[TRANS] BTS Japan Official Fanclub Magazine - Jin’s Biography

Liked gaming since kindergarten

The vigorous boyhood

1~2 years after being born in Anyang City, Gyeonggi Province, I moved to the neighboring Gwacheon City. My memories started from Gwacheon. I was awkward about taking photos until just before debuting, so I hardly have any childhood photo. It’s hard to find photos from back then. When you take photos, you have to stand still. I hated hearing “Wait, let’s take just one photo!” and having to stand still.

My favorite thing in kindergarten days was the popular dinosaur character game back then. We only had one game but my hyung hogged it all, so I really wanted to play it at that time. I don’t know if it’s the reason why I like games now too.

I was a vigorous child in elementary school. After school, I would go play with my friends and come back at dinner time, then do my homework and sleep. It was my routine. I had a lot of friends too. We would only play every day and not study at all (laughs). My favorite subject was Physical Education. It’s the exact opposite to now (laughs). I liked running, swimming, tennis and also golfing that my father taught me how to play. He likes snowboarding and skiing so he often takes me to the ski resort, and I started from that. Although my father frequently went on business trips, when he came home, he would play his favorite sports with me. He often took me abroad too. Japan, Europe, Australia,.. But I’m not very into travelling so it felt like I was half-forced (laughs).

I talk with my 2-year-older hyung every day. We play games together and talk about this and that, it seems like our relationship got even better than before.

Grew up to be a hesitant guy in front of the opposite sex due to going to all-boy middle & high school!?

I was too into gaming since 1st year of middle school so I didn’t go out to play (laughs). Me and my friends kept staying in the PC room to play games in summer break.

My best friends are friends from middle school. The relationship between us four people is quite good, even after we went to study higher, we would go to the valley and play together in summer break and go snowboarding in winter break. Even now we still contact each other every day and contend for each other’s old men’s jokes (laughs).

In terms of music, I liked Lee Seunggi sunbaenim’s ‘Delete’, KCM sunbaenim’s ‘Black & White Photos’ and Turtles sunbaenim’s ‘Airplane’. I also listen to Buzz sunbaenim’s music often so I like rock ballad even until now.

Since I went to all-boy school for both middle and high school, I had absolutely no contact with girls for 6 years. Even after going to university, I still couldn’t look into girls’ eyes. I would drop my eyes low and “Hey, how’s it going?” (laughs). I met an easy-going friend in university so he mended that manner too. He hit me and said “I told you to look in the eyes and talk!”… But still, I fit in better with guys (laughs).

The path to become a singer through scouting

Currently taking music composing with seriousness!

In 1st year of high school, my dream was to become a newspapers reporter to stand by the second-class citizens’ side. I used to read newspapers articles every day. The dream of becoming an actor was born in my 2nd year, after watching Kim Namgil-ssi in the drama ‘Queen Seondeok’. I was touched and thought that, I wanted to make people cry with my acting too. So I entered the Film Major in university .

3 months after entering, I was scouted and became a trainee. The rapper line was in the company already, and Jungkook joined 2 days after me. I came into the practice room and saw a kid with eyes like Bambi standing, I asked ‘…Who is this?’ and he stood up and said ‘Oh! My name is Jeon Jungkook!’. Even when I told him ‘Sit down,’ he said ‘Oh no! I’m okay!’ (laughs). The one with deepest first impression would be Namjoon who was practicing dancing. It was my first time seeing someone practicing dancing since I was born, so I thought ‘Wow, he’s a trainee. Cool.’

As I trained, I went to eat with other trainees as well and enjoyed my trainee life. I liked dancing back then. But after debuting, I heard people saying ‘He can’t dance’ so I lost my confidence… Despite that, thanks to ARMYs who always tell me ‘It’s cute’, ‘You did a great job’, I regained my confidence and now, it seems like I can dance.

My life right now is great, and I’m satisfied with being in BTS. My interest in music started after I met the members. Back in debut days, I couldn’t even think I can write songs. Thanks to the influence from our members, I’m now continuing to write songs. Even though they aren’t at the level of being put into albums yet, I got good responses and am working hard right now.

If someday the chance comes, I want to try acting. V is doing that now so I’m happy with it. Compared to acting, I want to improve my skills in singing and performing more. It’s physically draining but I feel the joy in it.