BTS’ Jin made his highly anticipated solo debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on November 20, promoting his first solo album, Happy.
During the interview, Jin shared an interesting story about receiving a guitar from Coldplay’s Chris Martin. When asked by host Jimmy Fallon if he was a fan of rock music and who his favorite rock artist was, Jin responded in Korean, with English subtitles reading: “I really, really love Coldplay… I had a chance to work with Coldplay before. A few years ago, before this album, Chris Martin gave me a song he wrote. We worked on it together, and it was an honor for me.”
Fallon then mentioned that he had heard Chris Martin gave Jin a guitar, to which Jin confirmed with a smile: “Yes!” He explained, “I was hanging out with Chris Martin, and he had a guitar from his tour. I jokingly asked him, ‘Can I have this guitar?’ and Chris Martin was like, ‘Of course!’”
Jin added, “I was so happy. Now it’s a family heirloom.”
The admiration between Jin and Chris Martin appears to be mutual. In a 2023 video, Coldplay’s frontman had also expressed his fondness for the BTS star, saying, “I really love that guy.”
In addition to discussing his album, Jin used his time on Fallon to share stories about reconnecting with his BTS bandmates, the origins of his playful “Worldwide Handsome” nickname, and even taught Fallon the choreography for his viral song “Super Tuna.”
A major highlight of the night was Jin’s live performance of “Running Wild,” a standout track from his debut solo album. Dressed in a shimmering pastel green fringe jacket, Jin performed the song against a striking desert highway backdrop, with the stage decorated with street signs.
Happy features six tracks, including “Running Wild,” “I’ll Be There,” “Another Level,” “Falling,” “Heart on the Window” (a collaboration with Red Velvet’s Wendy), and “I Will Come to You.”
Jin’s appearance on Fallon marks six years since BTS made their full-band debut on the show. In 2018, the group, which includes SUGA, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, performed “Idol” and “I’m Fine,” and joined in on that year’s “Fortnite” dance trend. In 2020, BTS made several virtual appearances on The Tonight Show, including performances to lift ARMY’s spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also returned in 2021 to perform their chart-topping hits “Butter” and “Permission to Dance.” Since then, Jin’s bandmates Jimin and SUGA have also made solo debuts on the show.
Jin’s Tonight Show appearance follows the November 15 release of Happy. In a recent interview, Jin shared his thoughts on the album: “I have a very clear idea of what kind of emotions I want to share with our fans. I want our fans, our ARMY, to be happy.”
Jin’s solo journey comes as most of the BTS members are still completing their mandatory military service in South Korea. Jin became the first member to finish his service in June, with J-Hope following soon after. Full-band activities are currently paused until next year.
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