In Amsterdam, Jin of BTS created a giant hangout with fans
From telepathy games to sing-alongs, #RunSeokjin_Ep.Tour was part concert, part variety show
Jin, the eldest member of BTS, has a way of keeping fans guessing.
Known for his playful, happy-go-lucky style, Jin is also a known trickster and jokester. Many have witnessed this side of him on many of BTS’s variety series like Run BTS and Run Jin. These shows put him, his bandmates and special guests through a number of silly games and challenges. But ever the competitor, Jin often finds his way to win. And he’ll make damn sure you’ll never know his next move.
This is all to say that one should expect the unexpected when it comes to Jin. Because on his recent solo concert tour, #RunSeokjin_Ep.Tour, Jin stayed true to his style of not sticking with conventions.
I, like many, did not expect Jin to go on a solo tour so soon after his military discharge. Let alone, at all. These were things more expected of his members SUGA and j-hope, who had already both released full-length albums and EPs respectively.
Jin, on the other hand, seemed more destined for the acting world, having studied the profession in university before being scouted into BTS as a trainee. Many have long called for him to perform in a K-drama or host more variety shows due to his witty personality. But in typical Jin-style, he dropped surprise tour dates in April. And to the delight of European fans, he was going to make stops in London and Amsterdam.
If you’ve attended a couple of K-pop concerts before, you’d know there’s often some sort of formula to these shows. VCRs that play on the big screen between sets showcase some sort of storyline. There are also multiple costume changes, backup dancers, confetti and pyrotechnics.
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While much of Jin’s show included some of these elements, he did away with filmed VCRs, backup dancers and elaborate set changes. Instead, he opted to stand all on his own for much of his concert, creating the vibe of one giant hangout with his “special guests”—the fans, also known as ARMY.
“Since I was about to finish my [military] service, I figured ARMY would feel lonely during the six months in between so I decided to create Run Jin,” Jin says in a recorded video that plays during the concert.
“I thought about what it’ll be like to film Run Jin with ARMY and I’m very grateful that the idea came true. Thanks to ARMY who joined me on this tour.”
Sticking with a similar theme to his variety show Run Jin, the 32-year-old played telepathy games with the audience in between performances. The first game, “Connect ARMY”, required the audience to act out a word for Jin to guess correctly. If successful, fans would get a surprise outfit for the next stage—Jin’s hilarious viral anthem “Super Tuna.” On night one, fans didn’t quite succeed in making Jin guess correctly. But the singer still delighted fans by coming out in a hamster onesie. Night two was much luckier, as Jin correctly guessed the words “gymnastics” and his trademark “World Wide Handsome.” Jin soon came out on stage riding an inflatable horse.
The second game, “Sing ARMY”, was much more difficult. The mostly international crowd in Amsterdam had to sing BTS songs and make Jin guess which one they were performing. Unfortunately for the audience, we were asked to sing mostly in Korean with songs like “No More Dream” (night one) and “Dope” (night two). “Do I know this song?” Jin asks with a confused expression during the latter. Amazingly enough, he guessed the track correctly.
The thing that makes Jin click with fans is how unafraid he is to poke fun at himself and others while making you feel included in the joke. This is a quality that has often gave Jin the vibe of someone you’d want to be friends with.
The tour, which coincides with the releases of Jin’s albums Happy and ECHO, also highlights the important role Jin plays as a member of the biggest boyband in the world. As a vocalist, Jin has been praised his breath control and ability to sing in falsetto, with music critics describing him as the “silver voice.” His particular strengths come from the emotions he evokes while singing heart-wrenching ballads like “Epiphany” and “Abyss”. But there’s also a joyful and energetic quality to his voice, making it all the more powerful when you listen to anthemic tracks like “Running Wild”, “The Astronaut” and “I’ll Be There.”
The surprise hit of the tour comes during the western-rock inspired song “Rope It.” Decked out in denim and a wide-brimmed hat, Jin channels his inner cowboy. He swings his arm as if he’s about to launch a lasso. On night two, he even brings out Wootteo (an alien-like character Jin created during “The Astronaut” promotions) and swings the plushie around violently on stage. It’s unserious and hilarious, just as we would expect from Jin!
There were also many nods to BTS, as Jin performed a medley of the band’s hits including “Dynamite”, “Butter”, “Mikrokosmos” and “Spring Day.” It’s the perfect tease for the band’s expected spring 2026 comeback, and it was nice to see fans relishing in the nostalgia and joy the band has given them over the years.
During the concert, I did a lot of thinking about how Jin’s concert compared to j-hope’s and SUGA’s respective shows. SUGA delved into the angst, trauma, melancholy and acceptance of his youth, while j-hope’s felt like a euphoric celebration of how he got to where he is today. Even though Jin’s show was quite different in comparison, I landed on the fact that he played to what he does best: bringing joy and letting people in to share it with him.
Many reading this may ask why I decided to fly to Amsterdam from Toronto to watch Jin in concert. The truth is, I was already going to be in Europe anyways. But in K-pop, it’s not unusual for fans to fly all over to see their favourites in concert. I met people from Belgium, Australia, the United States, Hong Kong and even Canada during the show. The fact that BTS has brought so much joy to people around the world means that there will always be folks who will travel long distances. As I heard someone in the crowd say about her travels, “You have to love yourself!”
Jin, who noted on a livestream that he will head straight to the United States for work after touring, also said he was grateful to his fans.
“I’ll always be by your side,” he said during night one in Amsterdam. “So please stay by my side as well.”
See me elsewhere!!
Sticking on the BTS front, I was a guest on CBC’s Commotion recently to discuss the new documentary BTS ARMY: Forever We Are Young. Check it out! It was my first live in-studio interview.
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(Photo credit: Matt Solie)
I chatted with Vancouver's yung kai, who found viral fame with his song "blue." Now the singer-songwriter is having a big 2025, playing at 88RISING’s Head in the Clouds, and going on his headlining tour this summer and fall. Read more on RepresentASIAN Project.
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