BTS' J-Hope kicks off first solo world tour

"It's been a long time since I last performed, but I didn't expect the energy and support to be this amazing. ARMY (BTS Fan Club) is the best!"

As BTS member J-Hope kicked off his world tour, HOPE ON THE STAGE, the 12,500 people in the stadium roared with excitement at KSPO Dome, Olympic Park, Seoul on Sunday afternoon. It was a BTS member's first solo world tour since the members' military service break, so ARMY fans from around the world were more excited than ever.

The excitement grew even more intense when J-Hope sang “Lock/Unlock,” a song from his special album HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1, released in March last year, and performed the street dance style locking. As a former street dancer, he carefully prepared for the performance, saying, “I wanted to bring my roots to the concert.”

The stage quickly dispelled doubts about whether BTS would remain the same after their discharge from the army. Songs from his first solo album, “Jack in the Box,” released in 2022, such as “What If,” “Pandora's Box,” and “Arson,” were performed with high energy. His performance exceeded fans' already high expectations.

Fans were also pleased to see a preview of the digital single “Sweet Dreams,” released on March 7. The soft, romantic R&B genre, which J-Hope hadn't explored before, drew even more attention. J-Hope expressed his love for the song, saying, “I don't know if I've ever done a proper love song before.” He then performed BTS songs such as “MIC Drop” and “Silver Spoon” on his own, delivering an impressive performance even without the other members.

On stage, it felt like J-Hope's entire life as a singer flowed through the show. “I feel alive when I'm on stage,” J-Hope said. “I also hope you will continue to see me as I am and love me.” The stage setup was also impressive, featuring 25 main stage lifts with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) moving up and down, along with staircases.

The Seoul concert, which took place over three nights from February 28 to March 2, was sold out, with a total of 37,500 attendees. BTS member Jin and HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk also attended to support J-Hope. Kicking off in Seoul, J-Hope's world tour will continue through June, with a total of 31 concerts in 15 cities worldwide, including the U.S., Japan, Mexico, and the Philippines.


사지원 기자 4g1@donga.com