BTS JIN Marie Claire Korea Magazine February 2026 – English Translation
I would say to start by taking a light first step,with 'If it doesn't work out,then I would simply try something else' attitude. I want to encourage them to start...
I would say to start by taking a light first step,
with 'If it doesn't work out,
then I would simply try something else' attitude.
I want to encourage them to start by letting
go of the weight that comes with the word
"challenge".
Q. 2026 has begun. How did you spend the first day of
the New Year?
JIN: I started by eating tteokguk. I expect many changes
every new year, but once it arrives nothing really
changes. This year we're planning to release a new
BTS group album, so I started this year by practicing
for it. I am working hard to show everyone a good side
of us.
Q. What new challenges are you planning to take on in
2026? If you had to choose just one challenge for
this year, what would it be?
JIN: This year, I'm focusing on getting back on the tour that
is about to start soon. For some reason, I always end
up getting sick at least once during a tour. My goal this
time is to take care of my health and enjoy the tour
safely and fully.
Q. RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR THE MOVIE was playing in
the movie theater on New Year's Day. As the main
character of this film, what are your thoughts about
it?
JIN: While watching the movie, I kept thinking, "what a
dream-like time," and found myself reminiscing. It was
such a happy moment for me. I hope that those who
came to the concert that day could experience the
same happiness I felt through the film.
Q. In the movie trailer, you say, "It's my ARMY who truly
completes my stage." I'm sure there were many
moments during your solo concerts when you truly
felt this.
JIN: I believe that fans' cheers are also an essential part
of the performance. No matter how much effort I put
into my performance, the stage feels empty without
the audience's reaction. In that sense, it was ARMY's
passionate cheering and support that truly made the
concert complete and special.
Q. I heard that "RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR" was a concert
you personally came up with, towards the end of
the YouTube series "Run, Seokjin, which you had
been running for about a year after returning from
military service. I'd like to know how the fan concert
came to be planned as the series' final send-off.
JIN: One of the various ideas that came up during our
team meeting regarding the final episode of "Run,
Seokjin" was to invite ARMY and do a small busking
performance. 'How many people should we invite? 30?
100?' Then I thought, "It would be great if everyone
who watched the YouTube series could come," and
that's how the idea grew into a full concert.
Until that meeting, I had never imagined doing a solo
performance by myself. I never thought I would have
a solo concert in my life, but once the idea started
taking progress, it actually became a reality. Thanks
to that, I was able to show the ending of Run, Seokjin
to far more people than I had expected. I remember
putting in a lot of time and effort in the concert to
show my gratitude.
Q. While watching the video, the word "challenge"
seemed to fit this performance best. In fact,
there was even a part of the production where
the performance begins by pressing a "challenge"
button.
JIN: I remember becoming incredibly nervous before
pressing the button, feeling that button was the start
to everything I had prepared. This is a little behind-
the-scenes detail that only I know: as soon as I shout
"Challenge!" the music starts. I had to stay extremely
focused every single time to get the timing just right.
(Laughs)
Q. Do you consider yourself a daring person even
offstage? From watching Run, Seokjin, it seems like
you never hesitate to take on any challenge.
JIN: I follow the motto, "Live life for fun," so I like to try
anything that catches my interest. Sure, I often regret
doing so, but my spontaneous personality keeps
leading me to new challenges. I usually think: give it a
try, and if it's fun, keep going; if not, just move on to
something else.
Q. What was the biggest challenge you faced while
doing Run, Seokjin?
JIN: The haunted house attraction. I'm extremely scared
of horror contents, and the production team tricked
me by saying, "We're just going to the folk village to
play some games," and then secretly planned a horror
special. They had prepared everything so thoroughly,
and the fans casually mentioned how excited they
were about the horror special, so there was no turning
back ... It was really not easy at that time. (Laughs)
Q. What do you think has been the greatest challenge
in your life? And what gave you the strength to
overcome it?
JIN: Becoming a singer was definitely the biggest challenge
in my life. As ARMY knows, I had never dreamt of
this career. I became a trainee just by chance and
then debuted as BTS. Looking back, I think it was
the best challenge l've ever taken. And what gave me
the greatest motivation leading up to my debut? I'd
say it was watching the performances of my seniors.
Seeing them performing on stage with the audience
applauding for their performances inspired me to
dream for myself.
Q. Many people describe Jin from BTS as someone
who embodies "hard work" and "dedication." Do you
think this comes naturally to you, considering that
effort itself can also be seen as a form of talent?
JIN: Haha, I'm not as diligent as people might imagine.
I am just doing what I need to do. I'm sure many people
are already living their lives just as fully, if not more
so. A lot of people work hard at their own life, and it
probably only seems more noticeable for me because
I have a relatively public life due to my job.
Q. Can you tell us about your own pace? Right now,
at what speed do you feel you are moving forward?
JIN: I'm a person who moves slowly. Of course, there are
times when I need to act quickly, but I usually try to
approach things calmly rather than rushing through.
I believe that not getting everything done immediately
doesn't throw life off track. Even if it takes a bit longer,
I want to live at my own pace.
Q. How has your day been, spending it writing out
answers for this interview?
JIN: Sometimes, just looking back on cherished moments
can bring a little happiness. In that sense, while writing
my answers reflecting on the past fan concert, I found
myself laughing and feeling truly happy. I'd like to once
again thank ARMY for giving me such meaningful
memories that always lift my spirits whenever I recall
them.
Q. Here's the final question. What would you like to
say to those who keep hesitating in the face of
challenges because they feel it is too new or too
overwhelming?
JIN: I would say to start by taking a light first step, with 'If
it doesn't work out, then I would simply try something
else' attitude. I want to encourage them to start by
letting go of the weight that comes with the word
"challenge".
Want to read the full interview?
👉Get the BTS JIN Marie Claire Korea Magazine February 2026 here
