WEEK 57 | I’m Your Hope…

February 3-9, 2025

Rhythm.

 

Debut j-hope

Dance Leader. Rapper. Producer. Songwriter. Sunshine. Mood-maker. Happy Virus. Hob-ah. Jung Hoseok, the most mercurial member of BTS, is known by many names. He’s a man full of contradictions—unpredictable, yet steadfast… unfailingly cheerful, yet focused and deliberate… infinitely cool and swaggy, yet afraid of bugs—the list goes on. 


He was born on February 18, 1994 in Gwangju, South Korea, where he lived with his parents and older sister and began studying hip hop and street dance at a young age. His talent led him to win first place in a national competition in 2008, and he also became part of an underground dance team called Neuron. He performed with them until he began auditioning for entertainment companies, and moved to Seoul in 2010.


While he wanted to be an Idol, Hoseok had very little experience with singing. But his foundation in dance had instilled in him both fluidity and discipline. These qualities, plus his natural desire to work hard, helped him to quickly adapt to life as a trainee, honing his voice, learning the fundamentals of rapping and songwriting, and adapting them to his own style. 


Over the next few weeks, we’ll watch Jung Hoseok become j-hope—continually leading the way and breaking molds left and right. Rather than changing to fit into the world around him, he instead invites us to dance to his rhythm, and inspires both his fans and fellow BTS members to do the same. From the early days all the way through revisiting his roots through the NEURON dance team, he’s presented the image of an ever-changing chameleon, and his message to all of us has never wavered even for a moment:


“I’m your hope, you’re my hope. I’m j-hope.”


 
 
 
 

Skip to Content: Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five

 

DAY ONE:


As a child, Jung Hoseok was always moving—his boundless energy unable to be contained inside his tiny body. It constantly spilled out, inciting both joy and weariness in his family. But it was clear early on that this wasn’t just a young boy who couldn’t sit still. Hoseok moved with purpose—with rhythm. When he heard music, his body responded.


Naturally, his parents enrolled him in dance classes. When he was ten years old, he began at the Gwangju Music Academy and showed early promise. Soon after he began developing his skills further at the Joy Dance Academy. There, he saw a performance from a street dance team called NEURON, and was immediately struck by their talent and style.

 

Pre-debut Hoseok

He began showing up to NEURON’s practice space, hanging out and being a little bit of a fanboy. He was younger than most of their crew, and they didn’t know what to think of him at first, but gradually Hoseok’s earnest charm won out and they began giving him small chores to do, and letting him take part in their practices. Eventually, his natural talent led to him being invited to join the crew formally.



It was during his time in NEURON that Hoseok started appreciating music beyond the rhythm it provided for his dancing. He realized he had a talent for singing as well and became interested in pursuing a career as an Idol. He began auditioning for different companies, including JYP Entertainment in 2010. Eventually he signed with Big Hit in 2011 and became one of their trainees. He was solid in his dance skills, but the company needed to discern how far he could go with his vocals. He began working with a couple of his peers—Kim Namjoon and Min Yoongi—on developing his sound and learning how to rap. And it seemed he had a natural talent for that as well, as he was quickly tapped to be the 3rd member of Big Hit’s up and coming hip-hop Idol group: BTS.

 

Hoseok bonded deeply with hip-hop, quickly absorbing all the music Namjoon and Yoongi shared with him. He discovered favorites, including another young artist who whose career was just starting to take off all the way across the globe in the United States—J. Cole.


As he learned more and more about rap, he began developing his style, conscious of the fact that his stage persona would need to leave a lasting impression on future audiences. He wanted something exciting, but also true to his ideals. Hoseok wanted to make a difference with his music, he wanted to give his fans a clear message—something to look forward to.


So it’s no surprise that he looked to J. Cole again. The artist who was already inspiring him lyrically, gave him a vision for his ideal image as well. J. Cole had Cole World…


Jung Hoseok would build Hope World… as j-hope.

 

j-hope BTS Dance (2009) - 03


 
 
 
 

DAY TWO:


 

As BTS came together over the next couple of years, j-hope found rhythm within the group and settled into his multi-pronged role of writer/rapper/dancer/producer. The members prepared endlessly for their Debut, and j-hope became an integral part of their dance practices. His previous experience helped him pick up choreography very quickly, and be able to turn around and help his fellow members learn as well. It didn’t take long for him to be given the position of Dance Leader. Helping to keep the members in line when it came to timing and choreo was something he took very seriously, and BTS’ stage shows have benefitted from it over the years.

