Kim Seok-jin (김석진), known by his stage name Jin (진), is a South Korean singer-

songwriter and composer. He is one of the vocalists and the visual in BTS. Early life and
education
Kim Seok-jin was born on December 4, 1992, in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. His family
consists of his mother, father, and older brother.
While in junior high school, Seokjin was scouted by SM Entertainment off the street, but he rejected the offer
at the time, believing it to be a scam.[14] He initially intended to be an actor, attending Konkuk University and
graduating with a degree in art and acting on February 22, 2017.[15][16] He is currently enrolled in graduate
school at Hanyang Cyber University, pursuing studies in areas other than music.[17]
Career
2013–present: BTS

Jin shooting "Epiphany" comeback trailer in 2018.

Jin was scouted by Big Hit Entertainment for his looks while walking down the street. At the time, Jin was
studying acting and had no background in music.[18] On June 13, 2013, Jin made his debut as one of the four
vocalists in BTS with their debut single album 2 Cool 4 Skool. Jin released his first co-produced track, a solo
single from the album Wings titled "Awake", in 2016. The song peaked at number 31 on the Gaon Music Chart
and six on the Billboard World Digital Singles Chart. In December 2016, he released a Christmas version of
"Awake" on SoundCloud.

On August 9, 2018, the second solo by Jin, "Epiphany", was released as a trailer for BTS' then-upcoming
compilation album Love Yourself: Answer. The song was described as a "building pop-rock melody" by
Billboard and contains lyrics discussing self-acceptance and self-love. The full version of the song was
eventually released as a track on Answer, peaking at number 30 on the Gaon Music Chart and four on the
Billboard World Digital Singles Chart.[19] In October, he was awarded the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of
Cultural Merit by South Korean President Moon Jae-in along with other members of the group.[20]
2015–present: Solo activities

Jin co-hosting 2018 KBS Song Festival.

Jin collaborated with fellow BTS member V on the song "It’s Definitely You", released as part of
the Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth original soundtrack. He also joined BTS member Jungkook to sing and
release an alternate version of "So Far Away", a song from BTS member Suga's self-titled mixtape Agust D. 's
Jin solo covers include "Mom" by Ra.D, "I Love You" by Mate, and "In Front of the Post Office in Autumn",
originally by Yoon Do-Hyun in 1994. They were released on SoundCloud on May 7, 2015, December 3, 2015,
and June 7, 2018, respectively. He has also made several appearances as a co-host for Korean music award
shows, such as Music Bank and Inkigayo.

On June 4, 2019, Jin released his first independent song "Tonight" as part of the 2019 BTS Festa event, a
yearly event celebrating the anniversary of the band's debut. The acoustic ballad was composed by Jin
alongside Big Hit Entertainment record producers Slow Rabbit and Hiss Noise. The lyrics, written by Jin and
BTS leader RM, are inspired by Jin's relationship with his pets. The track was met with a generally positive
reception, with praise directed towards Jin's vocals and the song's chill atmosphere.[21]
Artistry

Jin singing "Boy In Luv" in 2016.

Jin is a tenor and can play the guitar and the piano.[22][23] His singing voice has received generally positive
reviews, gaining acknowledgment among other musicians for his vocal strength. Journalist Choi Song-Hye,
writing for Aju News, noted that Jin's vocal stability was highlighted on BTS singles such as "Spring Day" and
"FAKE LOVE" while his emotional range stood out on tracks like "Jamais Vu", off BTS' mini-album Map of
the Soul: Persona. Hong Hye-min of The Korea Times described Kim's "tender, sorrowful, free-spirited" voice
as the standout element on the solo ballad "Epiphany", while critic Park Hee-a stated he "sings the most
sentimental emotions" out of all Love Yourself: Answer solos. In addition, Park's review for the Korean Music
Awards cites Jin's belting on "Fake Love" as what "proves [the song's] effectiveness". Members of the
Grammy panel described Jin's voice as a "silver voice" in Kim Young-dae's 2019 novel BTS: The Review, due
to his stable breath control and strong falsetto.
Influence
In 2018, he was ranked as the 11th most well-known idol in South Korea, via data collected by analytics
company Gallup Korea.

Philanthropy
In December 2018, Jin donated various suppliers to the Korean Animal Welfare Association to celebrate his
birthday, purchasing food, blankets, and dishes for the organization. That same day, he donated 321 kilograms
of food to the Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA), another Korean animal welfare non-profit.[24]
Since May 2018, Jin has been a monthly donor to UNICEF Korea, requesting that his donations be private at
the time. They were eventually publicized following his induction into the UNICEF Honors Club in May 2019
for donating over ₩100 million (about US$84,000).[25]
Personal life
As of 2019, he lives in Hannam-dong, Seoul, South Korea. In 2018, Jin purchased a luxury apartment in South
Korea worth US$1.7 million.[26] Despite owning an apartment, he continues to live with the members of BTS
in Hannam-dong. Additionally, he and his older brother opened a Japanese-style restaurant in Seoul called
Ossu Seiromushi in 2018.