BTS fans excited for Jimin’s second album release “Muse” amid military enlistment

BTS fans have gone wild over Jimin’s upcoming studio album Muse, a highly anticipated follow-up to his 2023 offering, Face.

Jimin, 28, is currently carrying out mandatory military service along with Suga, V, Jungkook, J-Hope, and group leader RM until his expected discharge in June 2025. 

However, his and BTS’s label BigHit Music confirmed that they will release Jimin’s sophomore record Muse on July 19.

The label promised that, despite only being seven tracks long, Muse will showcase Jimin’s ‘expanded musical spectrum’.

In a statement shared on Weverse, BigHit Music wrote: ‘We are excited to share details about the release of BTS member Jimin’s second solo album MUSE.

‘Following his first solo album, FACE, where he sought to explore his true identity, MUSE documents his journey in search of the source of his inspiration.

‘Showcasing Jimin’s expanded musical spectrum, MUSE includes seven tracks, including the fan song “Closer Than This,” released in December 2023.

‘We ask for your continued love and support for Jimin’s second solo album, MUSE. Pre-Order Period: Starts 11 AM, Tuesday, June 18, 2024 (KST). Release Date and Time: 1 PM, Friday, July 19, 2024 (KST).’

The eery-sounding promotional video for the album sees Jimin in a dark cream-coloured locker room.

He walks towards the lilac lockers, opens one, and takes out a piece of paper from it.

As he does so, the lights come on and the paper is revealed to be sheet music for ‘La Lettera’ and a sentence under the title reads: ‘You will always find the first letter’.

Thrilled fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to write: ‘I’M GONNA CRY the MusE – ME version being called blooming version because it’s about his self growing And the mUSe – US version being called Serenade because it’s about we – him and fans/ his muse’;

‘Jimin said that FACE was supposed to be about the idol side and not his honest own life. So probably MUSE is in fact about his idol life and like „filter“ conceptual’;

‘What’s insane is that Like Crazy is still dominating the streaming charts more than a year after its release and now Jimin will be releasing his 2nd album MUSE… OH JIMIN WE ARE READY FOR YOU’;

‘Jimin you are my MUSE, the reason of my life and my everything <33333’;

‘Raise your hand you’re ready to support #MUSE with every inch of your body!! #JIMIN’;

‘FACE being about Jimin’s inner self, his fights, struggles, him setting himself free from his feelings and emotions and MUSE being ME and US i can’t wait to see what story he continues to write with this’;

‘Guys, WHAT?! AN ALBUM?! This is simply too much to process today! #Jimin_MUSE #LaLettra’;

‘FACE and MUSE are such perfect words to associate with jimin like those words just fit him so well such sickening album names like thats THE FACE and THE MUSE’

Prior to the release of ‘MUSE’, various contents prepared by Jimin before joining the military will be released one after another. 

During the lead-up, Jimin has kept fans occupied with two non-album singles: Closer Than This and Angel Pt 2 with Jvke, Muni Long, and Charlie Puth. 

Jimin’s debut solo album Face was released to critical and commercial acclaim and broke sales records on its opening day by selling more than a million copies.

The record debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 – the highest debut since Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour. 

Face was the 18th best-selling album of 2023 and sold a total of 1.7 million units to date.

News of Muse comes after RM, the leader of BTS, talked about the pressures of such a big role.

During a sit-down with Jimin, RM reflected: ‘At some point, we just had to be conscientious and different. 

He added: ‘I love BTS because of our music. [If I] kept caring about what everyone else thought, If I kept going like this, I just…I felt like I would want to die.’ 

The seventh member of BTS, Jin, 31, completed military service on June 12 as he enlisted in 2022, being the eldest member of the group.

He cried as RM, Jimin, J-hope, V, and Jungkook, took leave from their own duties to meet Jin at the army gates as he was discharged after 500 days of service.

Korean mandatory military service lasts between 18 and 21 months and must be completed once by all men between the ages of 18 and 35.

Women can also participate, but it is on a purely voluntary basis.