BTS’ Jin carries Olympic torch ahead of Paris games
The superstar was recently discharged from military service as the first member of the K-pop band to complete the requirement.
BTS star Jin participated in the Paris 2024 Olympic Torch Relay yesterday (July 14) ahead of this summer’s games.
It comes soon after Jin was discharged from the military last month as the first member of the K-pop band to complete the requirement.
Jin, the torchbearer for South Korea, said: “It was an honour to be part of such a meaningful moment. I was able to take on the honourable role of a torchbearer thanks to the support of ARMY. I am truly grateful. I was so nervous to the point of not knowing how the time passed, but I was able to do my best thanks to the many people on site who loudly cheered me on.”
He added: “I hope that all the South Korean national teams participating in the Paris Olympics accomplish outstanding results from their tremendous hard work. I will be rooting for them wholeheartedly. I also hope that there will be continued interest in the 17th Paris 2024 Paralympics in August. I, too, will continue to work hard and always strive to put my best foot forward.”
BTS announced they would go on hiatus in 2022 so all seven members could complete their miliatry service requirements. The group is expected to reconvene in 2025.
Jin recently opened up about the experience of performing for the first time since being discharged from the military. In videos and photos shared by the media last month, Jin was joined by his BTS bandmates outside the military barracks. BTS member RM played an abridged version of the group’s hit song ‘Dynamite’ on the saxophone while bandmates hugged and Jin waved to the cameras.
Describing his experience in the army and his first performance afterwards, Jin told Weverse magazine: “When you’re in the army, there’s a lot of restrictions in place, and none of the stuff you have is your own, which isn’t always easy. But once I was onstage, I had my fans in front of me, my own mic and in-ears, and everything about it felt just the way I remembered. It felt like I was home.”