Do You Know BTS? Let’s keep learning! And let’s talk about Jin, both then and now! 
Kim Seok-jin was born on December 4, 1992 in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province in South Korea. He seems to have always been destined for some sort of future in entertainment. Even as a student in middle school, he was scouted by a major agency while just walking down the street. He assumed it was a joke and rejected them. Although years later he would be scouted again by Big Hit Entertainment and that time? He’d accept the offer and eventually join the group that would become BTS. Up until that time, he navigated his way through school like any normal teen and started university studies, majoring in acting and art.
At the time Jin was signed by Big Hit Entertainment, he had no singing experience. He joined the agency under an acting contract but as BTS was transitioning from a hip-hop/rap trio (RM, Suga and j-hope) into a more traditional K-Pop/Idol model, he was brought in as one of four vocalists (also including Jung Kook, V and Jimin) to finalize the line-up we know and love today.
From not having much experience in singing and dancing, we’re always so impressed with how hard Jin has worked to step up and prove his talent in both areas. All his fellow members and critics alike praise him for becoming such a vital contributor to the group.
He’s matured musically over the years and released a few songs in collaboration with other artists (including BTS bandmate V on one of our favorites, “It’s Definitely You” which appears on the original soundtrack for “Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth”). Earlier, he’d recorded some popular covers too. All have been well received.
Jin has two studio solo songs he composed and recorded, “Tonight” and “Abyss”. Again, they’ve been met with very positive reviews. He’s now become well-known for his vocal stability and the smooth tone he brings to BTS’s songs. His tenor falsetto has even been referred to as the “silver voice” by members of one Recording Academy / GRAMMYs panel.
All that is definitely impressive but what WE really love about Jin is his personality. And he has a TON of it! He’s caring, funny, affectionate and goofy. Yet he’s also very open, vulnerable and supportive. He’s referenced many times some of the struggles we can all face in life and the value in seeking help as needed. He’s become a real advocate for those navigating any type of mental health issues. We’ll touch more on that important topic in upcoming posts.
He’s known for being so darn handsome- he’s what is considered the “Korean Ideal” and yes, we’ll get into more of that too! He’s known for his broad shoulders, his love for corny dad jokes and being the oldest member of the group, he’s definitely everyone’s big brother (hyung). An especially delightful connection is the one he has with youngest member, Jung Kook. There are five years between them and Jin is often reminding EVERYONE how he raised JK! Seems as though he’s joking, but it’s not too far from the truth!
There are stories that while JK was still in high school, Jin was the only member with a driver’s license. Therefore, he was the one driving JK to/from school most days and regularly packed him a lunch. Being the foodie that Jin is, we bet he enjoyed that! He and JK also have a rather elaborate handshake ritual and are always teasing, punching, shoving or poking at each other. We even saw an episode of Bon Voyage where protective older hyung, Jin, half asleep, shooed away a cameraman early one morning when he was about to get too close and accidently film JK still sleeping and shirtless. They’re definitely a modest bunch- Jin even more so than the others.
He really is the skilled chef in the group, having been preparing many of their meals since the trainee days. Those early years in that first tiny dorm had them all eating their meals together; there are plenty of photos and clips showing a very young Jin whipping up an amazing feast while the boys gathered around the table and cheered. He really does love to cook and has had his own food vlog, “Eat With Jin”. He and his brother also own a Japanese restaurant in Seoul. What an eclectic guy!
Wow! This has been another long post but we feel like we’re just getting started talking about Jin! We’ll save more highlights about this wonderful favorite of ours for future posts. Until then, now you already know a few new things about him. And there’s even more to come!
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: OneLuv BTS | Content: Various Sources
