Worldwide Handsome, as he proudly calls himself — turns 29 today. The eldest ‘hyung’ (Korean word used for older brother) is loved by ARMY for his cheerful countenance, perpetual ‘dad jokes’, uncontrolled laughter, and, of course, his caring and affectionate attitude towards the rest of his band members, especially V and Jungkook. From giving Jungkook heating pads, to carrying an exhausted Jimin after a performance and telling him to rest, there’s no doubt that he is reliable older brother to the septet.
Owing to innumerable interviews and of course the variety show, ARMY has learnt that Jin is known to ‘lift the mood’, during the band’s trying times, as RM once revealed. He is also the ‘ice-breaker’, and knows how to put everyone at ease with his jokes. In fact, J-Hope once said that he gives the team strength, and holds the group together.
Yet, as shown in their interviews and BTS: Burn The Stage documentary, Jin struggles with self-esteem issues and is working hard to be less vulnerable.
He was selected for BTS, owing to his looks, and had to work harder to master complex choreography. He once said, “I didn’t know anything in the audition, what to do, how to sing. I didn’t understand the rhythm.” During a live he revealed how hard he had to work on himself. “Without skipping a day, I exercise while the kids are sleeping, but I don’t know when my body will start gaining muscles, then maybe I would be able to dance well.”
His efforts did not go unnoticed by other BTS members, who have always been in awe of him. Jimin once said in the BTS documentary, “He works hard to improve his weaknesses. He works silently for our team.” Jungkook observed, “You won’t see him practising. He doesn’t make it obvious that he is practising on his own. He’s just the kind that shows results of his practice.”
Jin’s confidence blossomed further when he started writing lyrics, and then releasing three solo tracks, Awake, Epiphany and Moon. It’s well-known that every BTS member brings something different to the table — and Jin brought with him his unusual emotional range as a singer, and his falsetto. The song Dionysus is a clear example of his singing prowess, as he effortlessly switches from a deep voice to a high falsetto. Yet, he still remains a little conscious of his dancing skills owing to constant scrutiny, and has admitted several times on record that he isn’t as fast as the others, something that the rest of the members vehemently disagreed with. Jin achieved another milestone this year, with his OST Yours for the show Jirisan.
