Why is BTS’s Jin missing from Arirang album credits? Inside his solo tour and US songwriting camp timeline

BTS is back, indeed.

With the release of their fifth full-length album, Arirang, and a massive, career-defining performance at Gwanghwamun Square this past Saturday, ARMY is overjoyed. But beneath the flashing lights of Seoul and the upcoming buzz of their Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon appearance, a storm is brewing within certain sections of the fandom.

However, Jin's missing name in the liner notes and a couple of reports circulating on social media have fans worried.

The scheduling conflict

Last Friday, the group sat down for a full-group livestream to celebrate Arirang. Leader RM addressed the elephant in the room early on: Jin, the first member to complete his mandatory military service and a cornerstone of the group, is nowhere to be found in the songwriting or production credits.

“Everyone’s colour is in the album,” RM noted, before adding, “If Jin’s tour had ended a bit earlier, he would have been able to join us.”

V echoed the sentiment, mentioning that while there was a window to work together, Jin’s 'condition wasn’t good' and he 'kept touring'." Jimin even attempted to soften the blow, thanking Jin for "protecting the team" so the album could be released on time.

For many fans, the math simply doesn't personal. While the group held their intensive songwriting camp in the United States, Jin was wrapping up his highly successful solo tour. However, eagle-eyed fans pointed out that Jin actually joined the members in the US. shortly after his final show—yet the album production was reportedly already "locked," leaving the eldest member on the outside looking in.

The road to Arirang: A timeline of overlapping path

The solo launch (June – August 2025) Following his military discharge in mid-2024, Jin hit the ground running. By June 28, 2025, he launched his first worldwide solo tour, the #RUNSEOKJIN_EP. TOUR, in Goyang. While he was performing for sold-out crowds across Japan and the United States throughout July, the rest of BTS, having recently reunited after their own service, decamped to a shared home in Los Angeles to begin the "songwriting camp" for what would become Arirang.

The production gap (September – November 2025) The summer of 2025 was the critical "engine room" for the album. While RM, Suga, and the others were in the studio with producers like Diplo and Ryan Tedder, Jin was completing the European leg of his tour in London and Amsterdam. According to the Netflix documentary BTS: The Return, Jin didn't actually arrive at the Los Angeles camp until the very day after his solo tour ended. By then, the core 14-track list had been largely written and recorded. Jimin later confirmed in a November 1st livestream that the recording process was officially "finished."

The comeback countdown (January – February 2026): After months of mixing and mastering in South Korea, the group began teasing the new era. On New Year’s Eve, "Gold Member" fans received the first postcards teasing the comeback date. By mid-January, BIGHIT Music officially revealed the title Arirang, explaining that the album would focus on the group’s Korean roots and identity, a theme that made Jin’s absence from the creative credits even more jarring for fans once the tracklist was revealed in early March.

In the live, as the members discussed the American camp, Jin’s signature playful energy seemed to vanish. In a clip now viewed millions of times, Jin’s expression appeared to harden into a look of visible, silent frustration.

The tension was so apparently palpable that Jungkook was seen quietly reaching over to pat Jin’s shoulder, a subtle gesture of comfort that fans have interpreted as a confirmation of internal friction.

“I’ve never seen that expression from Seokjin before,” one fan wrote in a viral thread. “It doesn’t feel like he’s tired; it feels like he’s being sidelined."

In the Netflix documentary, it was also revealed that when Jin joined, Suga said that 'most of the album' had already been done. "I don't know why I'm here," Jin chuckles in the studio, to which V responds, "Hyung, we all feel the same way." This tweet has been going viral on social media, with many fans expressing hurt on Jin's behalf.

Blame or bad timing?

The narrative from BigHit and the members seems to lean heavily on the 'sacrifice' angle, that Jin’s solo success was the reason for his group absence. But the fandom isn't unified on this "unavoidable" scheduling.

• Many argue that for a group of BTS’s stature, a songwriting camp couldand should, have been delayed to ensure all seven members were represented. “It feels like Jin is being subtly blamed for working hard on his own tour,” noted one disgruntled fan.

• The realists: Others point out that global tours are planned years in advance, and moving a machine as large as BTS's comeback is a logistical nightmare.

Despite the digital uproar, the Arirang train isn't slowing down. The group’s Gwanghwamun Square event proved their local dominance remains untouched, and their U.S. promo cycle is just beginning.

Jin himself remained diplomatic during the stream, stating simply, “I’m happy there are so many great songs.” But as the group heads to New York to talk to Jimmy Fallon, the industry will be watching more than just the performance. The brotherhood still shows on stage, it remains to be seen what happens next.