Song Review:: Jin (BTS): Happy- Running Wild {Debut}

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  • Release date: 2024 November 15
  • Album runtime: 17 minutes

 This wasn't my first post for the day solely because I wanted to make sure that whatever I said for the last post of yesterday's didn't influence my feelings on this song too much, so I gave my self a buffer. Also, I didn't find out until I woke up that BigHit also had released the music video at least while I was still awake, so that's something I'll keep track of in the future. Happy solo debut, Jin! Congrats! I hope everything goes well.

That is an uncomfy run time, and there's only one song out of the six that's over 3 minutes, which is even more alarming when also looking at labelmates' Tomorrow x Together's runtime for their most recent album. Why, BigHit?

It's another rock song from him, which I'm genuinely loving, but it also reminds me a lot of video game music. He seems to like this style, which I am all for, but there's something mild about this specific song that I find interesting. It's very pleasant to the ear. It's very smooth. But as nice as it is, and as much of a hug as the song is, between the short time and the clean, overly polished veneer to it, I'm a little concerned about what kind of message this is sending as a debut song specifically. The eldest member of the famed BTS, first to return after his successful military service, only gets a song that's two and a half minutes long and sounds like it's had his personality stripped out of it for his debut? Don't get me wrong. I love the sound of this song, for a b-side. It's bright. It's cheerful. It's genuinely a lovely hug of a song with a good rhythm to the energy of the song. But as his solo debut specifically, I think BigHit dropped the ball on its potential.

Ooh, that chorus sounds a little too high for him. It doesn't sound uncomfortable, but I worry for the live performances if this is what it sounds like in a studio when he hasn't been performing it daily for weeks and isn't dancing and has been getting as much sleep as he should because he isn't doing promotions. Why must they all make me worry? But through the rest of the song, his very distinct tone is on display, and I love it. I'd even really like the chorus if it was about one octave lower.

I wish I'll Be There was the actual debut track, and the funny thing is that it still isn't even my favorite song from the album. That belongs to Another Level, which is also another song I wish was longer, but it's not like this is something I can do anything about.

Jin is much too close if that was a mushroom cloud. What do you do when it's the end of the world? You go and hang out with your dog. I love that message. Also, he is very pretty.



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