(ANN/The Korea Herald) – Opening his world tour, BTS’ J-Hope filled the stage with everything he loves.
Recently finishing his military service last October, the singer launched his highly anticipated solo world tour, “Hope on the Stage,” with three sold-out performances at the KSPO Dome over the weekend.
On Sunday, the location vibrated with fans shouting J-Hope’s name while they anticipated the concert’s start.
Dressed in a striking red outfit and wearing sunglasses, the singer began the show with “What if …” and “Pandora’s Box,” his deep-toned rapping shining under intense lighting. He then dramatically removed his gloves, pulled out a lighter from his pocket, and set the stage on fire — both literally and figuratively — with “Arson.”
“The show’s title ‘Hope on the Stage’ means that I want to show you many things on stage as J-Hope,” said J-Hope.
The concert was divided into five sections — Ambition, Dream, Expectation, Fantasy, and Wish — each representing J-Hope’s journey as a solo artist.
The mood shifted as paper butterflies rained down from the ceiling and J-Hope emerged in street-style clothing to perform “On the Street.” He proceeded with songs from his special album “Hope on the Street Vol. 1,” released in March last year, expressing his strong enthusiasm for street dance.
“I’ve been doing street dance since I was young, and I poured that love into the album I released last year. Now, I’m bringing it to the stage. Seeing how much you love this performance makes me happier than anything,” J-Hope shared.
A distinctive aspect of the concert was the complex stage floor setup, comprising 26 lifts that evolved into different scenes — a path he walked, a train running on snowy tracks, and an endless staircase — generating an immersive experience.
A series of performances including “Airplane + Airplane Pt. 2,” “MIC Drop,” “Outro: Ego,” “Daydream,” and “Chicken Noodle Soup” followed, showcasing J-Hope’s wide-ranging musical spectrum as a solo artist.
J-Hope also surprised fans with a special performance of his new song, “Sweet Dreams,” scheduled to drop this Friday. As he sang, fans lit up the venue using their phone flashlights.
“While thinking about what kind of music to make after my military discharge, I realized that love feels somewhat lacking in today’s world. And then I thought, ‘Has J-Hope ever made a proper love song?’ That’s how ‘Sweet Dreams’ was born. It’s a serenade of love dedicated to all of you,” he explained.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve performed. I didn’t expect Army’s energy and support to be this overwhelming. I promise to stay safe, healthy during the tour, and to continue being a source of hope through my music,” J-Hope said at the end of the 130-minute show.
J-Hope will continue his tour with 12 shows across six US cities, followed by 16 performances in eight cities across Asia.