Debut j-hope 2013

When he’s monitoring choreography to ensure that they are in sync and on form, j-hope’s normally sunny demeanor tends to become very quiet and serious. The members have often joked that he is really scary and they dread making a mistake and having to look up and meet his gaze afterwards.

At all other times, j-hope can be counted on for his happy energy and enthusiasm, which his members gladly lean on for support. His laughter has always been infectious—loud and boisterous—often being heard over any other noise in a room.


BTS debuted as a hip-hop Idol group, with a very carefully-crafted image that Big Hit had put together for them. It was very 2013—a lot of dark colors, sharp angles on their hair, heavy chains and tons of street wear. They were encouraged to act “tough”, but also remain attractive and desirable for their fans. It was a difficult line to walk.

Since j-hope’s natural personality was in direct opposition to the image BTS needed to portray, he worked extra hard to maintain the illusion of “hip-hop toughness”. After hearing some hurtful comments about his looks as well, this included even wearing a mask that covered the majority of his face during some of their early promotions. As such, it was hard for fans to get to know him at first. He didn’t receive as many comments online, or fan letters as some of the other members.

Some people would feel discouraged by seeming to not be as popular as other members in their group. j-hope had the opposite reaction. Instead, he realized that the reason he wasn’t getting the fan reactions he wanted, was that he wasn’t being himself. First, he lost the mask (huzzah), and little by little after that, he began showing his true personality, even when they were shooting content or performing. He let his sunshine energy out, and fan letters started pouring in.

 

“Beautiful” Official M/V

 
  1. "GRADUATION OF BTS" (2013) J-HOPE, JIMIN, JUNG KOOK | OFFICIAL M/V (3:02)

  2. "GRADUATION OF BTS" (2013) J-HOPE, JIMIN, JUNG KOOK | COLOR CODED LYRICS (3:04)

  3. J-HOPE FOCUS FANCAM | 130616 INHA FAN MEETING (2:26)

  4. BANGTAN BOMB: J-HOPE'S 'PUSH PUSH' DANCE (0:55)

  5. BANGTAN BOMB: CURIOUS CUTE RAP MONSTER & J HOPE (0:32)

  6. BANGTAN BOMB: TODAY'S LETTER DELIVERER JIMIN! (J-HOPE REACTS TO HIS EARLY FANMAIL) (1:55)

  7. "BEAUTIFUL" - J-HOPE, JIMIN, V, JUNG KOOK | OFFICIAL M/V (3:12 - as shown)

  8. "BEAUTIFUL" - J-HOPE, JIMIN, V, JUNG KOOK FANCAM | MUSTER (2:11)

  9. "BEAUTIFUL" - J-HOPE, JIMIN, V, JUNG KOOK | DANCE PRACTICE (3:04)

  10. "BEAUTIFUL" - J-HOPE, JIMIN, V, JUNG KOOK | COLOR CODED LYRICS (3:11)

  11. BANGTAN BOMB: PHOTOGRAPHER J-HOPE & JUNGKOOK LOL (1:27)

  12. BANGTAN BOMB: ANGRY J-HOPE LOL (2:07)

  13. BANGTAN BOMB: ALWAYS HAPPY HAPPY BOY, J-HOPE! (1:15)

  14. BANGTAN BOMB: SUGA FREE...? HOPE FREE! (0:33)

  15. BANGTAN BOMB: SUGA FREE, HOPE FREE, MON FREE! (1:30)

  16. "A TYPICAL IDOL'S CHRISTMAS" (2013) | COLOR CODED LYRICS (3:14)

  17. "A TYPICAL IDOL'S CHRISTMAS" (2013) | STAGE MIX (3:36)

  18. BANGTAN BOMB: FULL MOON (OF SUNMI) COVER VER. BY BTS (0:53)

  19. BANGTAN BOMB: MEDLEY SHOW TIME! (PERFORMED BY BTS) (3:17)

  20. BANGTAN BOMB: STRETCHING DOING DANCE IN BTS FREE TIME (1:45)

  21. "LIKE" (SLOW JAM REMIX) J-HOPE FOCUS FANCAM | BUSAN PERFORMANCE (3:39)

  22. BANGTAN BOMB: FOLLOW BTS! (J-HOPE CAM) (1:15)

  23. BONUS: EPISODE: 140218 IT'S A J-HOPE-FUL DAY! (8:45)

  24. "1 VERSE" | LYRICS (2:54)

  25. "1 VERSE" LIVE CLIP | SIMPLY ASK BTS (1:04)

  26. J-HOPE PERFORMANCE AT DREAM CONCERT (2:38)

  27. J-HOPE AT DREAM CONCERT (1:13)

  28. BANGTAN BOMB: IT’S THE POSE WHEN BTS SLEEP NORMALLY (1:42)

  29. BONUS: 150920 BTS ALL FORCE ONE :: BTS CYPHER PT.2 & PT.3 (SUGA VER.)

 
 
 
 

Bangtan Bubble: What’s your favorite early BTS j-hope moment?

