Get To Know J-Hope, The First BTS Member To Release A Solo Album

BTS’ J-Hope is getting ready to make his mark. On Friday, July 15, the rapper will drop his debut solo album, Jack In the Box, which will feature his angsty lead single “MORE.” Then, just weeks later, he’ll make history as the first South Korean artist to ever headline a major U.S. festival by performing on the Lollapalooza main stage on July 31.

Since BTS teased more solo projects are coming, new fans of the group might want to know more about each member. So, who is J-Hope exactly? Here’s everything you need to know about the multi-talented star.

1. J-Hope Was One Of The First Members of BTS

According to Koreaboo, J-Hope, whose real name is Jung Hoseok, was the third member to join BTS. He reportedly became a part of the group after RM and Suga.

2. J-Hope’s Name Has A Special Meaning

In a 2018 Japanese Hulu special called We Love BTS, RM said that J-Hope “always lights up this atmosphere.” In fact, J-Hope is always so positive that he was nicknamed the “sunshine” of BTS. His bright personality and sweet smile make his stage name so fitting.

J-Hope’s name came up again during an episode of BTS’ 2019 docuseries Bring The Soul. According to StyleCaster, J-Hope said his name has “the deepest meaning” out of all the other members in the group.

“You know how in Pandora’s Box after everything else left, the only thing remaining was hope, right? I put ‘hope’ in my name to be a hopeful existence in the group,” he said, according to StyleCaster. That explains J-Hope’s iconic slogan: "I'm your hope. You're my hope. I'm J-Hope."

3. J-Hope Is An Amazing Dancer

It’s no secret that BTS has some very eye-catching choreography. Although all the members are talented dancers, J-Hope, Jimin, and Jungkook officially make up the group’s “dance line,” which means they’re often front and center during BTS’ performances and help choreograph the septet’s dances.

J-Hope’s role here isn’t surprising considering he started dancing as a kid. According to Billboard, he even won first place in a 2008 national South Korean dance competition. Now, he’s literally dancing on the world stage for everyone to see. What a journey!

4. J-Hope Is Also An Accomplished Solo Rapper

What else can J-Hope do? Rap. He first made a name for himself outside of BTS when he dropped his debut mixtape, Hope World, in March 2018. The record featured the hit singles “Daydream” and “Airplane.”

In September 2019, J-Hope and Becky G collabed on a remix of Webstar and Young B’s 2006 song, “Chicken Noodle Soup.” It’d be a few more years until J-Hope returned to solo music.

On July 1 of this year, he dropped the single “MORE” as part of his upcoming debut album, Jack In the Box. The record will drop on July 15 and feature 10 songs.

5. J-Hope Has Written Many Songs

Finally, J-Hope is a stellar songwriter. He’s received writing credits on BTS tracks like “Blood Sweat & Tears,” “Boy With Luv,” “I Need U,” “MIC Drop,” “No More Dream,” and more.

There’s so much more to come from J-Hope, I’ll surely need to update this article soon with more facts.