The year he turned 16, BTS’s debut single “2 Cool 4 Skool” came out, and the next day he made his debut stage on Mnet’s M Countdown. He was the youngest of the seven members. In 2014, he released the first full-length album Dark & Wild, and won new artist awards at three ceremonies.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 18, in May, “I Need U” won its first music show No. 1. Three days later, it won on KBS2’s Music Bank, the first win on terrestrial TV.
In 2016, he put his first solo song, “Begin,” on the second full-length album Wings, and in December won Artist of the Year at MAMA. In 2017, BTS won Top Social Artist at the Billboard Music Awards in the U.S. In 2018, Love Yourself: Tear reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the first time for a Korean act.
In 2019, Map of the Soul: Persona gave BTS a third Billboard 200 No. 1. In 2020, he released the self-written “Still With You” for free, and in September “Dynamite” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2021, “Butter” also took No. 1 on the Hot 100.
In 2022, he released “Left and Right” with Charlie Puth, and in November sang “Dreamers” at the Qatar World Cup opening ceremony. In 2023, his first solo single, “Seven,” debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100, and he released the first solo full-length album Golden. He enlisted in the Army that December.
In 2024, the documentary Jung Kook: I Am Still opened in theaters. In 2025, he finished 18 months of service and was discharged. In 2026, BTS’s fifth full-length album Arirang came out, and the world tour opened in Goyang in April.
Jung Kook (born Sep 1, 1997) debuted with BTS on Jun 12, 2013, the year he turned 16, and became known when “I Need U” won its first music show No. 1 on May 5, 2015, the year he turned 18. He released his first solo single, “Seven,” in 2023, the year he turned 26.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
The single was released at noon, and a debut showcase was held at Ilji Art Hall in Gangnam District, Seoul, at 2:30 p.m. It had seven tracks and ran 27 minutes.
Source 01 · Newsen (Korean) · BTS debut showcase · opens in a new tabPerformed two songs, the second being the title track “No More Dream.” Newsen wrote that the seven members’ average age was 19.7 and that he, the youngest, was born in 1997.
Source 02 · Newsen (Korean) · Debut stage on M Countdown · opens in a new tabReceived the new artist award, shared with Kim Ye-rim, at the ceremony at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul.
Source 03 · TV Daily (Korean) · 2013 Melon Music Awards new artist award · opens in a new tabReceived it at Jamsil Arena. It followed new artist awards at the 2013 Melon Music Awards and the 28th Golden Disc Awards.
Source 04 · MBN (Korean) · Three new artist awards · opens in a new tabA release showcase was held at Blue Square Samsung Card Hall in Yongsan District, Seoul. The members said the work widened their range.
Source 05 · MBN (Korean) · Dark & Wild showcase · opens in a new tabReleased at midnight on the 29th. Herald Business wrote that it portrayed a slice of youth after the school trilogy.
Source 06 · Herald Business (Korean) · “I Need U” release · opens in a new tabSource 07 · Xportsnews (Korean) · First music show win on The Show · opens in a new tabWon on SBS MTV’s The Show for the first time two years after debut, and three days later won on KBS2’s Music Bank, the first win on terrestrial TV since debut. Newsis and Yonhap News TV described the song as the point where the group’s activities in Korea changed.
Each member has a solo song on the album; his is “Begin.” At the press conference he said that because it was a solo song with a lot he could tell about himself, it made him think a great deal.
Source 11 · bnt News (Korean) · Wings press conference · opens in a new tabAt the ceremony at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, received Best Dance Performance Male Group and Artist of the Year, one of three grand prizes.
Source 12 · Sports Seoul (Korean) · 2016 MAMA Artist of the Year · opens in a new tabReceived it at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Kukmin Ilbo wrote that it was the first time for a Korean idol group.
Source 13 · Kukmin Ilbo (Korean) · Billboard Music Awards Top Social Artist · opens in a new tabThe album, released May 18, reached No. 1 on the chart announced on the 27th (local time). It was the first time a Korean act topped this chart.
Source 14 · Digital Times (Korean) · Love Yourself: Tear tops the Billboard 200 · opens in a new tabIt was their third No. 1. Preorders came to 3,021,822.
