conveying dark undertones and emotions in line with the overall concept of the album.[14] In contrast, "Serendipity", from the band's Love Yourself: Her (2017) extended play (EP), was soft and sensual, expressing the joy, conviction, and curiosity of love.[15] "Filter", a track from BTS' 2020 studio album Map of the Soul: 7, had a Latin pop flair, with lyrics reflecting the different sides of Jimin that he shows to the world and those around him.[16] Jimin additionally co-wrote and co-produced another track included on that album, "Friends", which was later featured in the Marvel Studios film Eternals."Serendipity" and "Lie" both surpassed fifty million streams on Spotify in 2018, followed shortly thereafter by the former's full length version from BTS' Love Yourself: Answer (2018) compilation album, which achieved the milestone in early 2019. Jimin became the first Korean artist to have three solo tracks accumulate over 50 million streams each, surpassing Psy, who previously crossed the 50 million streams mark twice with "Gangnam Style" (2012) and "Gentleman" (2013).
In April 2019, the list was expanded to reflect the top 40, and both tracks were the highest ranked solos included that year, at numbers 18 and 20 respectively.In May 2019, Jimin became the first BTS member to have a solo music video achieve 100 million views on YouTube when "Serendipity" surpassed the milestone.[23][24] He remained the only BTS member with multiple solo songs in the January 2020 update of the OCC's top 40 list: "Lie" and "Serendipity" were the second and third most-streamed solos, at numbers 24 and 29 respectively, with the full-length version of the latter at number 38.[25][26] The following month, Jimin earned his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Filter", which debuted at number 87 on the chart,[27] as well his first number one on the World Digital Song Sales chart. The song set the record for the biggest streaming debut among all Korean songs on Spotify, accruing over 2.2 million streams in its first 24 hours of release, and went on to become the fastest Korean solo in the platform's history to surpass 20–60 million streams.It was also the only solo album track by BTS to receive a Song of the Year nomination at the Gaon Chart Music Awards.[30][31] In March 2021, "Filter" became the 15th BTS song to spend a full year on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart. It was the longest-charting Korean song released in 2020 on the ranking,having spent 80 weeks on the chart as of the issue dated October 9, 2021.Jimin was awarded the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit in 2018, alongside his bandmates, by the President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, for their contributions to the promotion of Korean culture.
In 2014, Jimin collaborated with bandmate Jungkook on a song called "Christmas Day", a Korean rendition of Justin Bieber's "Mistletoe"; Jimin wrote the Korean lyrics himself.[38] The two collaborated again in 2017, on a cover of Charlie Puth's "We Don't Talk Anymore" featuring Selena Gomez.[39] Jungkook previously released a solo version of the song in February, and the two prepared the duet as a special gift to the band's fandom, releasing it on June 2, during BTS' fourth anniversary celebrations.[40][41] Teen Vogue wrote that "adding Jimin's voice to the mix makes the rendition all the more lovely",[40] while the Canadian outlet Flare magazine stated that "it honestly might be better than the original".[42] Elite Daily described the cover as "nothing short of flawless".Jimin appeared on several variety shows such as Hello Counselor, Please Take Care of My Refrigerator, and God's Workplace in 2016.[43] He also served as a special MC on domestic television music programs such as Show! Music Core and M Countdown.In December 2016, he participated in a dance duet at the KBS Song Festival with Taemin from Shinee.The Cultural Conservation Society awarded Jimin a plaque of appreciation in 2019, for performing buchaechum, a traditional Korean fan dance, during the 2018 Melon Music Awards and helping spread the dance outside of Korea.[86] In October 2021, he became the first idol to spend 34 consecutive months atop the brand reputation ranking for individual boy group idols[87] and the only one to top the overall ranking for three consecutive years.
On December 30, 2018, Jimin released "Promise", his first credited song as a solo artist, for free on BTS' SoundCloud page.[47] It earned the biggest 24-hour debut in SoundCloud history with 8.5 million streams, surpassing previous record holder Drake's "Duppy Freestyle" which received 4.9 million streams,[48] and would go on to become the most streamed song on the platform by December 2021, with over 300 million streams.[49] Described by Billboard as a "mellow pop ballad",[50] the song was composed by Jimin and Big Hit producer Slow Rabbit, who also produced the track,[51] and features lyrics written by Jimin and bandmate RM.[50] Jimin released his second solo song "Christmas Love", about his childhood memories of the holidays, on December 24, 2020.[52] In 2022, he contributed the single "With You", a duet with Ha Sung-woon, to the soundtrack of the TvN drama Our Blues; the single was released on April 24.In January 2023, Jimin co-wrote and featured on the single "Vibe" by Taeyang.[54][55] His first official solo project since BTS announced an increased focus on individual music endeavors a year prior,[56] the single earned Jimin his debut entry on the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo artist, at number 76.[57] He was announced as a global ambassador for Dior later that month,[58] and for Tiffany & Co. in March.[59] "Promise" and "Christmas Love" were made available on streaming platforms worldwide as official singles under Jimin's name on March 6.
