With 'Hope on the Stage', j-hope pays homage to his roots
In his debut solo tour, the BTS member showcases his passion and energy for the stage
Despite being part of the biggest boy band in the world, BTS member j-hope has long proven himself worthy of being a soloist. But 2022 marked a real turning point for him. That July, he released his first studio album Jack in the Box to critical acclaim. He then followed it by headlining Lollapalooza in Chicago on his own later that summer.
As someone who watched j-hope’s Lolla set live from an iPad screen, I felt the FOMO. The show was a spectacle. Through song, he told stories of his ambition to achieve greater success. He rapped and sang, all while getting thousands in the crowd to chant the lyrics—even if they didn’t speak his native Korean. But most of all, j-hope flexed his incredible dance moves for 1.5 hours straight. I remember telling myself, “The next time he tours, I’m never missing it again.”
That opportunity to see him live finally came earlier this month, when I caught j-hope debut the U.S. leg of his Hope on the Stage world tour in New York’s Barclays Center.
J-hope is the second member of BTS to embark on a solo world tour, following his bandmate Suga who went on tour with D-DAY in 2023.
While both are separate entities, I could not help but feel that the two concerts were accompanying pieces. Both concerts told stories of the BTS members’ past and present. Each also had a similar minimalist stage set-up, featuring different panels that moved up and down throughout the concert. But while Suga delved into the angst, trauma, melancholy and acceptance of his youth, j-hope’s felt like a euphoric celebration of how he got to where he is today.
Just as people love to pair movies with familiar themes together, I saw the two concerts in a similar fashion. They felt like two chapters within the BTS story.
According to details shared with the press, Hope on the Stage is split off in five themes: Ambition, Dream, Expectation, Fantasy and Wish.
When it begins, the stage is cloaked in bright red. Popping up on stage in a matching outfit, j-hope jumps into songs from his Jack in the Box era. J-hope, often known for his happy and positive attitude, surprised many with his darker, edgier sound when he released that album three years ago. It’s one where he sees himself doubting his life’s direction (‘What if…’), all while expressing his desire for even greater success (‘MORE’). But unsure of where he goes next, he often wonders whether he should burn it all down (‘Arson’). Like Jack in the Box, intensity is in the air when j-hope begins his set. But it’s a necessary beginning to show audiences just how far he’s come over the years.
As the concert carries on, j-hope continues telling his life’s story. As explored in his EP Hope on the Street Vol. 1, his second set shows audiences his passion for street dance, and it’s particularly fitting to see the musician paying homage to the art form in New York. After all, the city has played a role in his songs and performances.
The music video for ‘On the street’, a track j-hope worked on with his idol J.Cole, was filmed in New York to capture the essence of street culture that informs the BTS rapper’s own love of dance and performance. During the concert, j-hope even gives each of his back-up dancers their time to shine, making use of instrumental breaks for them to show off their funky moves.
The last section before the encore is a marathon. J-hope returns on stage anew, performing a pair of new singles: ‘Sweet Dreams’ ft. Miguel and ‘Mona Lisa.’
The former is an easy-listening, comforting romantic R&B track that feels j-hope to the core. But the latter, ‘Mona Lisa’, highlights the more mature and sexier side of the rapper that many have rarely seen before. With lyrics like “But she hold me down, She’s so sexy, I’m obsessed”, the track had everyone screaming with delight and shock. Our sweet, innocent j-hope…is a MAN! Seeing that this was also the very first time j-hope was performing the song live, it also gave me a taste of what the next chapter of BTS might look like.
Following the theme of Expectation, j-hope also gave his OG BTS fans a medley of the band’s tracks (‘Airplane Pt. 2’, ‘Mic Drop’ and ‘Silver Spoon’). It felt particularly cathartic to yell out the the names of all the BTS members during the start of ‘Mic Drop’, giving fans comfort knowing that j-hope’s bandmates are never far from his mind. He ends the energetic session with his hit solo songs ‘Chicken Noodle Soup’, ‘Hangsang’, ‘Daydream’ and ‘Hope World’—rarely stopping to take a break.
“I’ve never imagined having a solo tour, but I’m now doing it,” j-hope said, while addressing the crowd.
“I’m really touched by you all and I really think the energy that I received from you means that I can really start this tour on a good note! ARMY you’re the best!”
J-hope, who is often known for delivering his trademark, “I’m your hope. You’re my hope. I’m j-hope,” exuded positivity, passion and joy throughout the show. And having been a fan of BTS for over five years now, it warms my heart seeing j-hope back doing what he loves and does best.
Like the name of his tour, j-hope is clearly his happiest when he’s on the stage performing. But despite reaching the highest heights of fame, the rapper made sure his tour paid homage to where he came from every step of the way. While BTS’s presence was no doubt felt throughout the crowd, I was actually left most moved when j-hope started his final encore track of the night.
‘Neuron’, named after his hometown dance crew, was where j-hope first honed his love of dance. Encouraging the crowd to sing along to the song, j-hope was also giving his fans a message to never give up on their dreams.
“I’ll tell you again, we’ll never ever give up, forever. I’ll say it again. We’ll always be alive to move us…”
Just as Neuron guided j-hope to achieve his goals, the musician was telling us to keep going too.
I have no doubt everyone left the arena that night happier and more positive—ready to take on whatever challenges that awaits them in life.
Related reading
Getting to hear j-hope perform ‘Neuron’ live felt like a full circle moment for me. Last year, I spoke with the rapper’s hometown dance crew following the release of j-hope’s docuseries HOPE ON THE STREET.
They told me about j-hope’s early beginnings, and how they remain an inspiration for the BTS member’s songs like ‘Chicken Noodle Soup.’
Check out my interview with NEURON for Joysauce!
What else I’ve been working on
I attended the NCT 127 concert, which felt like a big Canadian homecoming for Mark Lee. I spoke to some NCTzens about what it meant to show up for the hometown boy, and why he is a symbol of Asian Canadian pride.
“I love how Mark is authentically himself and is still so down to earth no matter what scale of stardom he has reached,” fan Michelle Barut told me.
“He represents the embodiment of talent and pride for our Asian Canadian community. Although there aren’t many Canadian K-pop idols, Mark was able to achieve this in a highly competitive field.”
While you’re at it, I enjoyed reading Tamar Herman’s perspective on NCT 127’s 100th show in Newark, and the satisfaction one feels knowing that all the hard work you do will pay off.
Get in touch by emailing bunnipopnewsletter@gmail.com. Or, follow me on Instagram, TikTok and Threads.