BTS‘ Jin has seen and done some amazing things during his band’s rocket ride to global fame over the past decade. But when he was tapped to be South Korea’s official representative in the Paris 2024 Olympic torch relay the 31-year-old K-pop star was beside himself with excitement.
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“It was an honor to be part of such a meaningful moment. I was able to take on the honorable role of a torchbearer thanks to the support of ARMY (BTS’ official fandom),” Jin said in a statement after participating in the relay on Sunday (July 14), which also happened to be Bastille Day. “I am truly grateful. I was so nervous to the point of not knowing how the time passed, but I was able to do my best thanks to the many people on site who loudly cheered me on,” he continued of the thrill of taking part in the relay whose themes are “harmony” and “peace.”
Fans lined the streets to get a glimpse of Jin — dressed all in white — as he grabbed the torch on the Rue de Rivoli from a torchbearer on a bicycle and led the portion of the run that went by the Louvre Museum. Surrounded by a police escort, Jin carried the flame around 200 meters (and approximately 10 minutes) before handing it back over to Sandra Laoura, a former French national freestyle skier in front of the iconic Louvre Pyramid.
“I hope that all the South Korean national teams participating in the Paris Olympics accomplish outstanding results from their tremendous hard work,” Jin added. “I will be rooting for them wholeheartedly. I also hope that there will be continued interest in the 17th Paris 2024 Paralympics in August. I, too, will continue to work hard and always strive to put my best foot forward.”
The Torch Relay began, as always in Olympia, Greece and it is currently traveling through 65 territories across France and more than 400 cities in the run-up to the 2024 Summer Games opening ceremony in Paris on July 26. Jin was able to take on the honor this year after completing his mandatory South Korean military service on June 12, which made him the first member of the group to wrap his hitch as the boy band awaits its planned post-military reunion next year.
Check out some footage of Jin’s torch run below.