His debut solo album Face was released on March 24.[61] It set several chart and sales records, debuting at number one in South Korea and Japan,[62] and number two in the US, making Jimin the highest-charting Korean solo artist of all time on the Billboard 200.[63][64] The album's two singles, "Set Me Free Pt. 2" and "Like Crazy", released on March 17 and 24 respectively,[65][66] both entered the Hot 100: the former debuted at number 30,[67] while the latter debuted at number one, making Jimin the first South Korean solo artist in history to top the chart.[68] In May, he appeared as a featured artist, alongside Jvke and Muni Long, on the single "Angel Pt. 1" by Kodak Black and NLE Choppa, as part of the soundtrack for the film Fast X.[69] The digital single "Closer Than This" was released on December 22, shortly after Jimin enlisted in the South Korean Army. Originally recorded during the production of Face, it is a song dedicated to the BTS fandom in gratitude for their support.Big Hit announced an eight-episode travel reality series, Are You Sure?!, featuring Jimin and Jungkook on July 2, 2024. Available for streaming exclusively on Disney+, the premiere episode is set to air on August 8, with subsequent episodes following weekly through September 19.[72] The label released Jimin's second solo album, Muse, on July 19, while he was carrying out his mandatory military service. It was supported by the singles "Smeraldo Garden Marching Band" and "Who".[73][74] "Who" became Jimin's first song to debut atop both of Billboard's global charts.
Kim Tae-hyung (Korean: 김태형; born December 30, 1995),[1] known professionally as V (뷔), is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and a member of the boy band BTS.[2] Since his debut with the band in 2013, V has performed three solo songs under their name—"Stigma" in 2016, "Singularity" in 2018, and "Inner Child" in 2020—all of which charted on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart.Outside of his projects with BTS, V appeared in the 2016 television series Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth and contributed the single "It's Definitely You" to its soundtrack. He released his first independent song, the self-composed "Scenery", in 2019. In 2023, V made his official debut as a solo artist with the release of the singles "Love Me Again" and "Rainy Days". His debut solo album Layover was released on September 8, accompanied by a third single, "Slow Dancing".V was born Kim Tae-hyung on December 30, 1995, in the Seo District of Daegu,[4][5] and grew up in Geochang County.[6] He is the eldest of three children, with a younger brother and sister.[7] He is of the Gwangsan Kim clan.V first aspired to be a professional singer in elementary school.[9] With his father's support,[10] he began taking saxophone lessons in early middle school as a means of pursuing a musical career.[7][9] V eventually became a trainee for Big Hit Entertainment after passing an audition in Daegu.After graduating from Korean Arts High School in 2014,[12] V enrolled in Global Cyber University, graduating in August 2020 with a major in Broadcasting and Entertainment.[13] As of 2021, he is enrolled at Hanyang Cyber University, pursuing a Master of Business Administration in Advertising and Media.
Pre-debut, V was the "secret member" of BTS: fans were unaware of his existence as his agency wished to keep him a surprise. He later stated that the concept made him feel lonely and uneasy at the time as he thought it was because he might be cut from the lineup.[15] On June 13, 2013, he made his debut as a member of BTS on Mnet's M Countdown with the track "No More Dream" from the band's debut single album 2 Cool 4 Skool. V was first credited for music composition on The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 1 (2015) extended play (EP), as a co-writer and producer of the song "Hold Me Tight"; he also contributed lyrics for the song "Fun Boyz". On the band's follow up EP, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 2, V's melody was used for the song "Run". He co-wrote and composed his first solo track "Stigma" for BTS' 2016 studio album Wings. He also released, unofficially, a cover of "Hug Me" with bandmate J-Hope, and "Someone Like You" by Adele.In May 2018, V's second solo song, "Singularity", was released as a trailer for BTS' then-upcoming third studio album, Love Yourself: Tear. The track made its UK radio debut on BBC Radio on October 25.[17] One month after its release, The Guardian added "Singularity" to its "Top 50 songs for the month of June 2018" playlist,[18] and Billboard included it in their critics' list of the "Top 50 BTS songs" at number 28.Overall, "Singularity" was generally well received by critics and mentioned on several year-end critic's lists. The New York Times ranked it twentieth on its list of "The 65 Best Songs of 2018" alongside "Fake Love",Los Angeles Times critic Mikael Wood named it the fourth "best and most replay worthy song of 2018",and Guardian critic Laura Snapes included it as one of her favourite tracks in her "Best Music of 2018: Albums and Tracks" list.
