This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill, ARMYs. Jimin just announced updates on his upcoming solo album, and I genuinely can’t contain my excitement. BTS’s whereabouts and activities have been a bit of a mystery since their absence from the 2023 Grammy Awards (I’m still convinced that Chris Martin was hiding Jin in his beanie that night). Fortunately, the members continued to update fans on how they’ve been doing since the group’s hiatus via Weverse Live videos.
The fandom has been buzzing about which of the members will release their solo album following the release of RM’s Indigo album in early December. All eyes were on Jimin to be the next to go solo, and even Jimin himself felt that fans were “waiting for him.” On Feb. 3, he said in a Weverse Live video, “I think you all [are] waiting for the album. It’s not perfectly prepared yet, but it is being readied for the most part.” He later assured fans that his album would indeed be released soon. That seemed to be the end of the discussion until Jimin appeared on Weverse Live again on Feb. 10 and revealed that his album will be released in March and that he has prepared a variety of things for fans to look forward to. Wait… slow down… in March?
With not much time left until his solo debut, BigHit has finally given us more details on PJM1, which stands for Park Jimin 1 — the fan-dubbed title of his solo work. The good news? We no longer have to call it that, because we finally have an official title and teaser video!
What is the title of Jimin’s solo album?
On Feb. 21, the first official teaser for Jimin’s album dropped, and we now know it’s called FACE. The accompanying Weverse announcement gave some insight into the name: Apparently, it’s “all about Jimin facing himself head-on as he gets ready for his next step as a solo artist.”
Is there a release date or tracklist yet?
We now know that the album’s release date is March 24 at midnight EST, with preorders beginning Feb. 22. And on Feb. 23, the tracklist for the album dropped, with a total of six songs (five in Korean and one English version of the main track, “Like Crazy”). You can see the full tracklist below:
- “Face-off”
- “Interlude : Dive”
- “Like Crazy” (main track)
- “Alone”
- “Set Me Free Pt. 2” (pre-release track)
- “Like Crazy” (English Version)
The good news is, if you can’t wait until March 24 for new Jimin music, you won’t have to! The pre-release track, “Set Me Free Pt. 2” is getting its own music video on March 17 ahead of the full album release. Jimin himself has never released a “Set Me Free Pt. 1,” but it is worth noting that his bandmate Suga has a song called “Interlude : Set me free” under his alias Agust D on the 2020 mixtape D-2. Considering Suga just announced a solo tour for 2023 that kicks off in April (around the same time Jimin may be doing promotions for FACE), could a surprise guest performance or collab be happening? It’s just a fan theory for now, but never say never…
Jimin may show a more mature side for his solo album.
While fans are ecstatic about the news, they are also curious about what’s to come from his release. While there isn’t much information available yet, Jimin has mentioned his album dreams. In a June 2022 interview with Weverse Magazine, Jimin was asked if he was working on new material and which sides he would like to show, to which he replied, “Maybe I can be a little explicit.”
“I just think I can show something a little more raw about [myself],” he said when asked to elaborate. “That might include a more mature side, too, but what I’m really interested in is showing something closer to my real, personal rawness directly in a format like music or music videos.” The teaser certainly looks and sounds moody and sensual, so we may be seeing that side of Jimin after all.
Is a possible collaboration in the works?
A possible collaboration on his album may be closer than fans realize. Jimin’s bandmates have previously collaborated with artists, most recently with RM’s star-studded collab lineup for Indigo, and Jimin himself featuring on Big Bang member Taeyang’s single “Vibe” back in January. Only time will tell who Jimin may collaborate with for his solo endeavors. Watch this space, because I’ll be back to let you know of any updates.
This article was originally published on 2/10/23. It was updated on 2/23/23.