 
 

Let us know your answer in the comments below or on social media (include #BangtanBubble)!

 

DAY THREE:


Wings Era j-hope

In 2015, BTS underwent a major image overhaul. Their albums had been performing well up to that point, but not to the level they wanted. Two years past their debut, they had yet to secure a coveted 1st place win on a Korean music show, and the formula of the street-style hip-hop image wasn’t holding up to the passage of time in the way they originally thought it would.


So when they began their HYYH (“The Most Beautiful Moment in Life”) series, gone was the heavy jewelry, dark leather, and VERY passionate eyeliner. Instead they donned pastels, softer fabrics, and more natural looking makeup. Their sound took a turn as well—the heavy rap/hip-hip focus mellowed a bit, and they started incorporating elements of pop, rock, and jazz as well.


This also brought a big change to their choreography. Instead of strictly hip-hop routines, the members now found themselves performing more lyrical and contemporary moves. And although j-hope had not studied any form of contemporary dance before joining Big Hit, he rolled with the punches and absorbed it just as easily as he always did any other choreography.

His songwriting began evolving as well. While previously focused on developing his rap skills in cyphers with the Rap Line, j-hope now found himself contributing to songs written about the nature of good vs. evil, using elements of Greek mythology, or even niche psychological theories. Again, on paper, it all seemed outside of his comfort zone. But j-hope didn’t back down from the challenge, and once again found a way to make BTS’ new rhythm work for himself.

 

“Boy Meets Evil” Comeback Trailer

 
 

Fun Fact

What’s that? You want to see more of j-hope dancing and just being an all around amazing human being? Say less. I got you.

Collected below is all of j-hope’s appearances on variety, talk, and music shows from 2013 to 2018. There is a lot of dancing, laughing, and unlimited Hobi energy.

Enjoy!

  1. 2013 J-HOPE DANCE CLIP | AFTER SCHOOL CLUB, EP 24 (0:53)

  2. 2013 JHOPE & JUNG KOOK DANCING TO GG SONGS CLIP | AFTER SCHOOL CLUB, EP. 191 (1:07)

  3. 2014 JUNGKOOK & J-HOPE VS. AMERICAN HIP HOP DANCERS FULL-SCALE DANCE BATTLE! | MNET AMERICAN HUSTLE LIFE (4:38)

  4. 2014 UNRELEASED VIDEO: BTS' J-HOPE VS. AMERICAN STREET DANCER | MNET AMERICAN HUSTLE LIFE (1:26)

  5. 2014 100 CHOICE, BEST RAMEN, EP 6 | HOSEOK CUTS (AUTO SUBS) (7:28)

  6. 2014 [STAR ZOOM IN] BTS J-HOPE'S SLAPSTICK COMEDY REACTION | CLIP BEATLE'S CODE, EP 35 (2:41)

  7. 2014  J-HOPE WENT TO A FAMOUS DANCE ACADEMY | CLIP BEATLE'S CODE, EP 35 (1:37)

  8. 2015 MY PET CLINIC EPISODE 6 WITH BTS J-HOPE, JIMIN & V (46:13)

  9. 2016 J-HOPE AND V CUTS | STAR KING, EP 433 (5:55)

  10. 2016 V(BTS) & MINJAE, "TOGETHER WITH YOU", GUESTS RM AND J-HOPE | CELEB BROS S1 EP4 (3:30)

  11. 2016 J-HOPE CUTS | SAME BED, DIFFERENT DREAMS, EP 44 (1:34)

  12. 2016 RAP MONSTER AND J-HOPE. EDUCATIONAL 'KOREAN RAP' WITH TEACHER | CLIP STAR KING, EP 447 (1:09)

  13. 2016 J-HOPE DANCES TO "DOPE" IN HIGH HEELS | CLIP STAR KING, EP 447 (1:22)