Source 15 · Star Today (Korean) · Third Billboard 200 No. 1 · opens in a new tab Date is the local time at which Billboard announced the No. 1 ahead of the chart.Released free on SoundCloud. It is a solo song made with the producer Pdogg.
Source 16 · Kuki News (Korean) · “Still With You” surprise release · opens in a new tabBillboard announced on Aug. 31 (local time) that it had debuted at No. 1. It was the first for a Korean act, and in Korea it was Sept. 1, his birthday.
Source 17 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · “Dynamite” tops the Hot 100 · opens in a new tabSource 37 · Star News (Korean) · Jungkook birthday donation relay · opens in a new tabReached No. 1 on the chart announced on the 1st (local time). It was their fourth Hot 100 No. 1 in nine months.
Source 18 · Newsis (Korean) · “Butter” tops the Hot 100 · opens in a new tabReleased on music sites worldwide at 1 p.m.
Source 19 · TenAsia (Korean) · “Left and Right” release · opens in a new tabPerformed at the opening ceremony at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar. Seoul Economic Daily wrote that it was the first World Cup official soundtrack song sung alone by a K-pop solo singer.
Source 20 · Seoul Economic Daily (Korean) · “Dreamers” revealed · opens in a new tabSource 21 · Sports Today (Korean) · Qatar World Cup opening ceremony · opens in a new tabReleased at 1 p.m. on the 14th.
Source 22 · News1 (Korean) · “Seven” release · opens in a new tabBillboard announced the No. 1 on the 24th (local time). Billboard wrote that he was the second BTS member to top the Hot 100.
Source 23 · Hankyoreh (Korean) · “Seven” tops the Hot 100 · opens in a new tabIt came four months after he began solo activity with “Seven.” It was the first K-pop solo album to sell more than 2 million copies on its first day.
Source 25 · JoongAng Ilbo (Korean) · Golden release · opens in a new tabSource 24 · Newsis (Korean) · Golden, first day of release · opens in a new tabEntered the Army 5th Infantry Division recruit training center in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, together with Jimin. With that, all seven members were in military service.
Source 26 · Yonhap News (Korean) · Jimin and Jungkook enlist together · opens in a new tabHis first solo documentary film. It opened in theaters in more than 120 countries and regions.
Source 27 · Star Today (Korean) · Jung Kook: I Am Still release · opens in a new tabCompleted 18 months of service at a unit in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, and was discharged together with Jimin.
Source 28 · Star News (Korean) · Jungkook and Jimin discharged · opens in a new tabOn Weverse he apologized for causing disappointment and discomfort with the wording on a cap worn at a rehearsal, and said the cap had been discarded immediately.
Source 29 · Sports Today (Korean) · Apology over a cap · opens in a new tabReleased at midnight on the official SoundCloud and YouTube channels. It is a Johnny Stimson song, and he filmed the video himself.
Source 30 · MBC Entertainment (Korean) · “The Christmas Song” cover · opens in a new tabThe first album in 3 years and 9 months, after all members finished military service, with 14 tracks. All of them took Nos. 1–14 on Spotify’s global streaming chart, and the title track is “Swim.”
Source 31 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Fifth full-length album Arirang · opens in a new tabSource 32 · Kyunghyang Shinmun (Korean) · Arirang · opens in a new tabOn an early-morning Weverse live broadcast he apologized to fans for remarks made on a recent live broadcast. He also said he was not sure whether it was a serious mistake.
Source 33 · JoongAng Ilbo (Korean) · Apology over a live broadcast · opens in a new tabThe Goyang concert began the first world tour with all members in 6 years and 5 months. On the 11th, 44,000 people attended at Goyang Stadium.
Source 34 · YTN (Korean) · World tour opens · opens in a new tabSource 35 · Kukmin Ilbo (Korean) · World tour, Goyang concert · opens in a new tabTook the stage with BTS at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and sang “Swim” and “MIC Drop,” among other songs.
Source 36 · Star News (Korean) · 2026 iHeartRadio Music Festival · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 2013–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
What did they do, and at what age?
AgeTrail lines up the key moments of a life by age.
Debut and breakthrough are marked separately, and every record has a source.
Music · South Korea
Sep 1, 1997 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1997: the year of the event minus 1997, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.09.22 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.