BTS’s Jin to Meet Fans at '2024 FESTA' Post-Military Discharge

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Jin from BTS is set to reconnect with ARMY (BTS fandom) in his first official activity after his military discharge.

On June 13, Jin will attend the '2024 FESTA' event in the Songpa District of Seoul. FESTA is an annual celebration where BTS and their fans come together to celebrate their debut anniversary.

At the event, Jin has organized a special hug session called 'Jin's Greetings' for 1,000 fans. The hug session will take place in the first part, followed by various segments in the second part where ARMY can enjoy different aspects of Jin. The second part will be live-streamed on Weverse for BTS fan club members.

The hug session, an idea Jin personally conceived for his fans, has garnered significant attention. However, the initial entry requirements for the hug session sparked controversy over sales tactics. Initially, the agency announced that entries would be open to BTS Weverse membership holders who purchased solo albums released after the group's 'Proof' album (released in June 2022).

This led to criticism as fans felt compelled to buy multiple albums to increase their chances of winning, causing accusations of aggressive marketing. In response to the backlash, the agency revised the entry criteria to include anyone who had purchased Jin’s solo single 'The Astronaut' or BTS's 'Proof', regardless of recent purchases.

Jin addressed the controversy during a Weverse live broadcast on June 12. He explained, "I initially proposed the idea. Since I had to host 'FESTA' alone, I asked the event organizers about the plan around October or November. They were honest and said there wasn’t much left to decide."

He continued, "I insisted on doing a free hug session, but the company was concerned about safety. So, we settled on an indoor event for those who won the draw. I initially wanted to hug 3,000 fans, but we agreed on 1,000."

Jin added, "I apologize for not overseeing the process closely. Both the company and I prepared this with good intentions, hoping to embrace many fans who had waited for 18 months. I hope you understand. It’s something I wanted to do, not something I expect the other members to follow."

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