From “Awake” to “The Astronaut,” here are songs to celebrate Jin’s rich and passionate vocals before his solo album drops in November.
BTS member Jin may be known and loved by ARMYs as “Mr. Worldwide Handsome” but the singer has definitely more to offer than just good looks fit for a K-drama prince.
Since the K-pop superband’s debut in 2013, Jin has been enchanting their fandom’s purple hearts with his powerful voice that evokes so much emotion—from the group’s ballad self-love tracks to the catchy soundtracks of popular Korean shows.
His sincere and beautiful vocals, alongside his good looks, were things that ARMYS definitely missed until Jin was discharged from his 18-month military service on June 13 this year. And now that he’s back, Kim Seokjin is making it up to ARMYs by engaging in several activities to delight Seokjinnies.
For starters, the 31-year-old K-pop idol held a fan meet in Seoul’s Jamsil Sports Complex right after he was discharged and spent the day hugging 1,000 fans. In August, Jin was named the newest global brand ambassador of luxury fashion house Gucci. This was followed by covers of Korea’s top magazines, including Vogue, Bazaar, and W. He also finished filming his guest appearance in Netflix’s upcoming variety show Kian’s Bizarre B&B.
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Fans had the biggest surprise on Oct. 15 when BTS’ agency, BigHit Music, announced that Jin will be releasing his first solo album, “Happy,” on Nov. 15. It is made up of six tracks that will reveal his “honest thoughts and feelings on what happiness means to him in the hopes that those who listen to the album will also find joy.”
The official tracklist comprises the lead single Running Wild, as well as Another Level, Falling, I Will Come to You, plus Heart on the Window featuring Red Velvet’s WENDY. Rounding out the album is the headbanger I’ll Be There which BigHit released on Oct. 25 as the album’s pre-release track.
In addition to WENDY, Jin collaborated with Gary Barlow of the British pop band Take That and Taka and Toru of the Japanese rock band ONE OK ROCK in producing Happy.
As we all wait for the release of the album, let’s listen to his solo songs that delighted ARMYs through the years. From OSTs to a collaboration with British music icon Coldplay, here are seven songs from Jin you should be adding to your playlist.
“Awake” (2016)
Jin’s 2016 song Awake is ideal for when you want to chill down and meditate by yourself. The ballad track, released in BTS’ album “Wings,” encourages listeners to accept their limitations and continue striving despite the odds. The singer encapsulated this in the heartfelt lyrics, including the chorus, which translates to “Maybe I, I can’t touch the sky / Still, I want to stretch my hand out / I want to run, just a bit more.”
Awake is Jin’s first solo track which marks his journey as an artist overcoming his fears and insecurities in making good music. “My first solo track Awake was the first time I felt the desire to attempt something new as a musician,” the BTS star said. “My label gave me the chance to try my hand at writing music. Until then, I hadn’t dared to try anything with our group songs.”
Jin further showcased his prowess as an all-around musician with a stirring performance of the track during BTS’ Wings Tour. With only his piano, the singer produced what many ARMYs consider a standout moment during the tour.
“Epiphany” (2018)
Epiphany is another soulful track from BTS’ “Silver Voice” Jin, which aims to inspire listeners to prioritize self-love amid life’s challenges. It was released as the group’s comeback trailer for their 2018 album, “Love Yourself: Answer.” It speaks of the album’s theme of empowerment, self-love, and reflection, with the lines “I’m the one I should love in this world / I’m the one I should love,” becoming an anthem for ARMYs learning to embrace their authentic selves.
The song was produced by Slow Rabbit with lyrics from Bang Si-hyuk (founder of BigHit’s mother company, Hybe) and contributions from BTS leader RM.
“Tonight” (2019)
Tonight is yet another song proving that Jin should be your go-to artist for when you’re in a rainy-day melancholy mood. The mellow R&B track is Jin’s first entirely original solo song written by Jin himself and RM, along with BTS collaborators Slow Rabbit and Hiss Noise.
The lyrical ballad is a touching tribute to the loved ones Jin lost, as reflected in the lines, “When I close my eyes, I feel like it will remind me of the times that we were together / When I close my eyes, I will think only of the happy memories again.” The singer’s airy falsetto also shows his ability to convey deep emotions in his music.
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“Moon” (2020)
Jin switched things up a bit in his 2020 track, Moon. The upbeat pop-rock track reflects the singer’s love for rock and pop and serves as a serenade to the ever-supportive ARMYs. It was released as part of BTS’ “Map of the Soul: 7” album and expresses Jin’s gratitude and special bond with his supporters. In the lyrics, the K-pop idol compares BTS fans to Earth and himself to the moon that revolves around the planet. He sings how both of them cannot live without the other and that he promises to stay beside his fans forever.
“Yours” 2021
Jin won the hearts of both K-pop and K-drama fans with the song Yours. The four-minute ballad is the main theme song of the iQiyi original Korean series Jirisan which was released in November 2022. Yours showcases the BTS member’s cool and soothing voice that seamlessly matches the track’s slow and dreamy music. With all of these working together, the track perfectly captures the feeling of longingness felt by the lead characters Seo Yi-kang (Jun Ji-hyun) and Kang Hyun-jo (Jun Ji-hoon).
Young is Jin’s first solo OST following It’s Definitely You which is a duet with fellow BTS member V for the 2016 hit series Hwarang.
“Super Tuna” (2021)
Jin’s love for his supporters is definitely beyond super—and the K-pop idol proved that once again when he released his solo track Super Tuna in December 2021. The super fun and free-spirited single was a present for the ARMY in time for his birthday that year.
It spoke about his hobby of fishing and, along with its easy dance choreography, instantly became a viral hit with ARMYs and casual listeners turning the song into TikTok and YouTube dance challenges. The one-minute track was co-written and co-produced by Jin alongside famed producer BUMZU.
On Oct. 11, almost three years after Super Tuna’s release, Jin and BigHit Music shared a “special video” of the track which has so far garnered 10 million views in YouTube alone.
“The Astronaut” (2022)
When Jin collaborated with Coldplay for the song The Astronaut in 2022, ARMYs were over the moon. Co-written by Coldplay, the dreamy track is Jin’s gift to his fans, which is inspired by how he finds home and comfort in ARMY and his band brothers, BTS.
Jin first performed The Astronaut during Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Prior to his performance, Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin opened up about how the BTS star reached out to him for a song “that says goodbye for a little while.”
“About six months ago, one of their members called me up and he said, ‘I have to leave the band in December for two years and join the army in Korea because that’s the rules there,” Chris recounted. “I need a song that says goodbye to everybody for a little while, and tells them I love them.”
The Astronaut turned out to be a hit shortly after its release in October 2022, with the track becoming Jin’s first credited solo hit that debuted at No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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