For the dedicated followers of BTS, June 2025—when all seven members of the celebrated Korean boy group will at last come together once more after fulfilling their military commitments—cannot arrive soon enough. However, with “I’ll Be There,” a fresh track from Jin, who fulfilled his service earlier this summer, the fanbase has additional reasons to rejoice.
Similar to ex-boy-bander Harry Styles before him, Jin seems to be transitioning from pop towards a rockier sound. As a child of the ’90s, it is unsurprising that he holds a fondness for the style: a playlist of his top tracks on Spotify features “Iris” by The Goo Goo Dolls (alongside picks from The Fray and Styles himself); and before his enlistment in 2022, he unveiled his initial single, “The Astronaut,” co-created with one of his musical inspirations, Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
Two years later, Jin’s newest release—shared before his first solo record, Happy, available on November 15—extends that direction. If with “The Astronaut,” he crafted a heartfelt note to his followers (whom he called his “universe”), in “I’ll Be There,” Jin amplifies his dedication.
As the artist reveals exclusively to Vogue, “I’m thrilled to be back and I wish my fans adore this song as much as I do.” It’s likely they will: Although the track’s writing is largely performed in Korean, Jin’s sentiments are easily felt, particularly when he asserts, in an infectious chorus: “I swear I will always sing for you. Sing for you, I’ll be there for you.” The song’s final message remains equally heartfelt, with the singer imploring in Korean that should his fans ever feel downcast or solitary and need support, he will “always be there.” The ending, meanwhile, invokes the catchy rhythmic handclapping of Anna Kendrick’s 2013 hit “Cups” from Pitch Perfect.
The accompanying visual showcases Jin performing with his band in a parking area, envisioning the BTS icon as a modest, rising musician. In truth, though, he has already reached stellar heights.