Last year I wrote a couple of posts about the solo careers of the members of American girl group Fifth Harmony. You can read them below:
Fifth Harmony Girls' Solo Careers- Part 1: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/11/fifth-harmony-girls-solo-careers-part-1.html
Fifth Harmony Girls' Solo Careers- Part 2: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/11/fifth-harmony-girls-solo-careers-part-2.html
I thought it would be cool to do one for the members of Korean boy band BTS as well. The group consists of 6 members- leader RM, formerly known as Rap Monster (real name Kim Nam Joon), SUGA (Min Yoon Gi), Jin (full name Kim Seok Jin), j-hope (Jung Ho-seok), Jimin (Park Ji Min), V (Kim Tae Hyung) and Jungkook (Jeon Jung Kook).*
Since making their debut in 2013 and rising to fame in South Korea, they have since gone on to achieve global success. They are probably one of the most well-known Korean boy bands (and groups in general) internationally.
BTS are not currently releasing music as a group, due to the members undergoing their military service. (In South Korea it's mandatory for men aged 18-35 to serve in the military and they typically enlist between 18 and 28.) Their last release was the anthology album Proof, which came out in June 2022.
Eldest member Jin became the first one to complete his service in June, having enlisted in December 2022. The other members enlisted in late 2023 and the band will reunite in 2025, when they've all completed it.
While the members had previously released solo songs related to BTS, this post focuses on their music as solo artists under their own names. As it's a long post, I've spilt it into two parts. Part 1 features RM, SUGA, j-hope and Jimin. :)
For more on the group as a whole, visit these posts:
Girls vs Boys- K-pop (post about girl group AOA and BTS): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2015/01/girls-vs-boys-k-pop.html
BTS and MONSTA X Videos (also features fellow K-pop boy band MONSTA X: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2019/11/bts-and-monsta-x-videos.html
RM
Leader RM was the first member who took steps towards a solo career back in 2015, releasing a self-titled mixtape (Korean language) in March that year. (Although he didn't make his official debut until 2022.) His 2nd mixtape (or playlist as RM has called it) mono. followed in October 2018 and was well-received.
In October 2022 RM made his official solo debut with the studio album Indigo. It got to No.2 in South Korea and did well abroad, becoming the highest charting album by a Korean solo artist in the US at the time.(Bandmate Jimin later broke this record with his debut album Face; see below.)
The lead single from Indigo was Wild Flower and the second was Still Life, both of which were released in December 2022.
In May this year, RM brought out his 2nd studio album Right Place, Wrong Person, his first release since enlisting in the military. The first single Come back to me was released on 10th May (prior to the album's release on the 24th). 2nd single LOST! came out the same day as the album.
In addition to his work in BTS and his solo releases, RM has also collaborated with other artists, including on the songs Seoul Town Road with American rapper Lil Nas X in 2019 (a remix of Lil Nas X's hit single Old Town Road), Sexy Nukin with multinational alternative K-pop group/collective Balming Tiger, Don't Ever Say Love to Me with Korean singer-songwriter Colde and most recently, Neva Play with American rapper Megan Thee Stallion.
Awakening
This is Awakening, a song from RM'S debut self-titled mixtape. It was uploaded back in March 2015. This is more "raw rap", I would say, rather than BTS' and some of the members' more "commercial" releases. (Nothing wrong with either; I like different types of music!) :)
You can see an English translation of the lyrics here: https://genius.com/Genius-english-translations-rm-awakening-english-translation-lyrics
forever rain
Forever rain is a track from mono., RM's 2018 playlist (both stylised in lowercase). A music video was released along with the playlist in October 2018. It's a gentle and introspective, somewhat melancholy song, where RM raps that he wishes it would rain all day because then people wouldn't stare at him and "the umbrella would cover his sad face".
The animated black and white video goes well with the track. Click "Subtitles/closed captions" on YouTube for English subtitles! :)
Wild Flower (with youjeen)
Wild Flower was the first single from RM's debut album and was released along with the album in December 2022. It's a collaboration with Youjeen, the vocalist from the Korean rock group Cherry Filter.
Come back to me
And here is Come back to me, which was the pre-release single from RM's 2nd album, Right Place, Wrong Person. It was released in May.
This is a kind of low-tempo, introspective song. It's English language.
I remember they showed the music video on music channels in the UK.
