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Within the world of BTS, it’s Jung Kook, the septet’s youngest, who is known these days for jumping on a livestream to hang out with ARMY. The fans have been witness to a number of activities in recent months: Jung Kook making noodles, washing his dishes, enjoying a late-night noraebang session, or just chatting about his day.
When he logs onto Zoom for an interview with Consequence to discuss his new single, “3D” featuring Jack Harlow, his energy isn’t all that different. “So, there I was, preparing for my next single,” he recalls. “I received lots of songs to look at, but didn’t really like any of them until I met this one. The moment I heard it, I chose it naturally.”
“3D” feels like it was plucked from airwaves a decade-and-a-half ago, when Justin Timberlake dropped FutureSex/LoveSounds and anything Pharrell touched shined brighter than gold. Jung Kook’s whispered refrains in the chorus and leveled harmonies underscore the nostalgic energy, but a feature from rapper Jack Harlow pulls the song firmly into the present.
While scheduling conflicts prevented Jung Kook and Harlow from being together for the track’s actual recording, they met on the set of the music video and quickly hit it off. “I loved his energy. It was really great,” Jung Kook says. “Just to share with you one interesting episode, there’s a scene in the video where we play chess, so I learned to play for the first time right there. And you know what? I played with Jack, and I won!”
To fans who have followed the group for a while, it probably doesn’t sound that surprising that Jung Kook entered a competitive environment — even a casual, friendly one — and came out on top. He has a reputation for trying new things and nailing them almost immediately, but, like his bandmates, he’s also extremely hardworking. Our conversation takes place while he’s in the midst of rehearsals for a headlining set at New York’s Global Citizen Festival, for which he selected a handful of solo tracks like “Euphoria” and “Still With You” alongside a medley of BTS’s English-language hits (“Dynamite,” “Butter,” and “Permission to Dance”).
So far, Jung Kook’s solo singles in 2023 (“Seven” feat. Latto, and now “3D”) have also been in English, and they’ve both pushed him into more explicit territory than ever before. Now 26, Jung Kook has been in the spotlight since he was 15 years old, and he seems to be giving himself the space to experiment with more mature themes in his solo chapter. He’s also unfazed by anyone who might raise their eyebrows at this direction, putting his trust in the diversity of the fanbase. “There are multiple generations in our ARMY,” he notes. “I think the song will give them a fun, playful, light shock.”
While he’s certainly excited for fans to hear the song, he acknowledges that the process is different when on his own, as opposed to when he’s working alongside his BTS brothers. “With BTS songs, it’s all the different colors of the individual members coming together to make up the final song — whereas for me, it’s just me and my own unique color. I don’t think I could make something that has all the colors of BTS.”
When asked which of his bandmates have heard “3D” at the time of our conversation, he blushes, reaching up to touch the tips of his red ears. “SUGA, and RM,” he says. I ask what they thought of the song, and he melts into the table, burying his face in his arms in theatrical, melodramatic anguish. “They said I’m a true pop star,” he groans.
Read on for Jung Kook’s breakdown of the track’s key points.
Dynamic Choreography:
If you listen to “Seven” and watch the video, there’s something fresh-faced about it. With “3D,” there’s a little more sexiness incorporated into the choreography. Some parts are very high in intensity, others are more relaxed; there’s a lot of contrast and dynamic moves in the video.
The choreography is overall very addictive and easy to follow. The fun vibe of the song adds to the feel. I think there’s a lot to enjoy.
Early 2000s Music:
So, back in the day when I was a trainee, I listened to a lot of songs to prepare for our work. When I started working on this song, I got the sense that it could really appeal to people who know early 2000s music. There’s a sense of nostalgia. But I also felt it could also appeal to younger people with its sophisticated feel, and that kind of direction felt right to me.
I also paid close attention to the pronunciation, the feel of the lyrics, and overall content so that I could bring that feeling to life.
Pushing Limits:
What I want to do is test how far I can go with my voice and my capabilities. How far can I go completely on my own?
Also, I want to try out many different genres, and it’s important that I’m not fixed on any particular genre. I just want to be open, so when I’m working on a song, I’m focused on that moment. The stories of the songs can appeal to a lot of people and be relatable with different variations on that.
Light Colors:
I picture blueish tints and white. It’s the reason I recently changed the color of my microphone to white!
With BTS songs, it’s all the different colors of the individual members coming together — whereas for me, it’s just me and my own unique color. I don’t think I could make something that has all the colors of BTS, but being a part of BTS formed the basis for my solo project.
