It was more than J-Hope's concert — BTS reunites on debut anniversary
Some 27,000 fans roared as they chanted 'J-Hope' over and over until the K-pop star finally appeared on stage at exactly 7 p.m., wearing sunglasses and a striking red outfit, for his encore solo concert 'J-Hope Tour 'Hope on the Stage' Final' at Goyang Sports Complex, Gyeonggi Province, Friday.
Marking the final stop of his world tour that began in end of February, J-Hope kicked off the show with four back-to-back tracks — 'What If,' 'Pandora's Box,' 'Arson' and 'Stop.'
'What's up, Army (BTS' fan name). What's up, Goyang. Thank you so much to everyone who came to 'Hope on the Stage Final,'' he said, greeting the crowd that filled the stadium.
'This is it — the final show. I can't believe it myself. Starting in Seoul at the end of February, this tour has lasted for three months and it's finally come to an end. I'm honored that the finale is happening on such a meaningful day — June 13,' he said. BTS debuted on June 13, 2013.
The 'golden maknae' surprises Army
And meaningful it truly was.
Following four songs from his special album 'Hope on the Street Vol. 1,' J-Hope was joined on stage by none other than Jungkook, surprising fans who had anticipated the appearance of at least one BTS member. Four members — RM, V, Jimin and Jungkook — were recently discharged from their 18 months of mandatory military service.
The stadium erupted in deafening cheers when the youngest member appeared and joined in singing "I Wonder."
'I was so nervous waiting under the stage. I've missed you all so much during the past year and a half,' Jungkook said shyly, clearly not yet used to the crowd. 'My mind just went blank for a second. I can't believe I am really standing here. So many memories rushes back — it feels both nostalgic and new. I've missed you so much. It's such a joy to sing in front of you again.'
'I was watching Hobi (J-Hope's nickname) backstage and he is so cool — he's on a different level,' Jungkook added, before performing 'Seven (feat. Latto)' to give J-Hope time to prepare for the next segment.
A bold new chapter: J-Hope's stage three
Stage 3 was all J-Hope. Of the four songs performed in this section, three were fresh singles — 'Killin' It Girl (feat. GloRilla),' 'Mona Lisa' and 'Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel) – FNZ Remix.' 'Killin' It Girl' had just been released half a day earlier.
'This one doesn't need a long explanation,' J-Hope said, referring to his new song. 'It's a song that shows the sexy side of J-Hope. I released the three singles this year — all exploring love in my own way, made for easy listening. I wanted to give the songs a beginning, middle and end.'
Later, he fired up the crowd with a BTS medley including 'MIC Drop,' 'Baepsae' and 'Dis-ease,' fueling anticipation for BTS' eventual return to group activities.
The final segments, titled 'Fantasy' and 'Wish,' reflected J-Hope's ideals and his hopes for happiness for everyone. The setlist included his Billboard Hot 100 debut track 'Chicken Noodle Soup (feat. Becky G),' the B-side 'Hope World' from his first mixtape, BTS' beloved hit 'Spring Day,' 'Equal Sign' from 'Jack In The Box' and 'Neuron,' the main track of 'Hope on the Street Vol. 1.'
A show-stealing finale with Jin and the members
But the true highlight of the night came in the encore — when Jin joined J-Hope on stage for a duet performance of 'Spring Day.' He followed it up with a live rendition of his second solo EP's main track, 'Don't Say You Love Me.'
'Today is June 13 — our debut anniversary. I felt like I had to perform. So I just asked Hobi directly if I could do a stage with him. And here I am,' Jin told fans.
While only Jungkook and Jin appeared on stage, the rest of the BTS members were also present at the venue to support J-Hope. RM, V, Jimin and Suga were spotted in the VIP section and waved to fans when J-Hope mentioned them during his closing remarks.
'Today is such a happy day — not just for me, but for all of our members,' J-Hope said. 'They came to support this concert. BTS members are so precious to me. Without them, there would be no me. And without all of you (Army), there would be no BTS.'
'As long as I can keep moving, I'll show you the best performances and continue sharing good music with you. Thank you so much for coming.'
As those words were broadcast on the stadium's jumbo screen, Goyang Sports Complex was once again filled with the thunderous cheers of Army — a moment that many will remember as the start of BTS' next chapter.
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