V possesses a baritone singing voice that has received a generally positive critical reception, with particular praise for his vocal range and "husky" tone.[55][56] He gained wider vocal recognition for his performance of "Stigma", and was praised for his falsettos that showed off his vocal range and unique musicality.[57] V's tonality on "Singularity", the opening track of BTS' Love Yourself: Tear (2018), was noted as a prominent "tone setter" on the album by music critic Blanca Méndez.[58] Similarly, Katie Goh of Vice deemed it as "one of V's best vocal performances."[59] Karen Ruffini of Elite Daily stated in their article that "V... has no problem producing super soothing, low tones that are a key element in the overall sound for BTS",[60] with Tamar Herman from Billboard also noting that V's lower range is a prominent piece of BTS' music.[61] V's musicality is heavily influenced by his love for jazz and classical music. Eric Benet and Ruben Studdard are among his inspirations.As a performer, V is known for his "duality", or his ability to evoke various emotions on stage.[63] British journalist Rhian Daly, writing for NME, particularly noted this when discussing V's performance of "Singularity" during the Love Yourself: Speak Yourself World Tour, describing his movements as "precise and deliberate".[64] Crystal Bell from MTV noted V's performances often work with live cameras in concert venues, and how he utilizes them to create subtle expressions during performances.V coined the phrase "I purple you" during BTS' fanmeeting in November 2016; since then, purple has become a symbol of BTS and their fans. UNICEF used the phrase in their anti-bullying campaign with BTS.
In 2018, Eugene Investment & Securities Co., Ltd. conducted analytical research on Google search trends relating to the K-pop industry. "V" ranked first on the chart as the most-searched keyword for the past five years in South Korea.[67] In a survey conducted by Gallup Korea, V was chosen as the fourth most-preferred idol of 2019, previously ranking ninth in 2018.[68][69] In 2021, he ranked as the most popular Korean celebrity in Japan for twenty-eight consecutive weeks.Various artists have cited him as an influence and role model: The Boyz's Younghoon and Hwall;[71] Golden Child's Jaehyun[72] and Jangjun; MVP's Been;[73] Rainz's Byun Hyun-min;[74] Cravity's Serim;[75] Ateez's Yeosang and Mingi; D-Crunch's Jungseung and Dyla; Lucente's Bao;[71] Newkidd's Yunmin; Boy Story's Hanyu; Tomorrow X Together's Beomgyu; Produce X 101 contestants Koo Jungmo,[76] Lee Taeseung[77] and Mahiro Hidaka;[78] and former Wanna One member Park Ji-hoon.In October 2018, during the Love Yourself World Tour concert in Paris, V had difficulty singing due to an illness and had to abstain from some of his parts during the concert.[82] In October 2021 V's agency announced he would abstain from choreography during their Permission to Dance on Stage concerts due to a calf injury and would remain seated while singing.On November 22, 2023, Big Hit announced through Weverse that V, along with bandmates RM, Jimin, and Jungkook, had started the enlistment process to carry out his mandatory military service.[84] He enlisted on December 11. Upon completion of his extended military training, he was assigned to the 'Ssangyong Unit' of the 2nd Corps on February 8, 2024, serving under the Special Task Force of the Military Police Corps.
