Today’s the day – Jungkook’s birthday!
It is safe to say that 2023 was BTS superstar’s wildest year yet. He was all over the news for his chart-topping hits, international performances, and interactions with fans.
Jungkook broke the internet several times last year and now fans miss his stage performances and candid frequent livestreams since he enlisted in the military in December.
Although he isn’t celebrating his 27th birthday with the ARMY, fans are going all out to express their love and support by running ads in Seoul and around the world.
In honor of his birthday, let’s look back at his headline-making moments of 2023
9 Times BTS Jungkook Made Headlines in 2023
Let’s dive into the top 9 moments that made Jungkook a headline-maker last year!
Jungkook Deleted His Instagram with 52M+ Followers
The Seven singer kicked off the year by giving a major shock to the fans by deactivating his Instagram account in February 2023. At first, fans believed that his Instagram was hacked, however, he later took to Weverse to clarify that it was not hacked.
Jungkook decided to deactivate his Instagram account with 52 million followers because he was not using it frequently.
The Jungkook x Calvin Klein Collab
Well, we have to talk about the Jungkook x Calvin Klein collab that we never knew we needed. The BTS golden maknae has been serving looks and slaying the fashion game with his CK campaigns.
He was announced as the global brand ambassador for Calvin Klein in March 2023 and has since fronted numerous campaigns. His latest spring campaign with the brand was released in February this year.
Jungkook’s debut campaign with Calvin Klein generated significant attention online. Additionally, he actively promoted the brand, including a notable instance where he folded Calvin Klein underwear during a live stream.
Beginning of Jungkook’s Solo Career
Jungkook’s illustrious solo career began with his chart-topping hit Seven (feat. Latto), which dropped on July 14, 2023.
Before dropping the song, the 27-year-old K-pop star shared his ambitions for his solo career saying, “I would like to be the one and only singer who can cross back and forth between K-pop and pop songs.”
He aims to explore various music genres, including Latin music, opera, and musicals.
Coming back to Seven, the summer song of the year, it debuted at #1 on Billboard HOT 100 and Global 200, and #3 on the UK Singles Chart.
Jungkook did not stop at releasing just one amazing song, he dropped another banger, 3D (feat. Jack Harlow), on September 29, 2023. The song entered the Billboard HOT 100 at No.5, earning his second top 10 entry.
On October 20, 2023, a collaboration song Too Much by The Kid Laroi, Jungkook, and Central Cee was dropped. The song debuted at #44 on the HOT 100 and #10 on the UK Singles Chart.
After a string of hits, Jungkook finally released an 11-track debut album, GOLDEN, including the previously released songs, 3D and Seven. The album became a double million seller in just 5 hours and debuted at #2 on Billboard 200 with 210,200 units sold.
The title track Standing Next To You debuted at #5 on the Billboard HOT 100 and topped Billboard Global 200 and Global (excl. US).
Jungkook Performing at International Stages
Jungkook promoted his solo singles and the debut album on various overseas platforms. Right after the release of Seven, he performed it at the GMA’s Summer Concert series in Central Park.
He promoted his album and the previously released singles on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Citi Concert Series, and Times Square.
Not only that, he became the first K-pop artist to headline the Global Citizen Festival on September 20, 2023.
Jungkook Drew Massive Crowd at Times Square without Prior Announcement
Rumors of Jungkook’s appearance brought thousands to Times Square. Fans in New York City were given just a 30-minute notice and ended up crowding a large area next to the stage. He performed tracks like 3D, Please Don’t Change, and Seven, Standing Next To You, and Yes or No.
Jungkook Cursing at Sasaeng For Stalking
Jungkook surprised fans with a live stream in early December 2023. While walking home from a workout session, he revealed that some sasaengs were waiting outside his residence.
He cursed at the stalker during the live, saying, “Even nowadays there are still sasaengs outside my home, That’s enough coming, you bast***s. Do not cross the line, you creep.”
Jungkook Spotted Smoking in LA
In September 2023, a video of Jungkook smoking outside a restaurant in LA went viral on the internet. He was seen talking to a person while smoking and seemed aware of being recorded by the paparazzi.
However, he did not seem to care about being photographed and recorded while smoking. Many ARMYs defended his choice to smoke and criticized media outlets and K-pop fans for making a big deal out of it.
Jungkook Created a Brand for His Solo Career
After releasing a solo album on November 3, BIGHIT MUSIC launched the logo for his brand on November 21, 2023.
The logo includes the English initials ‘J’ and ‘K’, as well as the Korean letters ‘ㅈ’ and ‘ㄱ’, representing the concept of endless growth and limitless potential.
Jungkook Military Enlistment
Jungkook was enlisted in the military along with Jimin on December 12, 2023. He was assigned to ARMY’s 5th Infantry Division Training Center, where he is currently serving as a cook. He is set to be discharged in mid-2025 along with Jimin, V, RM, and SUGA.