TIME TO SHINE

In his last shoot before starting his military service, K-pop star JIMIN of BTS talks about fandom, his dark and light side and the trials and tribulations of being a global icon.

- Aoko Matsuda

"As a member of BTS, you have contributed a lot to positive change in the world, but what do you want for the future of society and, by extension, the world?" JIMIN's reply? "A world where everyone can fully enjoy the 'minimum' amount of fun."

In a world buffeted by crises and political unrests, this simple goal sounds almost childlike, for a want of a better word. Yet, fans who have been following JIMIN know that the performer has always given his utmost best-putting his heart and soul into his craft for the sake of somebody else's "minimum enjoyment."

Such positive attitude was fully demonstrated in his solo album FACE. When I asked him if there were any abilities or strengths that he had recognised through his solo activities, he replies modestly, "It was my first attempt, but through that attempt, I came to realise that I want to try more things in the future, and grow even more." 

I have been a fan of his for some years now, and what always amazes me about him is that he is not just being modest. He truly believes that he can grow and improve.

I first came across JIMIN when I was watching a performance of BTS' "DNA". He caught my eye when he jumped forward quickly at the line "from the day the universe was born"-that was when I realised I wanted to know more about him. I became a fan.

In the process of searching the Internet, I found a scene where he was sitting down after a solo performance at a concert, disappointed that he had 'failed', and speaking weakly to a staff member about it.