V and J-Hope collaborated with Swedish singer Zara Larsson on the song "A Brand New Day" for the soundtrack album of the BTS World mobile game.[25] It was released as a single on June 14, 2019, and debuted at number one on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart.[26] He next collaborated with bandmate Jimin on the song "Friends"—later used in the 2021 Marvel film Eternals[27]—and helped compose and write his third solo song "Inner Child", both of which were included on BTS' 2020 studio album Map of the Soul: 7.In July 2021, V was appointed Special Presidential Envoy for Future Generations and Culture by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, alongside his bandmates, to help "lead the global agenda for future generations" and "expand South Korea's diplomatic efforts and global standing" in the international community.In 2016, V made his acting debut with a supporting role in KBS2's historical drama Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth under his real name.[30] He also collaborated with bandmate Jin on the duet single "It's Definitely You" for the show's soundtrack.[31] In celebration of BTS' fourth anniversary, V released "4 O'Clock" on June 8, 2017, a song he co-produced with bandmate RM.V released his first independent song, "Scenery", on January 30, 2019, through the BTS SoundCloud page.[33] V wrote and composed the ballad and photographed the cover art himself. The track was produced by Big Hit producer Docskim, with additional contributions from Pdogg and Hiss Noise.[34] It reached 100 million streams from 20 million in over fourteen days, a new record on the platform.
Over the course of the two weeks following its release, "Scenery" broke the daily streaming record nine times.[35] Seven months later, V released his second solo and first all-English song, "Winter Bear", through SoundCloud, accompanied by a self-directed music video via BTS' YouTube channel on August 9. He co-produced the track with RM, Hiss Noise, and Adora, and photographed the cover artwork under his pseudonym Vante.In 2020, V contributed the indie pop single "Sweet Night" to the soundtrack of the JTBC drama Itaewon Class, released on March 13.[37][38] Self-written and produced,[39][40] it received generally favorable reviews for its composition, vocal performance and warm lyrics,[40][41] debuting at number two on Billboard's Digital Songs chart in the United States.[42] On December 25, he released the Christmas-themed song "Snow Flower" featuring Peakboy.[43] A second holiday song, "Christmas Tree", followed in December 2021 as part of the original soundtrack for the Studio N television series Our Beloved Summer. Released as a digital single on December 24,[44][45] it debuted at number 79 on the Billboard Hot 100, earning V his first solo entry on the chart.Switching over to television in 2022, V starred in the Disney+ reality series In the Soop: Friendcation with Peakboy, Park Seo-joon, Choi Woo-shik, and Park Hyung-sik; it premiered in July and ended in August.[47] He appeared in a second reality series, the Prime Video exclusive cooking-travel show Jinny's Kitchen, alongside Park Seo-joon and Choi, in February 2023.
The following month, he was announced as a brand ambassador for the Indonesian investment company SimInvest and a global ambassador for the French luxury brand Celine.[49][50] He became a brand ambassador for Cartier and the face of the Panthère de Cartier campaign in July.[51] "Scenery", "Winter Bear", and "Snow Flower" were made available on digital download and streaming platforms worldwide as official singles on August 28,[52] ahead of V's debut solo album Layover, which was released on September 8.[53] Per Hanteo Chart, Layover recorded the highest first-week sales by a K-pop solo artist in history, with 2.1 million copies sold. In the US, it debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, tying V with bandmates Jimin and Suga[a] as the highest-charting Korean solo artists in Billboard chart history.V possesses a baritone singing voice that has received a generally positive critical reception, with particular praise for his vocal range and "husky" tone.[55][56] He gained wider vocal recognition for his performance of "Stigma", and was praised for his falsettos that showed off his vocal range and unique musicality.[57] V's tonality on "Singularity", the opening track of BTS' Love Yourself: Tear (2018), was noted as a prominent "tone setter" on the album by music critic Blanca Méndez.[58] Similarly, Katie Goh of Vice deemed it as "one of V's best vocal performances."[59] Karen Ruffini of Elite Daily stated in their article that "V... has no problem producing super soothing, low tones that are a key element in the overall sound for BTS",[60] with Tamar Herman from Billboard also noting that V's lower range is a prominent piece of BTS' music.
Jeon Jung-kook (Korean: 전정국; RR: Jeon Jeongguk; born September 1, 1997), known mononymously as Jungkook (stylized as Jung Kook), is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and dancer. He rose to prominence as a member and vocalist of the South Korean boy band BTS. He has performed three solo songs as part of BTS' discography— "Begin" in 2016, "Euphoria" in 2018, and "My Time" in 2020—all of which charted on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart. He also recorded the soundtrack song "Stay Alive" for the BTS-based webtoon 7Fates: Chakho.n 2022, Jungkook featured on American singer Charlie Puth's single "Left and Right", which peaked at number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Later that year, he became the first South Korean artist to release an official song for the FIFA World Cup soundtrack with "Dreamers", which he subsequently performed at the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony. In 2023, Jungkook released his debut solo single "Seven" featuring Latto, which broke numerous chart and streaming records. It debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, the Global 200, and the Global Excl. U.S. charts, making him the first Korean solo artist to do so, and eventually became the fastest song in history to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify. His follow-up single "3D", featuring Jack Harlow, debuted at number five on both the Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, making Jungkook the first South Korean solo artist to achieve two consecutive top-five entries on the latter.
