BTS’ Jin made his hotly anticipated solo debut on American television with an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Nov. 20, promoting his first solo album, Happy, which was released on Nov. 15.
In a standout moment from the interview, Jin recounted the fascinating story behind receiving a guitar from none other than Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
“Are you a big fan of rock? And who is your favorite rock artist?” Fallon asked Jin, who replied in his native tongue, with captions reading, “I really, really love Coldplay… I had a chance to work with Coldplay before. A few years ago — before this album — Chris Martin gave me a song he wrote. We worked on it together and it was an honor for me.”
Fallon asked, “I heard he gave you a guitar?”
“Yes!” Jin confirmed, explaining, “I was hanging out with Chris Martin and he had a guitar from his tour, I jokingly asked him, ‘Can I have this guitar?’ Chris Martin was like, ‘Of course!’”
“I was so happy. Now it’s a family heirloom,” Jin quipped.
It seems the feeling’s mutual, with the Coldplay frontman sharing his adoration for the K-pop star in a 2023 video, where he said, “I really love that guy.”
Fresh off his return from mandatory military service in June, Jin also used his time on Fallon to share anecdotes about reconnecting with his BTS bandmates, the origin of his playful “Worldwide Handsome” nickname, and taught Fallon the choreography for his viral hit “Super Tuna.”
A major highlight of the evening was Jin’s highly-anticipated live performance of “Running Wild,” a standout track from his debut solo project. Donning a shimmering pastel green fringe jacket, the K-pop superstar performed the new tune against a striking backdrop of a desert highway, with the stage adorned with street signs.
The Happy album features six tracks, including “Running Wild,” “I’ll Be There,” “Another Level,” “Falling,” “Heart on the Window” (a collaboration with Red Velvet’s Wendy), and “I Will Come to You.”
Jin’s appearance comes six years after BTS made its full-band debut on Fallon’s show. In 2018, the group — which is also comprised of SUGA, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook — performed Billboard Hot 100 No. 11 hit “Idol” and “I’m Fine,” as well as tried out that year’s “Fortnite” dance trend.
In 2020, the boys made a number of Tonight Show appearances — including a couple of virtual musical numbers on the show to lighten ARMY’s moods during the COVID-19 pandemic — before returning again in 2021 for performances of their No. 1 hits “Butter” and “Permission to Dance.” Jin’s bandmates Jimin and SUGA have since made their own solo debuts on the show.
Jin’s latest appearance on Fallon comes hot on the heels of the release of his debut solo album, Happy, which dropped on Nov. 15. In a recent interview, Jin said of the project, “I have a very clear idea of what kind of emotions I want to share with our fans … I want our fans, our ARMY, to be happy.”
Jin’s solo era is unfolding as most of the BTS boys are still finishing out their mandatory service in the South Korean military, which the “Abyss” artist became the first to complete in June. J-Hope is the only other member of the group to have completed his since then; full-band activities are on pause until next year.
