There’s a lot to celebrate in BTS land right now. Hobi, for example, returns from the military in just a few days’ time, while Jin has been a content-making machine since his return — thanks, of course, to his delightful Run Jin variety show plus the expectation that a full album from The Astronaut singer is coming relatively soon. And then there’s the ongoing theatrical success of I Am Still, the documentary from BTS’ youngest member Jung Kook that’s getting an extended version days from now.
The documentary, the extended “party edition” of which adds 20 minutes of singalong videos, tracks the meteoric ascent of Jung Kook to solo stardom. Among other things, the success of his debut solo single Seven (featuring Latto) in July 2023, from his debut album Golden, helped him become the first Asian solo artist to debut at #1 on three major global music charts simultaneously upon its release — the Billboard Hot 100, Global 200, and Global 200 excluding the US. Golden also made history by staying on the Billboard 200 chart for 24 straight weeks.
Jung Kook’s documentary celebrates his journey, his relentless work ethic, and his remarkable successes, featuring a mix of both exclusive and unseen interview footage as well as concert performances. Furthermore, fans have also given I Am Still a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on more than 1,000 user ratings as of this writing (they don’t call him the “Golden Maknae” for nothing!).
The version of the documentary in theaters now has reached 4,100 cinemas in 120 countries and regions. In North America, it hit #9 during its opening weekend and has grossed more than $3 million so far. Thanks to the additional 20 minutes comprised of singalong videos, I Am Still producers Hybe Corp. and distributor Trafalgar Releasing describe the extended version of the doc as “transforming the cinema experience into the ultimate fan celebration.”
I should add: Given that Jung Kook also doesn’t return from his military service until next year, the extended version of the film is not just a “fan celebration” but yet another example of BTS arguably redefining the notion of fan service. The group’s hiatus, which began in 2022 prior to the individual members enlisting in the Korean military for their mandatory 18-month service, has spawned so much more music and content than fans would have gotten had they stayed together during this period — including new music from every member plus variety shows, merch, films like I Am Still, and more.
In other words, they left behind enough content to make sure there’d be no chance whatsoever of fans forgetting about them while they’re gone. The group wasn’t kidding, it seems, when they sang in 2022 that the best is yet to come.
