J-Hope, Jung Hoseok and everything in between: BTS’ rapper-choreographer was always complex, but we held on to the ‘sunshine’

Today, J-Hope is considered the second leader of BTS, with a powerful and protective fan-base by his side, who are determined to never let him relive his non fan-mail days again. He is responsible for most of the complex choreography for the band, ensures they practice till its perfect, and has contributed to the music of the band.  While BTS remains crucial to his identity, he has carved his individual space and has attended several prominent international shows representing the band, the first solo performance at Lollapalooza, Dick Clark’s Rockin’ Eve, prestigious award ceremonies like MAMA, when the others could not make it owing to their conflicting schedules. He didn’t just steal the show at the Paris Fashion Week as fans assert, he was the main show—and videos of million fans thronging Paris roads just to get a glimpse of him and Jimin stand as testament. 

Jung Hoseok and J-Hope

Sunny, cheery and with energetic dancing skills — this is how J-Hope is always described. It’s the general perception of the loveable ‘Hobi’, and the rapper has been desperately trying to break away from this image for the past few years. He was more than the exemplary dancer, the rapper, the comfortable space for his band members and ARMY.  He has always shown different sides to himself, but it was much easier to hold on to the ‘sunshine’ than really delve into the complexities of an artist. But J-Hope was done. In 2022, he released Jack in the Box—a demand to be released from the boxed expectations and assumptions surrounding him.

It now almost seems incorrect to say that he went ‘dark’ during Jack in the Box—he was just showing a different side to himself, proving that he was just as multi-dimensional as anyone else. Jack in the Box displayed his rawness at best, the bubbling emotions that had been tightly suppressed beneath the surface—-though at points we had seen glimpses of it. With the main track Arson, he burns down the one-sided image of him that everyone insists on seeing, and the staggering expectations that come along with being a part of the band, on whose young shoulders an entire country rests. In Jack in the Box, J-Hope experimented with varying emotions, ranging from exhaustion at losing sight of who he is, to pondering over where his lack of passion would lead him, the power of love and kindness, and how he is far from done yet—-he is just getting started. 

The album was different in tone and theme from his 2018 mixtape Hope World, which was a blend of gratitude, peace and looking back at who he was, before he became the J-Hope of BTS. Yet, both the albums had one aim—-unpacking Jung Hoseok, J-Hope and everything in between.

In the bubbly, positive song Hope World, J-Hope is thankful for his life and pays tribute to his parents. “My name is my life,” he says, showing his optimism and cheer. We see the two personalities—-J Hope and Jung Hoseok, where he says that he ‘runs 20,000 leagues under the sea’. A reference to Jules Vernes novel, Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, the story follows marine biologist Pierre Aronnax who is chasing down an alleged underwater monster, wreaking havoc in the oceans. Later, we learn that technologically advanced submarine the Nautilus was the ‘monster’ under the sea. The man behind the Nautilus is the mysterious Captain Nemo. Here, J-Hope sees himself as Nemo, and his world as Nautilus—-there’s a sense of adventure, and hope to bring out a change in people’s beliefs.  With the Piece of Peace, he brings out a new aspect of his personality as he explains how the world is almost a cruel, cold place where people’s cries are never heard. However, there is a promise of love and peace, a small comfort in trying times.  It also contributes to image and personality—brimming with hope. There’s still a tinge of warm in all the mess and chaos.  There’s also the aggression of Hangsang as he lays down his achievements of the band, and strikes a tribute to his 6 band members and the fans who stood by them when the cynics didn’t. He brags a little—he turns boisterous, as he reiterates their glowing fame—but this isn’t for fans, this is for the haters. 

The idea of J-Hope’s world is clearer in Daydream, as he presents himself as the idol, that everyone knows and loves, and the human, who prefers to steer away from the heaviness of stardom. He is  humble about his fame, as he hints that it cannot last forever. There are multiple versions of himself that he presents; one in casuals, one in formals, etching what he wants to say. It also presents the idea—-Jung Hoseok can live a freer life, but J-Hope is tied down with constraints and responsibilities. He is struggling to not let his anxieties overwhelm him—-but it is a herculean task. The tone of Airplane is melancholy, as he looks back at his dreams as a child. It’s also a message to his haters, that he has finally risen above all the hate and into a comforting world, where only his drams exist. Airplane is also deeply personal for him as he once described how he realised that he had finally arrived in life, as he travelled on a plane to other countries to sing for BTS. The lyrics, “I remember me from the time when the dry ground lit me ablaze….I ran looking at the blue sky. I think of that time in the airplane.” This is the opposite of Hangsang, as it shows exactly what he feels about his stardom. Blue Side is a quiet end to the album, which shows his introspective, quieter side, filled with anxieties. It isn’t sad, but just gentle with soft hip-hop beats. 

J-Hope’s music is where he speaks the most. His songs offer keen insight into the person that he is—-the person that he sees himself as, and the person that everyone else sees him as. It gets wearisome for him to juggle it all—but he still does. His music representing his numerous emotions doesn’t change the symbol that he still wants to be for people—hope.