Plus, here are a couple more of RM's recent singles:
Music video for LOST!, his latest solo single (released on 24th May): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq6UVL3H6SI
Neva Play, his new collab with Megan Thee Stallion (released on 6th September): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpYTyAaTRts
Follow RM on his official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rkive/
SUGA
SUGA launched a solo career in 2016, under the name Agust D. He brought out his first solo mixtape (also called Agust D) in August 2016. It was released online (through SoundCloud) for free download.
Side note: I wonder if people still do that? There used to be a hip hop site that had free mixtapes and I downloaded Tinashe's from there.
In February 2018, SUGA re-released Agust D for digital purchase and streaming, although it wasn't until 2023 that it was available in full, due to sample clearance issues. The reissued mixtape got to No. 3 on the Billboard World Albums Chart. Singles from the mixtape were the title track and give it to me (both released in August 2016).
SUGA released his 2nd mixtape D-2 in May 2020. It featured a mix of Korean and English songs, including the lead single Daechwita, which was released on 22nd May (the same day as the mixtape). Several other songs from D-2 were released but I'm not sure if they were official singles.
In April 2023, SUGA brought out his debut studio album D-Day. It completed the trilogy of his Agust D works, following the mixtapes. The first single from D-day was People Pt. 2 featuring Korean singer IU, which was released in April just before the album and the second was Haegeum.
Agust D
This is Agust D, the title track from SUGA/Agust D's debut mixtape. It was released in August 2016. The song sounds quite similar to BTS' early more hip hop music, such as songs from Dark & Wild. (SUGA actually started out as an underground rapper and was part of a group called D-Town, so this is probably similar to that type of music.)
Daechwita
This was the lead single from Suga's 2nd mixtape D-2. It was released as a digital single in May 2020. Daechwita is a genre of music (traditional Korean military music) and the song was influenced by it.
Haegeum
Haegeum was the 2nd single from D-Day (following People Pt. 2), released in April 2023. It's a hip hop song that also draws on Korean music, using the haegeum (a traditional Korean string instrument).
The title also translates as "Unblock" and has a double meaning- referring both to the haegeum itself and also to freedom and liberation. The track is about internet culture and how it can be a force for bad, as well as good.
AMGYDLALA
And this is AMGYDLALA, the 4th single from, D-Day. It was released in April, on the same day as Haeguem. The title refers to a part of the brain and the music video sees SUGA relieving a traumatic car accident in his mind.
Please note that the video is age-restricted and has a content warning, due to sensitive topics.
Follow SUGA's Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/agustd/
j-hope
Main dancer J-Hope (or j-hope written in lower case) made his solo debut back in March 2018, with the mixtape Hope World and lead single Daydream. Another single, Airplane, followed a week later. Hope World did well on the Billboard 200 Chart in the US, making him the highest charting Korean solo artist at the time.
In September 2019 j-hope released the popular song Chicken Noodle Soup, featuring American singer Becky G. Its debut at No. 81 on the Billboard Hot 100 made j-hope the first BTS member to make the chart with a solo release.
In July 2022, j-hope released More, the lead single from his debut studio album Jack in the Box, which came out a week later. 2nd single Arson was released on the same day as the album.
Jack in the Box was originally only released digitally but vinyl and CD versions were later released (the CD contained 5 extra tracks). It did very well, making No. 3 in the Korean charts and charting in other countries. It's a concept album based on the story of Pandora's box and mainly in the style of old school hip hop, with other musical influences.
j-hope has also brought out two more singles- on the street with American rapper J. Cole in March 2023, and NEURON with Korean rapper Gaeko and American born, South Korean based rapper and singer Yoon Mi-rae aka yoonmirae in March this year.
Neuron is the first single from HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1 (VER.1 PRELUDE), j-hope's second album (also described as an EP and soundtrack) which came out in March. It comes in two versions- VER.1 PRELUDE and VER.2 INTERLUDE (which is yet to be released). It's about j-hope starting out as part of a street dance crew and his joueney to becoming a member of BTS. There is also a documentary of the same name.
Daydream
Here is Daydream, the lead single from Hope World. It was released on the same day as the mixtape. The song is mostly Korean language with some English lyrics and sees j-hope muse on the things he has given up since he became an idol. I'd describe it as a "lighter" rap, pop/dancy song.
