BTS’ Jimin and Jungkook to star in a new Disney+ show. Meanwhile, Jin will carry Olympic torch
K-pop titan BTS may be on hiatus, but its members are still booked and busy.
Jimin and Jungkook (affectionately dubbed “Jikook”) are set to star in the new travel show “Are You Sure?!” premiering Aug. 8 on Disney+, BTS’ label Bighit Music and management company Hybe announced Wednesday.
The eight-part series follows the duo as they explore three scenic locales — New York state; Jeju Island in South Korea; and Sapporo, Japan — and “will give a deeper look into Jimin and Jungkook’s undeniable chemistry and endearing friendship as they bond over a variety of unforgettable moments,” a news release said.
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“Are You Sure?!” was filmed in 2023, prior to Jimin’s and Jungkook’s December enlistment in the South Korean military.
South Korea requires male citizens ages 18 to 28 to serve at least 18 months in the military or social service, and although the law was updated in 2020 to allow K-pop stars to delay their draft until age 30, they are not exempted from service as are Olympic medalists and prize-winning classical musicians.
Still, the five-time Grammy-nominated group’s hiatus — projected by its management to end in 2025 — has not prevented its members from releasing music. In fact, several have dropped high-charting solo hits since.
“Back in the day, the military service meant a complete isolation from the world,” Jae Yoon Choi, CEO and co-founder of the K-pop creative agency KAI Media and retail hub Hello82, told The Times in December. “The military services used to affect artists very much in the past, but now it doesn’t. The service got shortened, and it’s easier for artists to prepare both for joining and the comeback after.”
To many of its fans, K-pop culture is not only about fashion, food and entertainment, but also a community where marginalized groups can come together.
Currently making his comeback is BTS’ eldest member, Jin, who finished his service last month. The day after his discharge, he hugged 1,000 fans as part of BTS’ annual Festa celebrations commemorating the group’s 11th anniversary.
Jin, whose full name is Kim Seok-jin, will also participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic torch relay as a torchbearer from South Korea, helping to spread the message of “harmony” and “peace,” a news release said.
This year’s torch relay began in April in Olympia, Greece, and is currently traveling through 65 French territories ahead of the July 26 opening ceremony.
New episodes of “Are You Sure?!” will be released every Thursday from Aug. 8 through Sept. 19 on Disney+. The streaming service previously released a BTS docuseries in 2023 and a concert film in 2022.
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