You thought BTS would be missing in action after their hiatus? While the Bangtan Boys paused group activities in 2022 ahead of their military enlistments, each member has since been exploring solo projects and continues to remain active in various formats. The K-pop prodigies said they decided to halt the group activities to pursue individual projects and eventually ‘be one again’. As we all count the days to BTS’ much-awaited group comeback in 2025, let’s take you through each member’s solo projects so far.
Ever since their debut in 2013, BTS has encouraged each member to polish their own artistry, and members like RM, Jin, SUGA, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook have dropped several solo projects under BTS’ label over the years. The group’s leader, RM, was the first one to drop solo material, a self-titled mixtape in 2015 which contained 11 tracks in total. This was followed by Suga and J-Hope’s Agust D and Hope World respectively. This was just the tip of the iceberg. BTS members went on to cement multiple luxury brand deals, released solo documentaries, and ventured on solo world tours and many other solo projects to gain a foothold globally. Scroll through our handy list to see what each BTS member has been up to since their 2022 hiatus.
Breaking down all solo projects by BTS members so far
RM
Solo mixtapes and debut album ‘Indigo’
In 2015, RM became the first member to release music outside of BTS’ repertoire with the release ofhis self-titled mixtape,RM.The 11-track mixtape was about the rapper reflecting on his inner struggles, and feelings of doubt, all this while affirming his belief in himself as a talented artist. RM was never released commercially or made available on streaming platforms.
In 2018 came his second mixtape, Mono. With soulful tracks like Forever Rain and featuring amazing collaborations with artists like Honne, Supreme Boi, Sam Klempner and more, Mono charted at No. 26 on theBillboard 200.
While all of RM’s solo endeavours were fairly successful, what put him in the spotlight was his debut album Indigo. Released in December 2022 with the lead single Wild Flower, Indigo captured the artist’s thoughtful reflections on what it means to make art and to be human.
Brand deals: Bottega Veneta
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RM was announced as the firstcelebrity brand ambassadorforBottega Veneta in 2023. The announcement was made by the brand’s Creative Director Matthieu Blazy via Instagram, alongside glimpses of RM looking gorgeous in their Spring/Summer 2023 campaign.
Suga
Mixtapes and debut studio album ‘D-Day’
Following RM’s lead, Suga dropped his first mixtape, Agust D, in 2016. Putting his immaculate talent and hardcore rapping skills on display, the mixtape discussed his struggles with depression, social phobia and more. This was followed by the release of his second mixtape in 2020, titled D-2. It was commercially successful, charting at No. 9 on the Top Rap Albums chart and No. 11 on the Billboard 200.
However, Suga’s biggest solo outing has to be his debut album D-Day.Released in April 2023 under his stage name Agust D, it comprised 10 tracks including collaborations with J-Hope, IU, and Ryuichi Sakamoto. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, making it Suga’s first top-10 entry on the ranking. It tied him with bandmate Jimin as the highest-charting South Korean solo artist in the history of the chart.
Solo documentary: ‘Suga: Road to D-Day’
Accompanying his album release was the Disney+ documentary, Suga: Road to D-Day.According to a statement shared by Big Hit, Suga’s documentary “captures Suga on a musical journey following his road trip around the world” and “takes the viewers through the ins and outs of his creative process.”
Solo world tour: ‘Suga Agust D Tour’
Suga became the first BTS member to go on a world tour as a soloist following the release of D-Day. He played several shows in the US, followed by visits to Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan. This 2023 world tour was definitely one of the year’s most powerful moments in K-pop music, showcasing Suga’s finesse as an artist.
Concert film: ‘D-Day’
<SUGA│Agust D TOUR ‘D-DAY’ THE MOVIE> Main Poster
The cinematic cut is coming to theatres & IMAX on April 10 & 13 Worldwide!🎫 Tickets on sale from Mar 12, 11AM (ET)
🔗 More info at https://t.co/Sr0Xxcurie
*Additional screening dates may vary, check your local venues.… pic.twitter.com/N1i9PEYFvI— BTS_official (@bts_bighit) March 5, 2024
If you missed attending Suga’s concerts, don’t worry. The singer is dropping his concert film,D-Day: The Movie.The project, which showcases the encore performances from his 2023 Agust D Tour, is slated to hit theatres around the world in April 2024. Apart from the concert footage, the film will feature Suga’s commentary as he gives insights into the making of the tour. Bonus: it has appearances by his fellow BTS membersJungkook,RM, andJimin.
Brand deals: Valentino, NBA
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In January 2023, Valentino appointed Suga as their brand ambassador and made him the face of the Maison Valentino Essentials campaign for the brand’s menswear staples. In the following months, he clinched another major deal with the NBA. Suga has worked on curating funky NBA apparel collection, is seen promoting several league initiatives and attending NBA games and events.
