Unboxing: Jungkook — GOLDEN Complete Album Set (All Versions)

(Warning: This post is extremely long and photo-heavy.)

My set of Jungkook's GOLDEN arrived while I was in NYC a couple weeks ago and I finally got around to unboxing them today, so I'm a little late with this post.

Jungkook — GOLDEN — Outer Boxes

GOLDEN is Jungkook's debut studio album as a solo artist. It was released globally on November 3, 2023, at all music retailers both online and in-store. GOLDEN features predominantly pop songs that incorporate retro funk, lo-fi house, UK garage, acoustic, and R&B. The album consists of 11 tracks with a total length of 31:48. The title track is "Standing Next to You," of which the music video was released simultaneously with the album. The two standalone singles, "Seven (feat. Latto)" and "3D (feat. Jack Harlow)," which preceded the release of GOLDEN, are also included on the album. In its first week of release, GOLDEN debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart, and No. 2 on the Billboard 200, achieving the biggest US sales week of any K-pop soloist in history. 

Jungkook — GOLDEN — Outer Boxes

GOLDEN has a total of 4 versions across 2 formats: 3 CD boxsets, and 1 digital boxset for Weverse Albums. This post features the complete set for GOLDEN, which includes all 4 versions of the album and is exclusive to Weverse Shop. There is also a set for the 3 CD versions without the Weverse Albums version, also exclusive to Weverse Shop. All versions are also available individually; the CD versions can be found at all major online and in-store retailers (note that online retailers, including Weverse Shop, sells the individual CD versions as randomized so you cannot pick the version), whereas the Weverse Albums version is only available on Weverse Shop. The complete set retails for $58.54 USD or ₩71,400 on Weverse Shop Global. Note that no money is saved by buying the set as opposed to each version separately.

Jungkook — GOLDEN (Shine ver.) — Outer Box
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Solid ver.) — Outer Box
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Substance ver.) — Outer Box
Jungkook — GOLDEN — Book Case

GOLDEN comes in three CD versions: the Shine version is forest green with gold detailing, the Solid version is ivory with gold detailing, and the Substance version is navy blue with gold detailing. All three are packaged in canvas-lined slide-out book cases and include the following content:

• Photo book (1 of 3 versions)
• Contents envelope (1 of 3 versions)
• CD + sleeve (1 of 3 versions)
• Postcard (3 versions, 2 of 3 each, randomized per version)
• Poster (3 versions, 1 of 3 each, randomized per version)
• Photocard (1 version, 2 of 4 each, randomized)
• Symbol stickers (1 version, 2 each)

Jungkook — GOLDEN (Shine ver.) — Photo Book

Jungkook — GOLDEN (Shine ver.) — Photo Book
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Shine ver.) — Photo Book
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Solid ver.) — Photo Book

Jungkook — GOLDEN (Solid ver.) — Photo Book
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Solid ver.) — Photo Book
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Substance ver.) — Photo Book

Jungkook — GOLDEN (Substance ver.) — Photo Book
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Substance ver.) — Photo Book

Each album comes with one 64-page photo book, which feature the version's respective photoshoots (e.g. Shine version will only include the Shine version photoshoots). At the back of the photo book are the lyrics and credits for each track of the album, as well as Jungkook's thank you notes.

Jungkook — GOLDEN (Shine ver.) — Contents Envelope
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Shine ver.) — CD + Sleeve, Symbol Stickers, Postcards x 2, and Photocards x 2
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Shine ver.) — Foldout Poster
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Solid ver.) — Contents Envelope
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Solid ver.) — CD + Sleeve, Symbol Stickers, Postcard, and Photocards x 2
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Solid ver.) — Foldout Poster
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Substance ver.) — Contents Envelope
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Substance ver.) — CD + Sleeve, Symbol Stickers, Postcards x 2, and Photocards x 2
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Substance ver.) — Foldout Poster

Each CD version of GOLDEN includes the CD in a sleeve (which comes in the colour of the respective version), 2 postcards (randomized out of 3 types per version), 2 photocards (randomized out of 4 types total), 2 symbol stickers (2 types), and one foldout poster (randomized out of 3 types per version). (Note: My Solid version album is missing one postcard.) 

The tracklist for GOLDEN is as follows:

1. 3D (feat. Jack Harlow)
2. Closer to You (feat. Major Lazer)
3. Seven (feat. Latto) [Explicit ver.]
4. Standing Next to You
5. Yes or No
6. Please Don't Change (feat. DJ Snake)
7. Hate You
8. Somebody
9. Too Sad to Dance
10. Shot Glass of Tears
11. Seven (feat. Latto) [Clean ver.]

Jungkook — GOLDEN (Weverse Albums ver.) — Outer Box

Finally, we have the Weverse Albums version of GOLDEN, which is the digital version of the album for use on the Weverse Albums app (available for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store). Like the CD versions, the Weverse Albums version also comes in a canvas-lined slide-out book case, but the packaging here measures 13.2 cm x 9.2 cm, which is slightly bigger than a cassette tape. It has the same colour scheme of the Shine version (forest green with gold detailing). The Weverse Albums version includes the following content:

• Contents envelope (1 each)
• Photo book (1 version, 56 pages)
• Postcard (1 each, randomized out of 3 types)
• QR card (1 each)
• User guide card (1 each)
• Photocard (1 each, randomized out of 2 types)

Jungkook — GOLDEN (Weverse Albums ver.) — Photo Book and Contents Envelope
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Weverse Albums ver.) — Photo Book
Jungkook — GOLDEN (Weverse Albums ver.) — Postcard, QR Code Card, User Guide Card, and Photocard
Jungkook — GOLDEN Early Bird Pre-Order Special Gifts — Holographic Photo Frame, Unreleased Photocard with L-Holder, Transparent PVC Photocard, and 3 Logo Phone Grips

In terms of packaging, Jungkook's GOLDEN is the simplest but most elegant out of all the BTS solo albums, mimicking classic canvas-lined hardcover books. With a cleaner design, more focus is put on the actual contents of the boxset, which is much like Jungkook himself, who has always preferred plain, solid clothing, but is an unbelievably gifted, multi-talented powerhouse. While Jungkook didn't write this album and these songs don't tell his personal stories, GOLDEN is a gorgeous, multifaceted, mainstream pop album that showcases Jungkook's incredible versatility and range as a singer. As one critic said, "The 2020s have found their pop king and GOLDEN more than secures him the throne."