Category: BTS

Kim Seokjin, aka Jin from BTS, has been making waves while serving in the South Korean military. In a remarkable development, his presence in the military led to a restructuring of The Camp, the communication portal for soldiers.

What is The Camp?

This came to light following reports by Enable On Soft, the developer of the military communication platform, The Camp. The company revealed that Jin has received a staggering 320,000 letters from fans on their app, The Camp, causing an overwhelming strain on the app’s UI/UX.

The Camp, launched in 2018 by IT company Enable On Soft, is a specialized communication conduit for military personnel, from pre-enlistment to discharge. Its primary feature allows friends and family to send encouraging notes to trainees. Since its inception, the app has received over 55 million letters, but Jin‘s enlistment caused a dramatic increase in usage.

The size of his fanbase put a strain on The Camp. The app, which currently limits messages to 1,500 characters, is struggling to cope with the sheer volume of letters sent by fans worldwide. That’s why Enable On Soft is updating The Camp to accommodate people like Jin. Starting February 2023, premium users were allowed to send messages of any length to enlisted idols—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Jin himself has used the app

Enable On Soft is also using this chance to make money. The company’s main source of income is the ads it runs on The Camp, although it can’t advertise games or gambling due to strict rules. However, the company has found a lucrative niche in selling items and subscriptions to fans of idols. Enable On Soft’s CEO Jang Cheol-min reported that sales increased significantly since Jin enlisted in December 2022.

Despite the commercial success, fans worry that monetizing anything involving a BTS member could lead to criticism and increased scrutiny, especially if it appears to be preferential treatment. Even so, the company sees more advantages than disadvantages in this venture. It’s capitalizing on fans’ desire for Jin-related content, especially now that BTS has put group activities on hold while the members finish their military service obligations. Enable On Soft aims to establish itself as the country’s preferred app for communicating with soldiers.

Unfortunately, not all ARMY approve of using The Camp to send letters to Jin, because the app isn’t authorized by HYBE or the South Korean military However, Jin himself posted on Weverse about using it to write to fellow BTS member j-hope, showing that he doesn’t have a problem with it. – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: Photos like this one of Jin were first made available on The Camp. Source: @netizenbuzz.

Fresh off the release of his eagerly awaited solo album GOLDEN, BTS‘s Jungkook treated fans to a surprise concert in Times Square. The 26-year-old singer took to the TSX stage, utilizing the first permanent stage in this iconic New York City location. He performed several songs from GOLDEN, giving fans only a 30-minute heads-up. Despite the short notice, the singer drew a massive audience, with estimates suggesting around 10,000 attendees.

Jungkook kicked off the event with a New Year’s Eve-style countdown, opening with the track “Standing Next to You.” He expressed awe at performing at an iconic location, remarking, “This place is amazing. It’s an honor to perform in New York’s Times Square. The view is incredible.” He then performed other songs including “Yes Or No,” “3D,” his collaboration with Jack Harlow, “Please Don’t Change,” and “Seven,” his chart-topping track with Latto.

Jung Kook Live at TSX, Times Square

For fans unable to attend in person, the concert was streamed live on Xbox’s Twitch channel. Viewers had the chance to win custom Jungkook Xbox Series X consoles and Game Pass codes. The stream attracted over 280,000 viewers, highlighting Jungkook‘s global appeal.

Nick Holmsten, co-CEO of TSX Entertainment, in a press statement, acknowledged the significance of Jungkook‘s solo show, stating, “We are honored to co-create this historic moment for Jungkook and the entire BTS group. His solo journey has already made history with multiple chart-topping singles, and we’re fully confident that this album will continue the trend. This marks a pivotal moment in music, particularly for K-pop fans, and holds great significance for both Times Square and New York City.”

Here’s where Jungkook performed

The TSX stage, a striking new addition to Times Square, stands out with its 18,000-square-foot billboard display. That makes it a dynamic backdrop for performances. This billboard wraps around the skyscraper at the southeast corner of 7th Avenue and 47th Street. It also faces the iconic Red Steps of Times Square. The display system, a product of SNA Displays’ Empire Exterior LED technology, features an 8 mm pixel pitch and boasts a resolution of 3,480 x 7,440 pixels. This makes it the highest-resolution display in Times Square’s history, capable of processing approximately 25 million pixels.

The video display system not only boasts impressive visual capabilities but also comes equipped with 8K Ultra-HD processing. That means it’s ready to handle the next wave of video and broadcast media content. TSX Broadway, where the stage is located, is among several notable installations by SNA Displays in the Times Square area. Notably, SNA Displays is also responsible for the wrap-around LED mega-spectacular at the neighboring 20 Times Square.

The stage itself, spanning 4,000 square feet, is suspended 30 feet above the ground. It features uniquely engineered LED doors, crafted by Show Canada Industries. These doors swing inward on hydraulic hinges, creating an illusion that performers are part of the video wall.