Jimin
Singles: ‘Promise’, ‘Christmas Love’, ‘Closer Than This’, ‘With You’ and more
Jimin’s first single as a lead artist came in 2018. Titled Promise, the song was co-written by Jimin and RM. This was followed by his second song, Christmas Love, in 2020, which was all about his childhood memories of the holidays. Moving on, he then collaborated with close friend and singer Ha Sung-woon on With You, the soundtrack of theTvNdramaOur Blues. Another great collaboration that fell into Jimin’s lap was with Taeyang. The artist co-wrote and featured on Big Bang member’s single, Vibe.
Debut album: ‘Face’
Jimin released his debut solo album, Face in 2023. The album consists of six songs, all written or co-written by Jimin himself and reflects his personal experiences, feelings and thoughts. Face showed a new and unprecedented side of Jimin as an artist, and naturally, his efforts translated into domestic and international success. Singles, like Set Me Free Pt. 2 and Like Crazy, topped in multiple countries and peaked on various musical charts.
Talking about his solo album in an interview with Weverse Magazine, Jimin said, “I just think I can show something a little rawer about me. That might include a more mature side, too, but what I’m really interested in is showing something closer to my real, personal rawness directly in a format like music or music videos.”
Brand deals: Dior,Tiffany & Co.
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French luxury house Dior announced Jimin as their global brand ambassador in January 2023. Jimin effortlessly fronted the Dior Spring 2024 Men’s Collection Campaign, his very first since their partnership. Not to miss his red-carpet outings for the brand that fashion aficionados are always on the lookout for.
Moreover, he also signed on as Tiffany & Co’s brand ambassador the same year and has appeared in a number of ad campaigns and key events for the brand. Displaying his infectious energy, style, and sense of modernity while gracing stunning Tiffany charms, Jimin is a treat to the eyes.
Jin
Debut single: ‘Astronaut’
Jin aka Mr. Worldwide Handsome is the first BTS member who enlisted in South Korea’s mandatory military service in December 2022. Before bidding adieu to his fans, the artist dropped his very first solo track, Astronaut, written in collaboration with Coldplay. The song was a gift to his fans, with Jin describing it as a way of “saying goodbye to everybody for a little while, and tell them that I love them…”
Here’s an interesting story behind the track. Did you know that Jin travelled all the way to Buenos Aires to perform the song live to a 65,000 crowd at Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour stop? While Jin described it as a ‘nerve-wracking’ experience, he was surely at the top of his game.
As expected, the song was an instant hit among fans. It earned Jin his first solo Hot 100 hit, debuting at No. 51 and even bagged the top spot on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart.
Variety show appearances: ‘Running Man’, ‘Halmyungsoo’ and more
Jin has appeared in a number of television shows, including RunningMan,Halmyungsoo, as well as rapper Young-ji’s talk showNothing Much Prepared. He has also hosted a show alongside the famous Korean chef Baek Jong-won. The fun concept revolved around making alcohol and eating food with special guests. Of course, additional activities were introduced to keep things spicy. All of this comes in addition to the multiple music programs he has hosted.
Brand deals: ‘Jin Ramen’
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South Korean food manufacturing company Ottogi announced Jin as the new advertising model for its hot-selling brand of noodles: Jin Ramen. Thanks to Jin’s religious fanbase, the brand’s sales have seen a massive jump since their collaboration.
J-Hope
Solo mixtape: ‘Hope world’
The artist released his first solo mixtape, Hope World,in 2018. Led by the single, Daydream, Hope World peaked at 38 on the Billboard 200 charts, making J-Hope the highest-charting Korean soloist at the time of release.
First solo album: ‘Jack In the Box’
J-Hope’s debut album Jack In the Box dropped in 2022, preceded by the lead single More. A perfect blend of hip-hop and emo punk, the album discussed themes of passion, ambition, humanity, insecurity, success, and anxiety about the future. Not only did it taste immense success in South Korea, it also earned J-Hope entries on severalBillboard charts in the United States.
Special album: ‘Hope on the Street Vol. 1’
After a highly successful debut, J-Hope is coming with a six-track ‘special album’, Hope on the Street Vol. 1. Slated to release on March 29, 2024, the album features collaborations with artists like Jungkook, Yunjin from Le Sserafim, Benny Blanco, Nile Rodgers and more.
