BTS’s Jin is releasing his debut solo album Happy today at 2 PM KST, marking a worldwide release. Happy reflects his personal journey to find what happiness means to him. Through this album, Jin opens up about emotions like love, excitement, and courage, while embracing his role as “a ray of sunshine” spreading positive energy.
Packed with heartfelt energy, Happy includes six tracks, featuring the title song “Running Wild,” as well as “I’ll Be There,” “Another Level,” “Until I Reach You,” “Heart on the Window (featuring Wendy),” and the fan-dedicated track “Longing.” Each track showcases Jin’s unique vocal strengths, set against a range of band-driven genres. In addition to co-writing “Longing” for fans, Jin contributed actively to the album’s overall production, highlighting his artistic versatility.
Q: How do you feel about releasing your first solo album, Happy?
“It’s truly meaningful to be putting out a solo album under my own name, and I hope the fans enjoy it. And I really do hope that everyone who listens to this album will be happy. This album reflects a lot of my own input, so it captures my personal taste. It would be amazing to hear reactions like, ‘I love the songs’ or ‘I want to listen again.'” (laughs)
Q: What should listeners pay attention to in Happy?
“This album is built around band sounds, which I really love. Band music feels especially exciting live, so I recommend imagining how these songs would feel in a concert as you listen.”
Q: Your first impressions of the title track, “Running Wild”?
“It felt nostalgic. I chose it as the title track because I thought others might also find it comforting and familiar.”
Q: What was it like working with Gary Barlow of Take That as a producer?
“We had to work on my pronunciation quite a bit! The differences between American and British accents were a bit confusing, but I did my best to get the pronunciation right through multiple takes. Of course, it didn’t help that my pronunciation isn’t all that good. (laughs)
Q: “I’ll Be There” has a rockabilly vibe, a genre unfamiliar to some in Korea. How was it creating that track?
“I created it with myself in mind as the singer, so there weren’t too many challenges. There’s a part where I say, ‘One Two Three Four’ really energetically, which took a few tries to get right.”
Q: Tell us about writing the fan song “Longing”.
“When I was in training for the military, I scribbled down a few thoughts: ‘Fans are waiting, I need to sing, I need to perform.’ Reflecting on those emotions, I wrote the lyrics as an honest expression of my desire to return to them as soon as possible. I hope they feel that.”
Q: What makes you “happy” these days?
“Lately, I’ve been busy with various activities, and seeing fans’ happiness as they enjoy my work makes me happy too. It’s a big part of why I love this job.”
Q: Any final words to ARMY around the world?
“Thank you to all the ARMYs for waiting for this album. ‘Happy’ wouldn’t exist without you. I plan to keep showing up for you, even on behalf of the other members, so don’t get bored! Love you all!”
Jin will connect with fans at 2:30 PM KST today via a comeback live broadcast, “Jin Comeback Live: What is ‘Happy’?,” on Weverse, followed by a fan showcase event, Jin ‘Happy’ Special Stage, held at Seoul’s Jangchung Arena on November 16th–17th.
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