Jin Shares His Thoughts on ARMY Learning Korean and Concert Interactions

BTS member Jin made history by becoming the first Asian solo artist to sell out a concert at London’s iconic O2 Arena on August 5. As he wrapped up the UK leg of his Run Seokjin Ep Tour, he received an enthusiastic welcome from a crowd of 20,000 fans. During the concert, he was surprised to discover that many audience members understood some Korean phrases even before they were translated. This revelation amazed Jin, prompting him to ask if ARMY had learned Korean, to which they enthusiastically confirmed.

Jin Inspires ARMY to Learn Korean

During his performance, Jin noticed fans responding to his comments without waiting for translations. Curiously, he asked if they had learned Korean because of BTS, and he seemed thrilled by the cheers in response. “Does anyone speak Korean here?” he inquired, and upon hearing a resounding ‘yes,’ he expressed his gratitude by saying, “When I was talking and singing earlier, about 10 percent of you understood what I was saying. Did you start learning Korean because of us?”

Changes to Concert Traditions

In a post-concert livestream, Jin shared that he had suspended the tradition of high-fiving fans during his shows. He revealed that some fans, rather than just a brief touch, would pull him in tightly, making the interaction potentially dangerous. Despite his advice for fans to lightly touch his hands, he often found himself getting pulled. As a result, he decided to eliminate direct hand contact altogether.

Discussing the associated security concerns, Jin expressed his fears about the potential risk of injury. He stated, “After getting pulled many times, I was scared and couldn’t really do hand-touching anymore.” He emphasized his regret and desire to keep fans safe, noting, “Even though the fans sincerely wish for hand touches, I feel really, really sorry.”

Jin is set to conclude his solo tour on August 10 before rejoining the other BTS members to work on their upcoming group album.