What Has Jimin Been Up To?

Since BTS announced a temporary hiatus from group activities in June 2022, there have been multiple speculations about the group’s future. But little did people know BTS’ break would be the beginning of the members’ personal artistic visions, especially Jimin’s.

Before the enlistment, Jimin featured in Taeyang’s song Vibe, a special collaboration for Jimin because he had previously mentioned Taeyang as his idol. Jimin is profoundly famous for his dedication to his art. This can be seen in his documentary “Jimin’s Production Diary” released in October 2023, which traces the behind-the-scenes work that was put into the creation of Jimin’s debut solo album, FACE.

On December 12, 2023, when the last duo of BTS, Jimin and Jungkook, enlisted in the Korean army for their mandatory 18 months of service, ARMY thought we would be deprived of any content from their beloved musicians until their return. However, we were proven wrong soon enough. On December 22, 2023, almost a week after Jimin’s enlistment, his single Closer Than This was released – a beautiful song as his farewell letter to fans with the promise of never letting go of each other's hands. 

Jimin is known for his charismatic performances, soothing voice, and extremely friendly personality. The bond he shares with his fans is more of a long-distance friendship than a conventional fan-idol relationship. Thus, it is understandable that his absence left a visible void in our lives. But ARMY was ecstatic beyond comprehension when a Weverse notice announced the release of Jimin’s second solo album Muse. 

With the release of FACE in March 2023, Jimin had already established a unique identity for himself as an artist with fantastic musical brilliance. Muse was thus another deep dive for fans to look within Jimin's artistic vision as a musician. Released on July 19, 2024, almost eight months after Jimin’s enlistment, the album consists of seven tracks including Smeraldo Garden Marching Band (feat. Loco) as a pre-released track and a collaboration with Sofia Carson for the song Slow Dance. 

The album unleashes a newer side of Jimin with its stark contrast to the dark themes of his solo debut; while FACE delves into the layer of Jimin’s self, Muse embarks on the journey to finding true love. The album sheds light upon Jimin’s talent of smoothly transitioning between genres, making him a genre-less artist. His art and talent prove to be a universal one. Both the pre-recorded performance of Who on The Jimmy Fallon Show and the release of Muse helped ARMY feel Jimin’s presence through new music. In turn, ARMY made sure to let Jimin know we acknowledge his hard work by helping the title track Who debut at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Muse also debuted at No. 3 on Spotify’s Weekly Top Albums Global Chart.

As ARMYs enjoyed the shared happiness of BTS’ eldest member Jin’s return from the military in June, we were ecstatic when the news of Jimin and Jungkook’s travel show “Are You Sure?!” dropped in July. The show follows the two members as they travel across continents to the USA, within South Korea and to Japan. The joy of seeing two dear friends enjoying each other’s company while working on their respective projects was another reflection of the bond the members of BTS share. Jimin and Jungkook, hailing from the same city of Busan, have often been seen sharing moments of absolute joy and goofiness. 

As the show progresses, the appearance of another member increases the beauty and comfort of the show. The duo was joined by V, the second youngest member of BTS, as the trio popularly known as the “Maknae Line,” shared precious moments of laughter and fun, making significant memories before ultimately joining the military.

Anyone who knows Jimin would know his impeccable sense of fashion which sets him apart from the crowd. In January 2023, Jimin was named a global brand ambassador for French fashion luxury brand Dior; later that month, Jimin, alongside his bandmate j-hope, attended the Dior Homme menswear fall-winter 2023-2024 fashion show in Paris. It goes without saying the two former roommates and lead dancers of the band stole the show with their undeniable charm. The same year in March, American luxury jewellery and specialty design house Tiffany & Co. named Jimin their global House ambassador. The selection of Jimin as an ambassador was undoubtedly an excellent choice, considering his love for accessories as well as the popularity of his choice among fans. It is a well-known fact that any outfit or accessory worn by BTS members is sold out within seconds.

Though busy with his military duties, Jimin, like the rest of the members, wanted to keep the sadness of his absence at bay. It was important for him to leave behind content that would remind ARMY that he is always thinking of us. His efforts to always put his best foot forward are what add to his already lovable existence.

With almost nine months left until his discharge from the military, ARMYs are already excited over the idea of seeing him deliver flawless performances. It’s been almost ten months since Jimin enlisted and there was not a moment ARMY has not missed his heart-fluttering chuckle and soul-captivating dance. But his music remained back, whispering to the fans, “Let's sing it together, this song/ For the day, we'll reunite again/ I could never let you go”.

Written by: Amna

Edited by: Lisa K

Designed by: Martina

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