Park Jimin, the Man You Are Today

ARMYs, it’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for—Jimin has finally made his solo debut, and it’s everything we ever expected and more. FACE, Jimin’s first mini-album, features six tracks covering a variety of genres. On his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Jimin described the meaning of FACE as looking back on the emotions he felt throughout the pandemic with the hopes that many people can relate to it. We do, Jimin. We do.

Jimin’s debut album opens with “Face-off,” which features writing credits from Jimin and BTS’s fearless leader RM. The track was deemed unfit for broadcast by KBS, and even for those of us who don’t speak Korean fluently, it’s easy to hear why: Jimin drops the F-bomb three times. Along with that, KBS also denied it due to the use of slang. “Face-off” seems to reference a breakup and the ways we handle the aftermath, but with the theme of the album being his emotions during the pandemic, it could also be a disconnect from getting to fully be an idol and the depression that could follow. For Jimin, that appears to be a night spent getting drunk, which may not be the healthiest coping mechanism, but is definitely something we can all relate to.

Following “Face-off” is “Interlude : Dive,” the only track on FACE not to feature writing credits for Jimin as it’s a mostly instrumental track that features the sound of doors opening, a drink being poured, and a clip of Jimin addressing his fans. It feels slightly weird to be here on the album, especially since there’s only six tracks, but after a few listens, it definitely works. It could be the audio embodiment of the disconnect between idol life and the theme of “Like Crazy,” the track that follows.

At its heart, title track “Like Crazy” is a song about letting go and enjoying the night before you have to face your problems the next morning. There’s a definite ‘80s feel to the backing music, a sound that really fits Jimin’s voice. It’s not overpowering, letting his voice be the shining light of the track. Track six is the English version of “Like Crazy,” and it’s just as perfect.

The music video does a really good job of showcasing the heart of “Like Crazy” as well. It opens with Jimin standing alone in a crowd, lost in his thoughts, before switching to him sitting at a kitchen table. It flickers to a shot of the floor covered in mud and dirt, a representation of the worries and thoughts plaguing his mind, before he’s pulled into a party and seen finally letting go. There’s drinking, there’s laughing, there’s dancing, but most importantly, there’s Jimin embracing the lights and the night instead of drowning in himself.

“Alone” follows “Like Crazy” and calms the tracklist down. The song opens with the sound of an alarm, a potential call back to the end of fellow BTS member j-hope’s track “Daydream.” Jimin’s voice is utterly perfect, standing out against the guitar, piano, and drums featured in the track. While the song sounds beautiful, there’s truly a sense of desperation, giving up, and losing oneself before telling yourself that things are going to be alright. Even if you don’t believe it, things will be alright. The lyrics are something I think many of us can relate to, especially knowing that these tracks were written in terms of how Jimin felt during the pandemic.

The final track is the pre-release single “Set Me Free Pt.2,” the sequel to Agust D’s “Interlude : Set me free” from D-2. That said, Jimin’s “Set Me Free Pt.2” is a far cry from the peaceful sound of Agust D’s original. “Set Me Free Pt.2” is edgy. It’s got an aggressive tone to it thanks to the autotune used for his vocals throughout the track, and the lyrics tell of how Jimin is now fighting for the freedom he’s been missing this whole time. In that regard, it’s the perfect track to end FACE.

If you were sad at the lack of choreography in title track “Like Crazy,” don’t worry, because the music video for “Set Me Free Pt.2” delivers choreo in spades. Truly, there’s only dancing to be found, with Jimin’s dancing telling the story of the track. Jimin’s background is in classical dancing, and the blend of classical dancing elements with a more hip-hop and aggressive style is beautiful to see.

When I got into K-Pop, Jimin was my first bias (and my first tattoo). When he released “Promise” on SoundCloud, it was one of the most exciting days of my ARMY life. We all love it when our favorite members of our favorite groups branch out and explore their own sound, and it’s finally Jimin’s turn to shine and show what he’s made of. FACE is Jimin through and through. With at least one song that everybody will love and relate to, this was the perfect release for Jimin’s solo debut, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him.

Edited by Aleena Faisal