Jimin biography: the dancer from Busan who reached number 1 on Billboard

How does a young contemporary dancer from Busan become the first South Korean soloist at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100? The story of Jimin, a member of BTS, blends technique, teamwork and a solo career that changed the records of the American chart. In 2026 he is back with the group: the album Arirang and a stadium tour that reaches Lima in October. This is his biography with verified facts about his career.

Who is Jimin?

Jimin, whose real name is Park Ji-min, is a South Korean singer, dancer and songwriter, born on October 13, 1995 in Busan. He has been a member of BTS since 2013 and, as a soloist, released the albums Face (2023) and Muse (2024). He is the first South Korean soloist to reach number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2026 he is taking part in BTS' Arirang world tour.

Jimin's personal details

Jimin's childhood and early years

Park Ji-min was born in the Geumjeong district of the port city of Busan, in the southeast of South Korea. He attended primary school in Hodong and secondary school in Yonsan, both in Busan, before entering Busan High School of Arts, where he studied contemporary dance and excelled in modern dance.

His artistic training in Busan was the basis of his style on stage: fluid movements and an expressiveness that would later be recognized in BTS' choreographies. In 2012 he passed Big Hit Entertainment's auditions and moved to Seoul to train as a trainee.

That step from an arts school in Busan to trainee life in Seoul marked the start of his professional path. Within BTS, Jimin established himself as one of the main dancers and as a vocalist, with a high register that brings warmth to the most melodic songs of the repertoire.

A year later, on June 13, 2013, he debuted as a vocalist and dancer of BTS with the song No More Dream. Since then his voice has become one of the most recognizable in the group, and his high, emotive tone is a hallmark in ballads and pop tracks.

Jimin's professional career

Jimin's career splits into two parallel paths: the group and his solo work. While BTS gained international ground, he was building a profile of his own that exploded with his first album, right in the middle of the group's break.

Main milestones of his career:

• 2012: passes Big Hit Entertainment's auditions.
• 2013: debuts with BTS on June 13.
• 2023: releases Face (March 24); Like Crazy debuts at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April.
• 2023: enlists for military service on December 12.
• 2024: releases Muse on July 19; Who debuts at number 1 on the Billboard Global 200.
• 2025: is discharged on June 11.
• 2026: BTS release Arirang on March 20 and begin their tour on April 9.

With Like Crazy he became the first South Korean soloist to top the Hot 100. Set Me Free Pt. 2 debuted at number 30 on that chart. With Who, from Muse, he reached 33 weeks on the Hot 100, the longest run for a song by a Korean artist. He also became the first Korean artist to reach number 1 on the Billboard Artist 100. To see how his career fits with that of the other members, you can read the BTS biography.

According to Soompi, which gathered Billboard's data, Like Crazy debuted at number 1 on the Hot 100 of the chart dated April 8, 2023, with more than 254,000 downloads and CD singles sold and 10 million streams in its first week (March 24 to 30). With that it broke the record of PSY, whose Gangnam Style reached number 2 in 2012. In that same period, Face debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200, and he was the first Korean soloist to reach the top 2 of that chart. Muse repeated the number 2 on the Billboard 200 on the chart of August 3, 2024, and Who debuted at number 14 on the Hot 100, his second-best solo entry after Like Crazy.

The impact of his solo period is explained by the timing: Face came out on March 24, 2023, when BTS had moved to a format of individual projects, and within a few weeks Jimin was already at the very top of the American charts. With Muse, in 2024, he confirmed it was not an isolated success, and his tracks stayed on the charts for months. On both albums he combined pop, R&B and careful production, with a more intimate proposal than BTS' great stadium anthems.

Jimin's standout projects and discography

Jimin's personal life

Jimin keeps a reserved profile about his private life, and at Famosix we stick to what he has made public. What is documented is his military service: he enlisted on December 12, 2023, completed basic training in January 2024 with a first-place commendation and was discharged on June 11, 2025.

During that period, his music stayed active on the charts. His second album, Muse, was released while he was in service, on July 19, 2024.

Jimin trivia

• He studied contemporary dance at Busan High School of Arts, before passing Big Hit's auditions in 2012.
• His birthday is October 13, and this year he will turn 31 in the middle of BTS' tour period.
• With Like Crazy he was the first South Korean soloist at number 1 on the Hot 100, in April 2023.
• Who stayed 33 weeks on the Hot 100, a record for a song by a Korean artist.
• He finished military basic training with a first-place commendation, in January 2024.
• On Arirang he collaborated as co-writer of They Don’t Know ’bout Us.

Jimin in 2026

On March 20, 2026 BTS released Arirang, their first studio album in almost six years since Be (2020). It debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 with 641,000 equivalent units, the biggest week for a group since December 2014, and its single Swim topped the Hot 100. Jimin contributed backing vocals and co-wrote They Don’t Know ’bout Us.

The Arirang World Tour began on April 9 in Goyang and runs until March 2027, with 88 stadium shows in 34 cities and 23 countries. Its Latin American dates include Lima, with three concerts on October 7, 9 and 10, 2026, alongside Santiago, Buenos Aires and São Paulo. Confirm venue and times only on official channels.

In Peru, Caretas reported on April 10, 2026 that the group achieved a total sell-out at their three shows at the Estadio San Marcos. Demand led to adding a third date, October 7, to those of the 9th and the 10th. Peruvian press reports put the number of fans who tried to buy in the presale at more than 520,000, a figure that reflects the band's weight in the country. For Jimin, who turns 31 on October 13, this visit comes just a few days before his birthday and marks his return to the stage after military service.

Conclusion

Jimin went from contemporary dance in Busan to setting records on Billboard, and in 2026 he is once again sharing the stage with his BTS bandmates on a tour that touches Peruvian soil. If you want to get to know the other members, start with the BTS biography and keep exploring the international figures on Famosix.

Sources consulted

• Wikipedia: Jimin
• Wikipedia: Face (Jimin album)
• Wikipedia: Arirang (album)
• Wikipedia: Arirang World Tour
• Soompi: Jimin, first Korean soloist to top the Hot 100 with Like Crazy
• Soompi: Who debuts at number 14 on the Hot 100
• Caretas: BTS sell out their three concerts in Lima
• Billboard: BTS earns 7th No. 1 album on Billboard 200 with ARIRANG
• Billboard: BTS’ ARIRANG breaks multiple Spotify records