BTS’s Jimin turns 30: 5 stage moments that set fire to K-Pop

Do you know why the chocolate factory closed?

 It’s one of the most memorable interactions that BTS’s Jimin has had with ARMY: A fan asked him this question, and the star was distraught at not being able to find out the answer. He kept trying to puzzle it out. The answer: “It closed down, because Jimin was too sweet.”

 Bewildered Jimin bid his goodbye to fans after that.

It’s a perfect snapshot of the image he’s built over the past 12 years — sweet, caring, endlessly soft, yet armed with a razor-sharp wit that appears when you least expect it. And even after all this time, ARMY still finds themselves amazed by the duality he embodies on stage: that strange fire beneath all the grace and elegance.

So on his birthday, here’s a look back at Jimin’s fiercest performances — moments that make you wonder if, maybe, he really did shut down the chocolate factory.

He really did ‘end’ K-Pop there, as he promised.

Released ahead of his solo album FACE, Set Me Free Pt. 2 marked a dramatic shift for Jimin. The track — an intense fusion of hip-hop, trap beats, and orchestral layers — became his anthem of liberation. While it drew mixed reviews, fans embraced it as a bold declaration of selfhood, a raw unveiling of Jimin’s darker, more defiant side.

As Jimin explained in interviews, he wanted to explore something deeper and more visceral, much like his bandmates RM, Suga, and J-Hope had done in their own solo work. Here, he spits rage — against the world, against himself — yearning to be freed from the crushing weight of expectation. The accompanying video, drenched in blue and black hues, mirrors that turmoil: a hypnotic choreography, a ritual of release, and Jimin at his most powerful and unrestrained.

If you’re ARMY, you eagerly wait till 3:33, to catch Jimin’s dance-break in one of BTS’s earliest hits. One of BTS’s early tracks of ebellion, Fire elucidates burning down expectations, criticism, and the endless grind of perfection. In that moment, Jimin becomes the embodiment of the song itself: every sharp move and kick feeding the chaos, the passion, the freedom. As the members rally behind him, he stands at the center, fierce, fluid, and raging.

A song that once saved BTS from disbanding in 2016, I Need U holds a sacred place in ARMY’s memory. One of its most unforgettable renditions came at the 2019 Melon Music Awards, when Jimin delivered an ethereal, solo performance.

Another song that captures the wistful charm, is  the performance of Serendipity, which was performed during the Love Yourself Japan tour. Graceful and emotionally charged, the choreography mirrors the song’s tender message of self-discovery and love.

Every movement feels deliberate yet smooth— a visual interpretation of serenity. The performance was almost cinematic, with bubbles floating around him, rising and bursting in rhythm with the music.

It’s that one unforgettable kick from Jimin — though there are plenty of moments that leave fans talking for the ages. One of ARMY’s favorite band performances blends reflection on what it means to be an idol with sharp sarcasm and a burning fury. During BTS’s 2022 Busan performance, Jimin delivered this moment with pure fire, executing a flawless kick — and remember, this was a man who had just recently undergone appendix surgery.