BTS’ Jin to release first solo single ‘The Astronaut’ on Oct. 28

 Jin of K-pop supergroup BTS will drop his first solo single, titled “The Astronaut,” on Oct. 28, his agency said Wednesday.

The song will make Jin the second BTS member to debut as an individual artist, following J-Hope, Big Hit Music said on Weverse, a K-pop fan community platform.

J-Hope dropped his first solo album “Jack in the Box” in July, becoming the first member from the septet to go solo.

“The Astronaut” will likely be the last song from Jin before he goes to the military.

Jin made a surprise announcement of his upcoming release during the band’s concert in the southeastern port city of Busan on Saturday, saying he came to release a song with the help of a person he personally likes. He did not give any further details.

On Monday, the agency said the 29-year-old singer, whose full Korean name is Kim Seok-jin, will forego the delay of his enlistment at the end of this month and take steps to enlist.

In South Korea, all able-bodied men are required to serve in the military for about two years. But Jin, born in 1992, was allowed to postpone his military service until the end of this year under a conscription law revised in 2020.

Military manpower officials said he may be enlisted within this year at the earliest if he cancels the delay this month.