BTS’s Jung Kook hasn’t done badly at all as a solo operator: “Seven”, the first single from his debut album Golden, went straight to number one in the US in 2023. But now he’s back with the band. The members of BTS have completed their mandatory military service in South Korea and have a new album, Arirang, out in March, with a world tour scheduled to begin the following month. That distant rumbling sound you hear is a pop-culture tidal wave on course to hit land.
Nevertheless, the musician clearly still has a bit of time for his own side quests – and most noteworthy is the announcement that he’s just become a Hublot ambassador. For a modern, punchy, high-spec watch brand, getting to grips with the upper echelons of K-pop makes a lot of sense, given both are very zeitgeisty, and influential, in their respective fields. Rugged, technical watches wouldn’t be what they are without Hublot, and half the world wouldn’t be eyeing holidays in Seoul without BTS.
The brand is not without a brace of eminent ambassadors already, Kylian Mbappé, Usain Bolt, Samuel Ross and Novak Djokovic among them. But K-pop stans are something else, and Jung Kook’s vast following will clearly help Hublot expand its appeal. “While all our ambassadors bring their own distinct qualities,” says CEO Julien Tornare, “Jung Kook’s ability to connect with millions worldwide through his artistry and authentic style will introduce Hublot to new demographics and territories.”
Jung Kook’s choice of watch for this grand unveiling – a Big Bang Unico in king gold and ceramic – is a proper mission statement. The Big Bang is the Hublot flagship that really gets to what the brand is about. The Big Bang Unico, named after Hublot’s in-house Unico chronograph movement, doubles down on those vibes. A black rubber strap, black ceramic bezel, checkerboard dial – it makes for a watch that could withstand being dropped from a skyscraper, let alone a BTS stadium tour. The variant with a case made of king gold – Hublot’s high-tech gold-platinum alloy – injects a bit of red-carpet dressiness into the mix.
“While we always offer our ambassadors a selection of timepieces that reflect their personal style, it’s clear that the Big Bang Unico resonated deeply with [Jung Kook],” says Tornare. That said, the BTS man apparently “really liked” the murdered-out Black Magic colourway too, which he also wears in his inaugural shoot for the disruptive Swiss watchmaker. A guy like him deserves both – and more. Before the whirlwind of the album release and tour, he needs to build up a decent collection to travel with, because there’ll be plenty of opportunity for some big watch flexes to come.
