j-hope (제이홉)

j-hope was born Jung Ho-seok on February 18, 1994, in Gwangju, South Korea, where he lived with his parents and older sister, Jung Ji-woo. Before becoming a trainee, he trained for six years as a street dancer and was part of an underground dance crew. He went by the nickname “Smile Hoya” while performing with the dance team NEURON, drawing creative inspiration from artists like G-Dragon and Beenzino.

He briefly auditioned for JYP Entertainment alongside future B.A.P member Youngjae, but ultimately joined Big Hit Entertainment instead, training to become a rapper and learning from future bandmates RM and Suga, who would go on to form BTS’s “rap line.” On June 13, 2013, j-hope debuted with six other members as part of BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan), a group that would go on to become a global musical phenomenon.

His stage name carries deep meaning — it reflects his desire to be “the hope of BTS” and a source of hope for fans. It’s also inspired by the legend of Pandora’s box, where hope was the one thing left after all evils were released into the world.

j-hope’s solo journey began with the 2018 mixtape Hope World, which became the highest-charting album by a Korean soloist on the Billboard 200 at the time. He continued breaking records with hits like “Chicken Noodle Soup” (feat. Becky G) in 2019, making him the first BTS member to chart solo on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2022, he released his official debut studio album Jack in the Box, exploring themes of ambition, anxiety, and resilience.

In 2023, just before starting his mandatory military service on April 18, he released “On the Street” with American rapper J. Cole, setting new chart records for a Korean soloist in the UK. He was discharged from service on October 17, 2024 (per multiple sources). Shortly after, Big Hit released his six-part documentary Hope on the Street along with its companion EP, Hope on the Street Vol. 1, exploring his roots in street dance across cities like Gwangju, Seoul, Osaka, New York, and Paris.

2025 marked a major comeback year: j-hope participated in Le Gala des Pièces Jaunes, a charity event hosted by the First Lady of France, Brigitte Macron, in January 2025, performing in front of 35,000 people at La Défense Arena. He then launched his first solo world tour, Hope on the Stage, beginning in Seoul and expanding across Asia and North America, before concluding with a two-day concert on June 13 and 14 at the Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium in Goyang. He also headlined 2025 Lollapalooza Berlin, which took place on July 12 and 13 at Olympic Park and the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

Beyond music, j-hope is known for his philanthropy — in March 2025, he donated ₩100 million to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association for wildfire relief efforts in the Ulsan, Gyeongbuk, and Gyeongnam regions. As of 2026, BTS as a group is preparing for a full reunion, with a new album expected in spring 2026 alongside a world tour.