Kim Seok-jin, also known as Jin, is a South Korean singer, composer, and member of the boy band BTS. He is set to initiate BTS’ military enlistment endeavours, as the band announced on October 17.

Jin also announced his upcoming solo work during BTS’ free Yet to Come concert in Busan, South Korea, “It’s not a huge album or anything, it’s just a single. I’ve filmed a lot different things recently, and there’s still a lot left to film, so I hope you’ll enjoy all of it.” 

Also read: BTS ‘Yet To Come’ Concert in Busan: Highlights

Who is BTS Jin?

Kim Seok-jin, also known as Jin professionally was born on December 4, 1992, and is a South Korean singer, composer, and member of the boy band BTS.

Three solo songs that Jin co-wrote and released with BTS—Awake in 2016, Epiphany in 2018, and Moon in 2020—all made the Gaon Digital Chart in South Korea. Jin’s debut solo song, the digital single Tonight, was released in 2019.

Alongside bandmate V, he also made an appearance on the 2016 soundtrack for Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth. Jin’s falsetto and emotional range as a singer have gained critical acclaim worldwide.

Also read: Why BTS fans are called ARMY

Aside from his parents, Jin’s family consists of his elder brother, with whom he launched a Japanese-style restaurant in 2018 called Ossu Seiromushi located in Seoul.

Jin initially intended to become a journalist, but after seeing Kim Nam-gil in Queen Seondeok, he changed his mind. He was scouted while still in junior high school by the South Korean K-pop agency SM Entertainment, although he turned down their offer at the time.

Jin was later scouted by Big Hit Entertainment for his good looks. He did not have any musical training at the time and was studying acting. He then went on to audition for Big Hit as an actor before joining the idol training programme.

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Jin attended Konkuk University and received a degree in film studies on February 22, 2017, despite his initial desire to be an actor. Later, he enrolled in Hanyang Cyber University’s graduate programme to pursue studies in subjects besides music.

Jin is a tenor and members of the Grammy jury described him as having solid breath control and a strong falsetto, referring to it as a “silver voice” as Kim Young-dae notes in his 2019 book BTS: The Review. Jin can also play the guitar.

According to journalist Choi Song-hye of Aju News, BTS hits like Spring Day and Fake Love showcased Jin’s vocal consistency while Jamais Vu on the b-side displayed his capacity of emotional range in singing. The solo ballad Epiphany features Jin’s voice, which Hong Hye-min of The Korea Times called “tender, sorrowful, [and] free-spirited” and thought was the song’s “standout element.”

Also read: BTS military enlistment: ARMY reacts on social media

When analysing Epiphany for his review of Love Yourself: Answer, Park Hee-a said that Jin “sings the most sentimental emotions” of the solo tracks. The effectiveness of the song was “prove[d]” by Jin’s belting, according to Park’s review of Fake Love.

Jin bought food, blankets, and dishes for the organisation in December 2018 as part of his birthday gift to the Korean Animal Welfare Association. Additionally, he donated 321kg of food to the Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA), another non-profit Korean group dedicated to animal welfare.

Jin has been contributing monthly to UNICEF Korea since May 2018 and has asked that his contributions remain anonymous. Following his induction into the UNICEF Honors Club in May 2019 for donations totaling over 100 million won (about $84,000 US), his contributions were eventually made public.

Also read: BTS to enlist in South Korean military, starting with Jin

According to data gathered by analytics firm Gallup Korea in 2019, Jin was ranked as the 13th most popular idol overall and sixth most popular among girls between the ages of 13 and 19 in South Korea.

Although born in Gwacheon, in the South Korean province of Gyeonggi, as of 2018, Jin lives in Hannam-dong, Seoul.

After having surgery to treat a hand injury in March 2022, Jin withdrew from a few group activities, skipped some performances during BTS’ Permission to Dance on Stage concerts in Las Vegas, sang for the majority of the group’s performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards while seated.

Also read: BTS military service: Enlistment and exemption debate explained

Big Hit announced on October 17, 2022, that after Jin’s debut solo single is released and its accompanying promotional efforts are finished at the end of the month, the singer will commence the enlisting procedure and complete his required military service in the South Korean army.