“The Astronaut” by Jin (진), Wednesday, May 24, 2023

A few years ago, I remember (shamefully) having a conversation with my students as to why K-pop would never fully make it in America and my argument had to do with how American radio stations rarely played music in a foreign language. But K-pop proved me wrong, albeit, it didn’t hurt that BTS sang some of their major hits in English. But just as BTS was ascending to international fame, a legal barrier threatened the band. 

AN UNENDING HISTORY. Last October, BTS announced that they were taking a break from releasing new music together, which promptly caused Hybe Corporation's stock, the band's record label, to plummet. Each member of BTS would release solo records, and they would reconvene in 2025 to assess future projects as a group; however, Hybe Corporation's chairman Bang Si-hyuk (방시혁) expressed some doubts about the timeline as a renegotiated contract hadn't been discussed. The reason for this musical break had to do with South Korean law. All able-bodied males must complete a conscription period of 18-21 months before the age of 35. Before BTS's hiatus, the topic of mandatory military service, particularly for public figures making a great impact internationally--singers, actors, and sports stars like the Korean national Son Hyeung Min who plays for the Korean National League in the World Cup and for the Premiere League Club of Tottenham--had been hotly debated. Besides the growing debate over the necessity of mandatory enlistment, the economic repercussions of ordinary male citizens working on a low-government-granted stipend, the unfairness that only male citizens must serve, issues regarding traditional views of gender and sexual identity, and the question as to whether a trained professional army over a conscripted demographic would be more effective, opponents of celebrity enlistment argue that internationally famous groups like BTS are actually serving the country as cultural ambassadors. However, the counter side to this argument is that celebrities have to do their duties just as ordinary citizens and asking what is the measure of international fame a celebrity would have to acquire to relieve him of military service?  

I GET HEAVEN TO MYSELF WHEN I'M WITH YOU. Kim Seok Jin (김석진) is the oldest member of BTS. He was also the first to enlist and complete his military service, but just before joining he released the single "The Astronaut" and its accompanying music video. The track was written by Jin and several other writers, including DJ Kygo and Coldplay who recorded the instruments for the song. Lead singer Chris Martin's 16-year-old son, Moses, also received a writing credit on the track that helped to produce the hit. "The Astronaut" feels like it fits within Coldplay's most recent space theme in Music of the Spheres, perhaps even a sequel to their hit "My Universe," which featured BTS. Earlier this year, Coldplay performed on Saturday Night Live and performed an English-language version of "The Astronaut"; however, the song has not been officially released to streaming services and the official video of the performance has been taken down from YouTube. Coldplay's appearance on SNL was a bit odd since they were not promoting new music, though they have announced that the direct follow-up to Music of the Spheres has been finished and they will start playing songs from the new album this year. Jin's "Astronaut," though shows what a future of rock band collaborations with the K-pop boy band might sound like in the future. Coldplay has claimed that they will finish recording new music by the year 2025, which happens to coincide with BTS's planned reunion. The dates are probably purely coincidental and Coldplay may decide to release new music after 2025, but the aging band is certainly looking for ways to stay relevant in an ever-changing music climate. Maybe being the backing band for up-and-coming acts could keep the veteran rockers fresh? 

Read the English translation on Genius.