Three days have passed since news broke about Jin’s upcoming special hug event. It quickly became one of the most talked-about topics on social media, as millions of people eagerly awaiting his return from military service. Rumors swirl about a solo album release this year, intensifying the spotlight on the artist. The global fervor surrounding Jin’s return and future activities underscores his influential role in the industry. 

Korean financial analysts reported that HYBE’s stock price closed higher on June 3, ending at 200,500 won, up 0.25% from the previous trading day, with a trading volume of 287,493 shares. Following a streak of declining prices, this rise in stock price is attributed to the news of Jin’s impending discharge from military service on June 12 and the announcement of his future activities after his discharge, specifically during the “Festa.”

Just fifteen days before Jin’s return, on May 27th, the “Wootteo” Instagram account, an animated character created by Jin to promote his farewell single album “The Astronaut,” started posting again after 18 months of inactivity. The little alien character began counting down to Jin’s return to Earth, creating a buzz and making fans anticipate a possible announcement.

On June 2, BigHit announced that Jin would lead the BTS Festa activities on the group’s anniversary day, June 13. One of the most thrilling events will be a “Hug Fairy” meet and greet, where 1,000 lucky fans will have the chance to receive a light hug or a handshake from Jin. This announcement has caused a surge of excitement among fans, trending on various social media sites, both in Korea and internationally.

Comments such as “Choose me so I can avoid being imprisoned in Cheongju Women’s Prison,” “I bought his album, does it count?? Does it??” and “Should I first hug him or just go straight to the mental institution?” reflect the fervent enthusiasm and humor within the fan community. Other comments like “The Lover King is back!” and “I’m going insane, finally a chance to hug a handsome man,” flooded Korean fan communities.

An article about the upcoming events on Naver, the largest Korean news portal, amassed more than 180,000 views. Over 100 articles have been written on the topic, and multiple of them are trending.