  14. 2016 JUNG KOOK & JHOPE DANCING TO RED VELVET "RUSSIAN ROULETTE" | MBC STAR SHOW 360 (0:45)

  15. 2016 INKIGAYO SPECIAL MC CUTS: J-HOPE, V, WHEEIN, AND MOONBYUL (8:05)

  16. BANGTAN BOMB: 2016 J-HOPE & V DID INGIGAYO SPECIAL MC!! (5:06)

  17. 2016 BTS J-HOPE AND JIMIN CUTS | GOD'S WORKPLACE (6:53)

  18. BANGTAN BOMB:  J-HOPE&JUNGKOOK SHOW MUSIC CORE SPECIAL MC (4:51)

  19. 2017 BAEK JONG WON'S TOP 3 CHEF KING EP 67 (WITH JIN AND J-HOPE) | FULL EPISODE (1:40:14)

  20. BANGTAN BOMB: 2017 BTS WON 1ST PLACE (SUBTITLE. SPECIAL MC DAY) | MCOUNTDOWN (12:34)

 

DAY FOUR:


 

“Daydream” Official M/V

In 2015 and 2016 respectively, RM and SUGA (AGUST D) released their first mix tapes. They were both well-received, and as the last member of the Rap Line who hadn’t ventured into solo music territory yet, the pressure was on for j-hope. He worked on it off and on for a couple of years, wanting to make sure his vision was exactly right. He wanted to release something that was unique to himself, and not just a copy of his other members, or BTS’ rap sound.

On March 2, 2018 HOPE WORLD was finally released on SoundCloud, and it was clear from the first opening notes who it belonged to. The 90’s hip-hop sound is so quintessentially j-hope, that it seems almost a shame he didn’t actually get to release music during that decade. But that’s okay, because now it takes us on a lovely nostalgic journey—dancing in our cars and singing along with the windows rolled down. (This is how I recommend listening to HOPE WORLD for peak enjoyment.)

My name is my life

A hopeful vibe

A positive rather than a negative type 

I live up to my name but ain’t no price


The opening track, “Hope World” begins with the above lyrics and they set the tone for the rest of the album. His name, “Hope” is his life. j-hope is grateful and happy for what he has, and he wants to spread that joy, that hope, to everyone around him as well. He’d rather give a positive example than a negative one, and build his world on happy emotions.

The good vibes continue with the next two songs: “P.O.P” (“Piece of Peace”) and “Daydream”. In “P.O.P”, j-hope reminds us that' it’s okay to make mistakes, it’s okay to be sad sometimes. He knows it’s not realistic to be happy always, but he wants to be someone who works to bring back the happiness to his fans.

 

“Daydream”

I wish to deliver courage
The standard of happiness is you, and you walk that path
I wish to fill up faith
Like a piece of cake that is simple and filling

Piece Of Peace

And in “Daydream” j-hope celebrates his determination to always be himself and do his best in the face of growing fame and celebrity culture.


That I want to cry in peace, I know

That I want to party like crazy, I know

That I want to feel my heart fluttering with love, I know

Ye I know I know I know, Cause Me

j-hope’s advice for maintaining happiness and calm? Don’t compromise to please others, no matter what. His confident example has inspired not just countless ARMYs, but his fellow members as well. Ask any of them what they think about j-hope and they’ll almost always say “Hobi is soooo cool.” He’s definitely mastered the art of being a “vibe”.

 
 
 
 

DAY FIVE:


We’ve all seen ARMYs on social media discussing the different rapping styles of the members of BTS’ Rap Line, right? RM approaches his rap like a songwriter. He’s all about lyrics and word play, darting in and out both fast and slow. SUGA thinks like a producer first—coming in like a freight train, aggressively running you over and leaving you dizzy. So what about j-hope?


Having learned how to rap only after he joined Big Hit as a trainee, j-hope developed his style based on the area of expertise he already had in his life—dance. In other words, j-hope raps like a dancer. He flows with and rides over the beat, adjusting his sound to fit the music. And sometimes, he uses his voice to imitate the music.

In “Base Line”, the next track on HOPE WORLD, he does this very thing. As he is rapping about how the sound of his music reflects how he lives his life, you can literally FEEL the SOUND in the tone of his voice.

The base line of my music
The base line of my movement
The base line in my life
The base line of my success

Base Line
Base time from now on
The difference in base that you can feel

When you see my Base Line


His technique is so wholly unique, it’s easy to forget that he didn’t hone his skills in the underground scene like RM and SUGA did. And it’s yet another amazing example of how Jung Hoseok never changes his view to fit the world, but rather changes the world in order to fit his view.