Jeon Jung-kook was born on September 1, 1997, in Busan, South Korea.[2][3][4] His family consists of his parents and an elder brother.[5][4] He attended Baekyang Elementary and Middle School in Busan. When he became a trainee, he transferred to Singu Middle School in Seoul.In 2011, Jungkook auditioned for the South Korean talent show Superstar K during its auditions in Daegu.[7] Though he was not selected, he received casting offers from seven entertainment companies. He eventually chose to become a trainee under Big Hit Entertainment after seeing RM, now his fellow band member and leader in BTS, perform.[7] To work on his dance skills in preparation for his debut, he went to Los Angeles during the summer of 2012 to receive dance training from Movement Lifestyle.[8] In June 2012, he appeared in Jo Kwon's "I'm Da One" music video[9] and was a backup dancer for Glam before his debut.He graduated from the School of Performing Arts Seoul, an arts high school, in 2017.[6][11] In November 2016, he decided to forgo taking the CSATs, Korea's nationwide university entrance exam.[12] In March 2022, he received his degree from Global Cyber University's Department of Broadcasting and Entertainment. He was awarded the President's Award, the school's highest honor.Jungkook has cited Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, and Usher as some of his musical inspirations.In January 2024, Jungkook was promoted to a full member of the Korea Music Copyright Association.
On June 12, 2013, Jungkook made his debut as a member of BTS with the release of the single 2 Cool 4 Skool.[14] Under BTS, he has sung three solo songs. The first, a pop track titled "Begin", from the 2016 album Wings, tells his story of moving to Seoul at a young age to become an idol and expresses his gratitude towards his bandmates for taking care of him during that time.[15] The second, a future bass song titled "Euphoria", was released with an accompanying nine-minute short film on April 5, 2018, as the introduction to the third part of BTS' "Love Yourself" series.[16] Produced by DJ Swivel, the song charted at number five on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100. Its full studio version was included on BTS' Love Yourself: Answer compilation album, released on August 24.[1] The third solo, "My Time", off the band's 2020 studio album Map of the Soul: 7, is an R&B song about forgoing teenage experiences because of his career[17] and charted at number 84 on the US Billboard Hot 100. "Euphoria" and "My Time" are the first and second longest-charting solo tracks among K-pop singers on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart, having spent a record 90 and 85 weeks respectively on the ranking.Aside from singing, Jungkook has also helped produce two songs for BTS: "Love is Not Over", from the band's 2015 extended play (EP) The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 1, and "Magic Shop", from the band's 2018 album Love Yourself: Tear—he is credited as the main producer for both tracks.
In October 2018, Jungkook was ordained alongside his bandmates with the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit by the President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in.[21][22] He was appointed Special Presidential Envoy for Future Generations and Culture, again alongside his bandmates, by Moon in July 2021, to help "lead the global agenda for future generations" and "expand South Korea's diplomatic efforts and global standing" in the international community.Rolling Stone's Brian Hiatt describes Jungkook as "an extraordinarily soulful tenor".[59] Kim Min-sook, writing for the Korean music website Reputation, described his voice as "soft" and suitable to sentimental songs, also praising his ability to keep a stable intonation even while dancing,[60] while Mary Siroky of Consequence observed that he "has the kind of clear, dexterous voice built for pop music".[61] Music critic Kim Young-dae considers Jungkook's vocal performance to be the strong point of BTS songs such as "Danger",[62] "Butterfly",[63] "Autumn Leaves",[64] and "Lost",[65] as well as his solo song "Euphoria", commenting that his voice is "especially notable, for both the techniques and his detailed, expressive capacity that attributes a lot [of] narrative to ordinary notes".[66] In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Jungkook as 191th on their list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time, calling him "an extremely gifted singer" who "hits high notes with ease and harmonizes with his BTS members effortlessly, always giving his audience new ad-libs and unexpected vocal riffs to keep things interesting".