Documentaries: ‘J-Hope in the Box’, ‘Hope on the Street’
In 2023, J-Hope dropped an interesting documentary on Disney+. Titled, J-Hope in the Box, the project chronicled the making of his first studio album and the promotions that went along with it. He’s now dropping a new Prime Video docuseries Hope on the Street, accompanying the release of his second album. Slated to release on March 28, 2024, it will chronicle J-Hope’s journey as a dancer and see him meeting street dancers from around the world.
Brand deals: Louis Vuitton
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J-Hope bagged his first major luxury brand deal with Louis Vuitton in 2023. The announcement came weeks after the star graced Louis Vuitton’s Fall 2023 Menswear Show in uber-cool apparel. Despite being in the military, J-Hope blessed us with his good looks as he starred in his first-ever campaign for the brand last year. And we can’t wait to see what the collaboration has in store for us.
V
Solo tracks: ‘Scenery’, ‘Winter Bear’ and more
BTS’ V aka Kim Taehyung came out with his first solo track, Scenery in 2019. This was followed by his first all-English track Winter Bear and eventually, a 2020 Christmas-themed song,Snow Flower, alongside Peakboy. Apart from this, he has also contributed to a couple of soundtracks for TV dramas over the years. These include Sweet Night from JTBC’s Itaewon Class and 2021’s Christmas Tree from Our Beloved Summer.
Debut album: ‘Layover’
V’s debut album Layoverdropped on September 8, 2023. The six-track album, led by the single Love Me Again, recorded the highest first-week sales by a K-pop solo artist in history, with 2.1 million copies sold. Interestingly, a music video accompanied each song on the album, making Layover a pure visual treat. The album perfectly showcases V’s personal identity, his natural being, and his unique tastes.
Acting projects: ‘Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth’, ‘In the Soop: Friendcation’ and more
V has probably starred in the maximum number of variety projects out of all the BTS members. His acting stints started withthe 2016 K-drama Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth.
He also made appearances in theDisney+reality seriesIn the Soop: Friendcationalongside Peakboy,Park Seo-joon, Choi Woo-shik, as well as Park Hyung-sik. V’s latest television appearance was inJinny’s Kitchen,an exclusive cooking-travel series in 2023.
‘Love Wins All’ featuring IU
While V has contributed to and featured in a lot of K-pop tracks over the years, one of his most awaited collaborations was with IU. He recently starred in IU’s latest music video, Love Wins All, a song that trended on almost all streaming websites and topped various music charts. The duo plays a couple trying to survive in the post-apocalyptic world, while still trying to create happy memories in their imagination.
Brand deals: Celine and Cartier
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Rounding up his solo endeavours are the luxury brand deals with Celine and Cartier. V was confirmed to be Celine’s brand ambassador after fronting a campaign for the luxury house in March 2023. Since then, he has graced several fashion outings of the brand, and his Instagram is filled with stunning glimpses featuring Celine apparel.
Further, V joined theCartier family as their global brand ambassador, joining the likes of BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, GOT 7’sJackson Wang, and Chinese actress Gong Li. He has fronted some really interesting campaigns for the brand, including their ‘Panthère de Cartier’ line. Lastly, V also represents the leading Indonesian investment company ‘SimInvest‘.
Jungkook
FIFA World Cup soundtrack ‘Dreamers’
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It’s safe to say that this BTS member tops the popularity chart with his solo projects. The group’s ‘Golden Maknae’ became the first Korean artist to perform at the World Cup’s opening ceremony on November 20, 2022, debuting a new single, Dreamers. The track was included in the tournament’sofficial soundtrack album.
Apart from Dreamers, Jungkook has dropped many smashing hits in the last few years, including Left and Right in collaboration with Charlie Puth, Seven featuring Latto, and 3D featuring Jack Harlow, all of which have broken numerous chart and streaming records.
Debut album: Golden
Jungkook dropped his first full-length album in November 2023. Golden takes its title from his nickname, Golden Maknae, and features 11 tracks, including prerelease singles Seven and 3D. It entered the music charts of about 25 countries, even topping some of them, in addition to debuting atnumber two on the Billboard 200.
Brand deals: Calvin Klein
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Jungkook has REALLY grown up from the 15-year-old boy who graced the stage 10 years ago and his drool-worthy Calvin Klein campaigns are proof. The artist never ceases to amaze fans with his amazing physique while flaunting CK’s denim shirts, jackets, jeans and more on his Instagram. Apart from Jungkook,BLACPINK’s Jennie and Michael B. Jordan are some of the A-listers who represent the brand.
That’s all for BTS members’ solo projects so far!
(Hero image credit: BTS_official/Twitter)
(Feature image credit: bts.bighitofficial/ Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Are BTS members doing solo projects?
Yes, all BTS members have been involved in solo projects ever since the band announced its hiatus in 2022.
