BTS’s Jung Kook stuns in Calvin Klein’s 90s-inspired denim campaign

Highlights:

• BTS star returns as the face of Calvin Klein after completing military service
  
• Campaign shot in New York captures a dynamic, 90s-inspired aesthetic
  
• Jung Kook says, “it feels so good to be back” in the brand’s signature denim
  

The pop icon returns to Calvin Klein

Jung Kook, the youngest member of global K-pop sensation BTS, has reunited with Calvin Klein for a striking new campaign set in New York City. The 28-year-old singer, who completed his mandatory 18-month military service in June, last appeared in a Calvin Klein campaign in 2023, a collaboration that sparked huge online engagement and billboard buzz worldwide.

“I know that my fans have been eagerly waiting for this return, and it feels so good to be back in the brand’s iconic denim,” Jung Kook said in a statement released by the brand.

A campaign rooted in movement and style

The new visuals feature Jung Kook in a dynamic motorcycle sequence set to The Chemical Brothers’ 1997 track Block Rockin’ Beats. According to Calvin Klein, the campaign’s choreography draws inspiration from Jung Kook’s high-energy stage performances.

The collection revisits the brand’s signature ’90s aesthetic with contemporary details from all-black denim to leather jackets trimmed with fur. In one of the standout shots, exclusive to GQ, Jung Kook poses in a red-lit hallway wearing black jeans, a fitted T-shirt, and layered silver jewellery. His relaxed hairstyle and confident gaze complete the look that fans have already dubbed “CK Jung Kook 2.0.”

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Fans celebrate the long-awaited return

Calvin Klein teased the collaboration with a TikTok last week, triggering a flood of excitement online. Fan accounts reposted the clip widely, with comments reading: “God give me strength, I cannot handle CK Jung Kook again.”

“The energy on Calvin Klein sets is always incredible, and this shoot was no exception,” Jung Kook said. “I’m excited to see the campaign out in the world.”

Behind the lens

The campaign was photographed by renowned fashion photographer Mert Alas, who previously captured actor Jeremy Allen White’s viral Calvin Klein shoot in 2024. With Jung Kook’s global appeal and the brand’s enduring minimalist aesthetic, the collaboration marks another milestone moment in the merging of K-pop influence and high fashion.