Starting with J-Hope and culminating with V, all seven members of BTS have met fans through their solo endeavors.
As members began fulfilling their military duties, BTS embarked on individual activities, each unveiling their debut solo albums that showcase their unique personalities and talents. The seven members have presented music and concepts that are distinct from BTS's group sound, offering fans a diverse listening experience.
J-Hope was the first to release his solo work. Last July, he unveiled his album 'Jack In The Box'. Just like the toy that pops out when the box is opened, the album showcased a fresh and intense side of J-Hope, different from what fans had seen before.
Receiving acclaim for his candid and passionate album, J-Hope made a mark as a solo artist by headlining the major U.S. music festival 'Lollapalooza', performing over 20 songs and closing the show.
Following him, Jin released his solo single 'The Astronaut' last October, right before his military enlistment, as a heartfelt message to the fans. Collaborating once again with Coldplay, who previously worked with BTS on 'My Universe', Jin expressed his gratitude and love for the fans who have supported him throughout.
Notably, Jin premiered 'The Astronaut' during Coldplay's world tour concert in Argentina, creating a buzz.
The third soloist, RM, showcased his artistic sensibilities with his first official solo album 'Indigo'. Through 'Indigo', RM shared his honest thoughts, concerns, and reflections, merging music with various art forms in a 'boundary-breaking' collaboration.
The album, featuring 10 tracks, saw collaborations with diverse artists such as Cherry Filter's Jo Yoo Jin, Erykah Badu, Anderson .Paak, Epik High's Tablo, singer-songwriter Kim Sawol, UK singer-songwriter Mahalia, R&B hip-hop musician Paul Blanco, singer-songwriter Cold, and singer-songwriter Park Ji Yoon.
Taking the baton from RM, Jimin unveiled his first solo album 'FACE' in March, revealing a new facet of himself as a solo artist. The album 'FACE' is about confronting oneself and preparing for a new beginning as artist Jimin. It encapsulates the various emotions he felt, allowing fans to glimpse his musical spectrum.
Significantly, with 'FACE', Jimin achieved the #1 spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, setting a record as the first Korean solo artist to do so. He further solidified his popularity by winning the 'Song of Summer' at the '2023 MTV Video Music Awards'.
Suga, under the name Agust D, solidified his identity with his solo releases. His album 'D-DAY', released in April, concludes the Agust D trilogy that began with the mixtapes 'Agust D' in 2016 and 'D-2'.
Suga showcased his prowess as a producer by handling the songwriting, composing, and producing for the entire album. He also held his first solo concert after the album's release, connecting with global audiences through the 'SUGA | Agust D-DAY TOUR'.
Jungkook exuded a trendy and hot charm with his solo track 'Seven (feat. Latto)'. The song, a passionate serenade about wanting to be with a loved one every day of the week, combines the trendy UK garage genre of the early 1990s with an addictive melody.
'Seven' captivated global listeners and, following Jimin, also topped the Billboard 'Hot 100'. Furthermore, Jungkook won the 'Song of Summer' award at the '2023 MTV Video Music Awards'.
Lastly, V, collaborating with producer Adora Min Hee Jin, maximized his unique sensibilities. On the 8th of the month, V released his first solo album 'Layover', showcasing a deeper and more profound side of himself.
The pop R&B-based album, which blends V's unique characteristics and emotions, consists of six tracks, each with its own music video. V's 'Layover' broke records, surpassing 2.1 million sales in its first week, setting a new record for the highest first-week sales for a K-pop solo album.
In this way, all seven members showcased colors as solo artists that were unseen during their group activities with BTS, proving their potential. As they continue to release various solo works ahead of their group activities, fans are eagerly anticipating what musical stories they will share next as solo artists.
