Jimin of a new season

We invited a man who feels especially welcome. 

Jimin, now fully in bloom and ready to embrace a new season, irresistibly draws in a new landscape with his rich, fresh fragrance.

Between Jimin's lines, in which he calmly confess his convictions and tastes of his very moment, his excitement about returning as a member of BTS keeps slipping through. To capture Jimin's shimmering present as he prepares to take the stage as the complete number "7," even seven editions of Vogue covers might not be enough.

You're doing your first photoshoot after discharge with Vogue. Three years ago, when we met ahead of the release of your first solo album "FACE," you were filled with both excitement and fear about sailing on your own. In what ways are you completely different now, and what has stayed the same.

PJM: Honestly, I'm not sure. (laughs) I don't feel like there's been a big change outwardly either. But compared to then, I find myself thinking more often about my mindset and about what I want to do.

You've been meeting fans more often through live broadcasts with the members lately. Both BTS and ARMY seem full of anticipation for the full-grown comeback officially announced for March 20. In one live video, you exclaimed, "This is BTS's prime right now." 

PJM: That comment came from thinking about our physical age. But as you said, if people come to call it our prime through BTS's new album, I couldn't ask for anything more.

Was there a core question that stood out to you during the process of asking the new album?

JM: I kept thinking a lot about, "What does BTS look lik at its most BTS?" Of course, that's something we've always considered. But this group album will show those traces of worry—of that worry more clearly than our previous work. That might actually make it feel new.

Through your first solo album "FACE," you confronted the many sides of yourself, and in your second solo album "MUSE," you rediscovered the others and the world that inspire you. Did these two albums give you any new goals? And if so, did they influence the way you make music as a group?

PJM: Rather than that, I actually received a great Deal of new inspiration and influence while working on this group album. It made me want even more to create better music with my own hands. I don't yet know what direction it will take, but I hope you'll look forward to it.

With "Like Crazy," you became the first Korean artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 both as part of a group and as a soloist, achieving both musical success and overwhelming public response. That's by no means an easy feat. What is your main goal when making music?

PJM: Through my solo activities, I clearly realized just how many people support me. As I began to want my musical work to become an even greater gift for them, I felt I needed to understand more clearly what I truly want to do. It was the moment when my goal became more defined: to create an album in which my own story is deeply reflected throughout—down to the genre, the melody, and even a single line of lyrics.

In season 2 of the variety series "Are You Sure?!," which appeared in with Jungkook, you answered the question "What do you want to do the most right now?" by saying, "I want to do BTS. I've loaded plenty of firewood, but he Brazier is a bit worn." As you stand on the brink of an exciting new challenge, what are you training the hardest in right now?

PJM: I consider health to be my top priority, so I'm focusing on exercises that My body needs. To prevent my body from breaking down all at once, I'm also proactively doing rehabilitation therapy alongside it.

It feels like Jimin's art has always begun with the body. As the time has passed, have there been any changes in the way you approach dance and your body? If there's a sense that has become more important than before, what would it be?

PJM: My passion for dance has remained constant, but at some point I realized that the amount of time I devote to it has been gradually decreasing. That may be a natural change, but I'm making an effort to find my way back to that original sense.

In your long-awaited Vogue shoot, you radiated a fresh and gentle energy together with Dior. Your signature boyish charm—pure yet unconventional—seems to harmonize beautifully with the new Dior.

PJM: I like beauty that's completed by an overall clean mood with a touch of stylish flair added in. I'm grateful to Dior as a partner who helps me look that way. It was already beautiful before, of course, but since Jonathan Anderson became creative director, it feels like new colours have been layered onto the house's classic elegance, which make me even more excited for what's to come.

As an artist, what aspect of your identity do you hope fashion—one way of expressing values—will represent for you?

PJM: In a similar vein to what I mentioned earlier, rather than something that boldly declares "this is style," I'm someone who pursued a subtle sense of style that's felt within restraint—and music like that as well. It would be even better if that could include honesty within naturalness.

Are there any colours, materials, or silhouettes you find yourself returning to repeatedly these days?

PJM: I've always had a fondness for monotones, but lately I've been trying brighter tones. As for materials, I still prefer fabrics that feel comfortable against the body.

You've stood on so many different stages, and there will be many new opportunities ahead. Is there a personal secret that helps you feel comfortable and stay natural in unfamiliar worlds?

PJM: Honestly, I still really don't know how. I often struggle with it because I tend to get very nervous and don't naturally enjoy feeling at ease. If anyone knows a clear solution, I'd love to get some advice. (laughs)

It's been 12 years since your debut. All the BTS members often say, "Without the team, there is no me." Was there a recent moment when you truly felt the weight of those words?

PJM: I felt the weight of those in every moment. From the most ordinary moments like being at home or eating a meal, to the more intense moments of creating the music I dream of—every single one. Everything I enjoy now comes from BTS and from ARMY, so I try to forget that act.

You've received dreamlike love while staying true to yourself without being shaken too much, but as you enter 2026, is there any aspect of yourself you'd like to change?

PJM: In every way, there's is a kind of indecisiveness that has inevitably formed in me. It's something that always feels it's in my way. I want to be a more decisive person, but it's not as easy as making a resolution. Still, this year, I want to try changing that—to become someone who expressed their own opinions honestly.

Original article: Vogue Korea