BTS’ Jin / Xportsnews, Captured from Weverse
BTS member Jin’s absence from the credits of the group’s latest album has sparked a debate among fans after what has been seen as a tense moment during a live broadcast went viral.
BTS held a full-group livestream on Friday to celebrate the release of their fifth full-length album, “ARIRANG,” where members discussed the production process and revealed some behind-the-scenes stories.
During the broadcast, RM said, “Everyone’s color is in the album,” before adding, “If Jin’s tour had ended a bit earlier, he would have been able to join us.”
V also said, “There was time we could have worked together, but his condition wasn’t good. He kept touring.”
RM added, “He worked really hard. It was a shame,” while Jimin said, “Thanks to him protecting the team, we were able to release the album,” adding a note of appreciation. Jin himself said, “I’m happy there are so many great songs.”
BTS’ livestream on Weverse / Captured from Weverse
However, the explanation did little to calm fans.
Jin, who was the first BTS member to complete his mandatory military service, had been on a solo tour at the time BTS held a group songwriting camp in the United States — a key part of the album’s production. Due to overlapping schedules, he was not able to participate in the album-making process and was left out of the official credits.
What intensified the reaction was a brief but noticeable moment during the livestream. As the conversation continued, Jin’s expression appeared to harden, while Jungkook was seen quietly patting his shoulder in what many fans interpreted as a gesture of comfort.
Clips of the moment quickly spread online, fueling debate within the fandom.
Some fans said, “Couldn’t the songwriting camp have been delayed?” and “How could a pre-planned tour be adjusted?”
Others said, “The explanation doesn’t make sense,” “It feels like Jin is being subtly blamed,” and “I’ve never seen that expression from Seokjin before.”
Others pointed out that even though Jin later joined the group in the U.S. after finishing his tour, the album production had already been completed — raising further questions about scheduling decisions.
BTS released “ARIRANG” on Friday and kicked off their comeback with a large-scale event at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on Saturday. The group is set to appear on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” airing this week.
This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.