English subtitles available! :)
Chicken Noodle Soup feat. Becky G
Chicken Noodle Soup was a hit for j-hope and Becky G when it was released back in September 2019. It samples the original viral song Chicken Noodle Soup (released as a single in October 2006), by American DJ and record producer DJ Webstar and American rapper Young B, and featuring AG aka The Voice of Harlem. I remember hearing the original song but don't think I'd heard j-hope's version before.
j-hope wanted to remake the song because he danced to it when he was first learning to dance. It was intended to be a B-side on his mixtape Hope World but he ended up releasing it later. The track is a mixture of English, Korean and Spanish, which is cool.
on the street feat. J. Cole
on the street (stylised in lower case) was a digital single which came out in March 2023. j-hope teamed up with rapper J. Cole for the track, which is described as a lofi hip hop song. It's about j-hope's love for hip hop and street dance, and where he came from before joining BTS. J. Cole shares his journey as well. There's also a solo version featured on the first volume of HOPE ON THE STREET.
on the street was j-hope's gift to fans, his final single before he embarked on his military service in April last year. It debuted at No. 2 in Korea and made j-hope the first BTS member to have a Top 40 hit in the UK Official Singles Chart.
NEURON (with Gaeko and yoonmirae)
Finally, here is NEURON, the title track from HOPE ON THE STEEET. It's j-hope's most recent single (released in March) and the first to be released since he enlisted.** The title is inspired by the name of the dance crew he belonged to prior to joining the band.
The track also features Gaeko and Yoon Mi rae/yoonmirae and the accompanying video is listed as an official motion picture.
Keep up with j-hope on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uarmyhope/
**His military service ends this month, so he may have plans to release more music in future months!
Jimin
Jimin released his first official solo single Promise in December 2018. He went on to bring out 2 more "stand-alone" singles in 2020 and 2022- Christmas Love and With You (with Ha Sung-woon, former member of boy bands Wanna One and HOTSHOT).
Then in March 2023 he released Set Me Free Pt. 2, the lead single from his debut studio album FACE. The album followed a few days later, along with the 2nd single Like Crazy. Jimin also featured on the May 2023 single Angel Pt. 1 (from the new film Fast X, the latest in the Fast and Furious franchise), along with JVKE, Muni Long, Kodak Black and NLE Choppa.
FACE was inspired by the pandemic, along with themes of loneliness and freedom. It broke records both in Korea (selling over 1 million copies straight after release) and abroad. It became the highest charting solo album by a Korean artist on the Billboard chart, overtaking bandmate RM's previous record (see above).
In December 2023, Jimin brought out the digital single Closer Than This, which was later included on his 2nd album MUSE. This June he released Smeraldo Garden Marching Band featuring Korean rapper Loco, a pre-release single from MUSE.
The album was released on 19th July this year (the first to come out while Jimin undergoes his military service), alongside the lead single Who. MUSE has been very successful debuting at No. 2 in South Korea and No. 3 in Japan.
Jimin's latest release is Who, the lead single from MUSE. It was released on the same day as the album.
Promise
This is Promise, Jimin's first official solo single. It was released for free on BTS' SoundCloud page in December2018 and broke records by becoming the most streamed song on that platform in 24 hours.
The song is a mix of Korean and English lyrics, and has been described as a mellow pop ballad.
You can see a lyric video with English translation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFeT8k2WTOQ
Set Me Free Pt.2
Set Me Free Pt.2 was the lead single from FACE, released in March last year. (I'm not sure if there is a Part 1 recorded anywhere.) It's a hip hop and pop song about Jimin hitting back at his critics and overcoming internal struggles. It was a streaming/download and chart success upon release.
Set Me Free is also a mixture of Korean and English. Please note that there is some swearing in the English lyrics! :)
Like Crazy
Like Crazy was th 2nd single from FACE, released alongside it in March 2023. There are both Korean and English versions, but I think the Korean one was the only official release.
It was a Weekly Music Video in May last year: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/05/weekly-music-video_10.html
Who
Finally, here is Who, his latest single. It's the lead single from MUSE and both were released in July. Who is an English song where Jimin wonders about who his dream partner is and when he will find her.
It's currently performing well in the charts overseas, jumping to No. 26 on the American Billboard Pop Airplay chart and having spent 10 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.
Here's Jimin's official Instagram: https://instagram.com/j.m
So that's it for now! Stay tuned for Part 2 with the rest of the BTS boys (Jin, Jungkook and V). I'll try not to take too long before posting it, lol.
*These are Korean names with surnames/family names written first.
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