Before Jungkook, Post Malone had performed on this stage in July 2023, marking the venue as a new hotspot for major musical events. – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: Jungkook’s performance was just as breathtaking as the venue. Source: X/@Kv123Siriko.

Jungkook, from the iconic K-pop group BTS, has recently achieved a significant milestone with his solo single “Seven (feat. Latto)” being certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This achievement, announced by his label BigHit Music, means the song has sold over one million units since it dropped in July. This is Jungkook‘s first certification after his collaboration with Charlie Puth, “Left and Right,” went gold in 2022.

The RIAA’s certification system includes gold, platinum, multi-platinum, and diamond levels, based on a combination of physical and digital album sales, digital downloads, and weighted audio and video streaming. “Seven (feat. Latto)” crossed the platinum threshold, indicating its massive popularity.

Jung Kook Talks New Single Going Platinum  | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

On the same day his label made the announcement, Jungkook appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to promote his debut solo album, GOLDEN. He expressed astonishment at its success, attributing much of it to the support of ARMY, BTS‘s devoted fans, and his fellow BTS members. “Frankly speaking, I was confident, but this is beyond my imagination,” he said. “And I’m very grateful to ARMY. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be what I am today.”

Jungkook on cooking, touring, and more

GOLDEN, released worldwide on November 3, is a collection of 11 songs. When asked about its title, Jungkook said, “I have a lot of association to this term ‘golden,’ and when my mom was pregnant, she had a golden dream. When I look back on my journey, it’s very much a golden moment. So when I thought about the title of this album, ‘GOLDEN’ was the only thing that came up in my mind.”

He and Jimmy Fallon ate pizza together while talking about Jungkook’s love for cooking and his goal to embark on a world tour. “Of course I want to do a world tour as a solo artist, but I don’t think I have enough songs for that. So I want to complement them and make more songs. Maybe when I’m ready, I can do the tour in full swing,” he said. He also taught the host some dance moves for “Standing Next to You,” the album’s title track, which he also performed in full after.

Jung Kook: Standing Next to You | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Jungkook is set to hold an album showcase, Jungkook’s GOLDEN Live On Stage, in Seoul on November 20, which will also be live-streamed. “I hope people look forward to it,” he said, inviting fans to join his continued musical journey. – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: Jungkook wore a McQueenSS24 ivory jacket, a slashed knit jumper, and indigo denim jeans. Source: X/@McQueen.

Jungkook, a member of the globally renowned K-pop group BTS, recently graced the TODAY Show with a solo performance that stopped traffic around the show’s New York City studios. His appearance on November 8, promoting his debut solo album GOLDEN, drew an enormous crowd, rivaling the 15,000 fans who showed up for Colombian singer-songwriter Karol G in July. His fans, known as ARMYs, had been lining up since November 6 to secure prime spots for the show.

Hoda Kotb, one of the show’s hosts, escorted Jungkook to the stage. Savannah Guthrie, another host, pointed out that many in the crowd were wearing headbands featuring his BT21 character, the pink bunny Cooky. What’s more, they were eagerly chanting “JK! JK!” in anticipation. Moments later, Jungkook began his set. Clad in a sparkly jacket, black shirt, and matching pants, he started with “3D,” his collaboration with Jack Harlow. The fans made up for the latter’s absence by singing along to his pre-recorded verse.

Jungkook paused in between songs to thank the crowd for coming. He then wished them a “GOLDEN day” before launching into his single “Standing Next to You.” His band gave it an edgy twist with crashing drums and rocking guitar, which complemented the singer’s falsetto perfectly. Then he moved to a thrust stage in the middle of the crowd to show off some fancy footwork. He also interacted with fans, even offering a greeting to one lucky ARMY celebrating her 10th birthday. Jungkook’s final song was “Seven (feat. Latto),” which recently became the fastest song to reach a billion Spotify streams.

Jungkook Live Performances on Today Citi Concert Series 08.11.2023

Jungkook apologized on Weverse

Despite the freezing weather, Jungkook’s vocals remained clear and stable. However, later that day he took to Weverse to apologize for what he felt was a subpar performance. The outdoor venue’s acoustics were poor compared to those of an indoor venue. It wasn’t his fault, but Jungkook is something of a perfectionist, and he really wasn’t satisfied with how he sounded. He wrote, “ARMYs, I apologize. I messed up the live performance. There’s no excuse, and I’ll strive to do better in the next live performance.”

Fans were puzzled by his apology, as many saw no flaws in his performance. Comments flooded in, ranging from confusion to praise, with fans asserting that he did well. 

In other news, Jungkook is set to perform live for ‘Audacy Live’ on November 13 at 9:00 PM EST.  – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: The TODAY Show stage at Rockefeller Plaza was packed with ARMYs! Source: X/@etnow.