In September 2015, Jungkook participated in the "One Dream, One Korea" campaign, taking part in a song collaboration alongside various Korean artists in memory of the Korean War. The song was released on September 24 and presented at the One K Concert in Seoul on October 15.[24] The following year, Jungkook was cast in the pilot episode of Flower Crew. He also appeared on Celebrity Bromance,[25][26] and competed on King of Mask Singer under the name "Fencing Man", appearing in episode 72.[27] On November 6, 2018, Jungkook collaborated with American singer Charlie Puth for a special duet performance of the latter's "We Don't Talk Anymore" single at the MBC Plus X Genie Music Awards.[28] He released the self-produced song "Still With You" for free on SoundCloud on June 4, 2020, as part of BTS' annual debut anniversary celebrations.n February 2022, Jungkook sang the soundtrack for 7Fates: Chakho, a new BTS-based webtoon.[30] Titled "Stay Alive" and produced by bandmate Suga, the song earned Jungkook his first solo entry on the Hot 100 with its debut at number 95,[31] and his first solo top-ten entry on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S chart at number eight;[32] it also became the first Korean soundtrack in history to debut on the UK Singles Chart, at number 89.He released another self-produced song, "My You", for free on June 12 as part of BTS' ninth anniversary celebrations,[34] and appeared as a featured artist on the single "Left and Right" by Puth later that month.[35] On November 20, Jungkook released the single "Dreamers" ahead of his performance at the opening ceremony for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar later that same day; the single was included on the tournament's official soundtrack album.
He headlined the event at Al Bayt Stadium, performing the song with Qatari singer Fahad Al Kubaisi;[37] he is the first Korean artist to sing an official theme for the World Cup and perform at an opening ceremony for the event.Jungkook was announced as the newest global ambassador for Calvin Klein in March 2023.[40] "Still With You" and "My You" were made available on streaming services worldwide as official singles under Jungkook's name on July 3.[41] His debut solo single "Seven", featuring American rapper Latto, was released on July 14.[42] It debuted at number one on the Hot 100, the Global 200, and the Global Excl. US charts, making him the first Korean solo artist to simultaneously top all three charts and the second—after Jimin—to debut atop the Hot 100;[43][44] the song eventually became the fastest in history to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify.[45] Jungkook performed as a headliner at the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park, New York City on September 23.[46] His second solo single, "3D", featuring Jack Harlow, was released on September 29.[47] It debuted at number five on both the Hot 100[48] and the UK Singles Chart, making Jungkook the first Korean solo artist to earn two top-five singles on the latter.[49] That same month, The Hollywood Reporter named Jungkook in its inaugural "Platinum Players of Music" list, as one of the top 25 musicians that "defined the year in music."[50] The collaboration single "Too Much", with the Kid Laroi and Central Cee, followed in October. "Too Much" debuted at number 10 in the UK, making Jungkook the first Korean solo artist to achieve three top-10 singles in UK chart history.[52] His debut solo album Golden and a third single, "Standing Next to You", were released on November 3.
Golden set new all-time opening day and opening week sales records, with over 2.1 and 2.4 million copies respectively, and became the first album by a South Korean solo artist to surpass 2.5 million sales.[54][55] In the US, it debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, making Jungkook one of the highest-charting South Korean solo artists in Billboard chart history, and the first to sell over 200,000 copies within a week.Big Hit released the single "Never Let Go" by Jungkook on June 7, 2024, as part of BTS' 11th anniversary celebrations; it is his first project to be released post-enlistment.[57] An eight-episode travel reality series, Are You Sure?!, featuring Jungkook and Jimin, was announced on July 2. Available for streaming exclusively on Disney+, the premiere episode will air on August 8, with subsequent episodes releasing weekly through September 19.In a 2019 survey conducted by Gallup Korea, Jungkook ranked as the third most-loved celebrity of the year in South Korea.Jungkook was the most-searched male K-pop idol on Google in the first half of 2019,[77] topping the chart again in the following year,[78] and the most searched K-pop idol on YouTube in 2019 and 2020. On Tumblr, he ranked first on the "Top K-Pop Stars" list for three consecutive years.Jungkook earned the nickname "Sold Out King" from media outlets, as items that he is seen using often sell out quickly.[84][85] These include shoes,[86] Downy fabric softener,[87] wine,[88] novels (namely I Decided to Live as Me by Kim Soo-hyun, which became a best-seller in both Korea and Japan),[89] and Hanbok. Korean media credited Jungkook with the creation of the "Modern Hanbok" fashion trend in the Korean entertainment industry when celebrities such as Jun Hyun-moo, Jang Do-yeon, Gong Hyo-jin, MC Oh Seung-hwan and The Return of Superman's Park Joo-ho began wearing similar clothing after he was photographed wearing it.
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