Jung Kook of BTS Talks “3D” feat. Jack Harlow: Exclusive

Origins is a recurring series giving artists a space to break down everything that went into their latest release. Today, Jung Kook of BTS digs into his new single, “3D” (feat. Jack Harlow).

Within the world of BTS, it’s Jung Kook, the septet’s youngest, who is known these days for jumping on a livestream to hang out with ARMY. The fans have been witness to a number of activities in recent months: Jung Kook making noodles, washing his dishes, enjoying a late-night noraebang session, or just chatting about his day.

When he logs onto Zoom for an interview with Consequence to discuss his new single, “3D” featuring Jack Harlow, his energy isn’t all that different. “So, there I was, preparing for my next single,” he recalls. “I received lots of songs to look at, but didn’t really like any of them until I met this one. The moment I heard it, I chose it naturally.”

“3D” feels like it was plucked from airwaves a decade-and-a-half ago, when Justin Timberlake dropped FutureSex/LoveSounds and anything Pharrell touched shined brighter than gold. Jung Kook’s whispered refrains in the chorus and leveled harmonies underscore the nostalgic energy, but a feature from rapper Jack Harlow pulls the song firmly into the present.

While scheduling conflicts prevented Jung Kook and Harlow from being together for the track’s actual recording, they met on the set of the music video and quickly hit it off. “I loved his energy. It was really great,” Jung Kook says. “Just to share with you one interesting episode, there’s a scene in the video where we play chess, so I learned to play for the first time right there. And you know what? I played with Jack, and I won!”

To fans who have followed the group for a while, it probably doesn’t sound that surprising that Jung Kook entered a competitive environment — even a casual, friendly one — and came out on top. He has a reputation for trying new things and nailing them almost immediately, but, like his bandmates, he’s also extremely hardworking. Our conversation takes place while he’s in the midst of rehearsals for a headlining set at New York’s Global Citizen Festival, for which he selected a handful of solo tracks like “Euphoria” and “Still With You” alongside a medley of BTS’s English-language hits (“Dynamite,” “Butter,” and “Permission to Dance”).