“Airplane” is another reminder from j-hope to Hoseok—to not lose himself in the whirlwind of celebrity. A lot of HOPE WORLD was being written during a time when BTS was burning their candle at both ends, and the members were all exhausted. This song talks about the craziness of their schedules, but tries to keep the focus on the positives it’s brought rather than the negatives.

I’m flying above the beautiful world

Whenever I get on it,
the excitement that I felt on my first trip to Japan– 
I still think of it
because that’s what flew my dream
because that’s what made what I am now


No matter what happens, no matter how tired he is, or what horrible things people might be saying about himself or BTS, j-hope is going to remember to be grateful, and he’s going to spread that feeling to ARMY as well.


 
 
 
 
 
 

Bangtan Bubble: Which song on HOPE WORLD resonates with you the most?

 

Let us know your answer in the comments below or on social media (include #BangtanBubble)!

 
 

FINAL THOUGHTS:


When I think about j-hope, certain words always come to mind… groovy, hip-hop, effortless cool, and sweet laughter. Though he’s always shown us that he’s a simple man, he also never limits himself to one version of who he is. In the early days of BTS he tapped into the “hard” image the company debuted the group with, but he was never able to keep the sunny smile off of his face for very long. HOPE WORLD, his first mix tape, leaned heavily into the loud and bright side of his personality, much to the delight of ARMY.

But what’s in store for us next week? Never satisfied to be one note, when we return, we’ll explore j-hope leading up to and during the Pandemic, and his transformation to a sound and image that was a little bit darker… leaving us shouting for “More”.

 

 
 

Side Quest

j-hope’s VLOGs (2013-2018)

If their VLIVEs weren’t enough, let’s not forget all of the YouTube VLOGs the members of BTS have recorded over the years as well.

Per our timeline this week, here are all of j-hope’s VLOGs from the time of the group’s debut in 2013, through to the release of his first mix tape HOPE WORLD in 2018.

 

130704 j-hope’s log

 

140911 j-hope & V’s log

 
 
 

CREDITS:

YouTube/Web

BANGTANTV, HYBE LABELS, 218 j-hope, Ash, BANGTAN SUBS, BangtanBakery, BoysBeforeeFlowers, bradie.subs ✽, Brilliant, bts hyng, BTS Jungkook, BTS LIVE ARCHIVE, BTS World, Btsthebest, December Deer, elimsbts, Emma Kirton, ENJOY BTS MORE, eternally vh, Eunbiased, éva kerekes, eyzz, fieryfairyalexa, harukwon n, HYE PARK, it's Live, j-hope FanPage, JAEGUCHI, jeonvsubs, JUNG HYUN RAN, Kiera Boyle, KOOKY'S EUPHORIA♡, koolb jeongshin, LEMORING, Lucky Butterfly, LUCYMS, Lynn Eksonyeondon, Machi, madam ARMY, MAS GANTENG, MBCkpop, Mnet K-POP, Old Peppy Grace, pimpincakes, PUMA, REAL MIN, Rhiannon, Run BTS, SBS Entertainment, The Hobi Lab, theultimatedodo, Tiffie Chiu, ttaelgi uyu, VJ, wokobee, yandevass, yooniverse, yoonji ga; Web: Billboard, ok.ru

ARMY Project 529 Volunteers

Research Team: Angel (TikTok: Lilangel2828), Leslie Day (TikTok: Leslie Day), Merry (TikTok: merryj67), Sam T (TikTok: samt_26), Shelley (TikTok: shels167), Trudy (TikTok: theeducationmommy), Viv (TikTok: VivEliz); Video Team: Leslie Day (TikTok: Leslie Day), Namz (TikTok: Namz07)

 
 

Join us on TikTok every Sunday evening at 8pm ET for #the529live, a wrap up of each week's “Monday Muster”, thoughtful discussions, and tons of laughter! It’s hosted by AP529 Founder, Stefne, on her channel (@StefARMYProject529). Catch us every Wednesday night at 9pm ET on our project YouTube channel (@ARMYProject529) for #the529tea, when we dish about all the news going on with Bangtan. 

If you can't watch in real time and want to catch up later, Lives are recorded and posted to our YouTube (@ARMY Project 529).



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WEEK 56 | It’s Gonna Be Alright.