Hi! It’s Annie!
Happy Jungkook Day! I know his birthday is technically tomorrow in the states, but in South Korea it is already tomorrow. Jungkook is officially twenty-four and the festivities have already begun! So many people have started sharing their tattoos on Twitter in support of Jungkook’s for his birthday and, on top of all of that, we already got his late birthday live! And damn if anyone thinks this man isn’t talented, they should really think again. Yesterday on Weverse he asked fans for birthday messages in the form of lyrics that he then turned into an actual song for his live. He also sang various other songs including “Dimple”, “Pied Piper”, “Mic Drop” and even songs we haven’t heard in a while like “Paradise”, “Heartbeat”, and “Sea”. “Sea” particularly hit home for me because it’s not a super well known song but it’s one that means a lot to me. And the fact that he sang “Paradise” after forgetting what it was, was hilarious. Especially because it’s become a joke that BTS might have something against the song. I’ve already talked at length about all the members of BTS and their solo work, but there’s so much else to talk about. I’ll never be able to shut up about any of them. So, this time I’m going to go with some of my favorite Jungkook performance moments! Here we go!
“Dionysus” (2019 MMA):
This is a performance that I know I’ve talked about before and is possibly one of my favorites of BTS’s in general. But what really makes this particular performance of “Dionysus” so memorable for me was the dance break. The giant dance break to a remixed version of “No” caught my breath from the moment it started. And honestly, one of my favorite parts of the dance break was the section that featured Jungkook and Hobi separate from the others. It was difficult to not be enraptured with how in sync they were with each other. And while the other members were a bit more separated for their parts of the dance, Jungkook and Hobi’s required moving across the table together. Often even helping each other on and off of it. And the way they turned and smiled at each other before jumping back behind the table was way too adorable. It’s an image that lives rent free in my brain.
“Airplane Pt. 2” (2018 MMA):
Let’s all be honest with ourselves; the MMA’s have essentially just become BTS concerts with some extra at this point. They steal the show. The intro to this particular song was what was so memorable about this overall performance. This started out with each of the members getting their own individual dance pieces. From Jimin dancing with a group while he was on top of a table, to a Sope dance, to a Tae group dance, to a Jin group dance, to Namjoon getting his suit measured, every detail was intricate. But watching them all you might then ask yourself, where’s Jungkook? That’s when the camera pans from the six members taking their seats to a curtain that opens on a long catwalk. And Jungkook in a pristine white suit struts down this catwalk like he owns it, thus beginning the song. This was the kind of badass and eye catching entrance that you would expect from the golden maknae. Damn, he looked good!
“DDAENG” (BTS 5th Muster Magic Shop):
I think everyone was dying for the rap line to perform “DDAENG” since the song’s release (and then after with that amazing performance where Namjoon wore those sunglasses), but OT7 was something else. Everyone’s verse in that piece is insane, but Namjoon stuttering was always the part that got me the most. Watching Namjoon hand that off to his biggest fan, Jungkook, was just as amazing as the original performance. Not only did Namjoon look so proud, but Jungkook was able to use that rap training he had gotten from when he used to rap some lines closer to debut. There was no doubt that he killed it. And his cute little smile afterwards showed that he absolutely knew what he had just done. Namjoon and Jungkook are a duo that I always love to see because of how much Jungkook has always looked up to Namjoon and how proud Namjoon is of Jungkook. Their dynamic is adorable!
“Pied Piper” (BTS 5th Muster Magic Shop):
This is one of the most iconic Jungkook performances. Between his long hair and his partly open shirt, I haven’t met anyone who hasn’t fallen at least a little in love after this performance. Jungkook was dancing throughout the entire song without any hint that he was feeling even the slightest bit self conscious. A confident Jungkook is always the death of all of us. I don’t think any of us will ever get over his outfit during that song or how much he knew he rocked it. Because you could tell he knew. There are so many reasons why this muster is one of my favorite concerts they’ve ever done, and “Pied Piper” Jungkook is a reason in itself.
Any Performance of “Euphoria”:
There are very few idols who would agree to sing so high up in the air. In fact, I’m pretty sure there’s not another member of BTS who would agree to that. We all know that Jungkook is a daredevil, so I doubt he even blinked at the idea. You could see how much he loved the adrenaline rush, and it added another element to the song as well. And, of course, it allowed us all to see Jungkook in his element. Challenging himself in every aspect of performance. I only hope he didn’t get too cold.
“My Time” Performances :
I generally don’t like animal print, but he pulled that off Day 2 of the concert. And his all black ensemble was nothing to sneeze at either. In a way, this felt like Jungkook’s reminder to everyone that he’s all grown up now. (So stop infantilizing him.) From his use of his own choreography, to the outfit, to the lyrics of the song itself, this was not just something to look at. There was so much meaning behind this too. It really marked a turning point in Jungkook’s more mature performance style, and I loved every second of it.
Jungkook is a talented performer and he only gets better as the years go on. Yoongi himself said that he’s the most talented singer that he’s ever worked with. And his ability to write songs and dance has also improved along with his vocals which were already heavenly as they were. He really is our golden maknae, there’s no doubt in my mind that he can do anything he sets his mind to. And he gives me a lot of hope too. He’s very candid about the struggles of growing up at his age, and as someone who’s around his age I’ve found myself relying on his words often. I’m so excited to celebrate him, both today and tomorrow! And this also marks the beginning of the BTS birthday season! Namjoon’s birthday is coming soon and then Jimin’s is right afterwards. And then we get Jin and Tae’s birthdays in December. The only two members of BTS who don’t have their birthdays at the end of the year are Yoongi and Hobi. So as we enter into the holiday season, let’s all be aware that this is also the season of many BTS birthdays. It just makes things even more happy!
See you across the pond!
Sincerely, Annie
Oreos & Peanut Butter 