On April 6, under the sunny skies of Los Angeles, the grounds of BMO Stadium buzzed with excitement as thousands of members of the BTS ARMY gathered to watch septet member j-hope perform at the final US stop of his ‘HOPE ON THE STAGE’ tour. This would be j-hope’s second night in a row of shows at the venue, which collectively marked his first time ever performing a full-length solo show at a stadium.
While one can imagine just how emotional this occasion must have been for j-hope, it was also a very emotional time for ARMY. This would be the first time the singer greets his fans on a global scale following his discharge from the South Korean military in October 2024. When the American dates of the ‘HOPE ON THE STAGE’ tour were initially announced in January, Los Angeles County was faced with a catastrophic batch of wildfires. From losses of lives, destruction of property, and dangerously unhealthy air quality levels that permeated the region, millions of people who call LA their home were affected by these fires. Out of respect for the situation, BIGHIT MUSIC postponed the ticketing dates for the LA concerts indefinitely.
Music can bring hope to the masses during times of crisis, and many ARMYs remained optimistic that conditions would improve and the show would be held at the outdoor stadium. I consider myself to be extremely fortunate to have been able to attend three dates of this tour, including Brooklyn on March 14, and Oakland on March 31. However, I consider myself to be even more fortunate to have attended the LA show on April 6. To me, this wasn’t just a show on my home turf. This was a time for me to celebrate life’s blessings, including the great people I’ve met in the city due to our common love for BTS’ music.
Per K-Pop concert tradition, ARMYs congregated outside the stadium hours before the concert to mingle and exchange freebies (small handmade gifts). Many were also speculating who would potentially be a special guest for the show, as Miguel had joined j-hope to perform their recently released duet “Sweet Dreams” the night before. The atmosphere was very joyful, and it carried into the stadium as everyone began to file into their seats.
As the evening rolled in and the sun began to set, a sea of red orbs created by ARMY’s lightsticks covered the stadium. Songs from j-hope’s 2022 album Jack in the Box were played over the speakers as the screens on stage displayed the tour’s logo. Immediately prior to the start of the show, screams turned into a series of barking from ARMY. I found this to be a true sign of everyone’s excitement, as typically fans wait until the artist is in front of them to begin barking at a concert.
The stage was divided into multiple illuminated bricks, which rose up and down in an alternating pattern as the notes to “Music Box: Reflection” played. When j-hope emerged on stage, the stadium erupted with screams, and shouted along to “What If…” Since he was also joined by a backing band for the show, hearing the drums, keyboard, and guitar riffs played live added a great amount of emphasis to the emotions he attempts to convey in his songs. Whether it was angst, feeling lovesick, being in a celebratory mood, or anything in between, j-hope made sure the crowd could feel exactly what was on his mind as he performed an array of songs from his solo career – and a few BTS favorites too!
As j-hope performed his song “Arson,” bursts of flames rose up from the edges of the stage. The crowd’s lightsticks began to alternate between red, orange, and yellow flashes. Everyone collectively shouted “burn, burn, burn” and “done, done, done” during the chorus, which felt like a full acknowledgement of j-hope’s feelings of uncertainty he expresses in the song. Towards the end of the song, he vows to keep the flame that is his passion for performing burning, and hearing this call-and-response from the crowd was a move of admiration and respect for all j-hope has endured through his career.
When it was time for his first ment of the night, j-hope stood on stage for over 30 seconds listening to the audience scream. During this time, he didn’t say a word – he only motioned to keep the screams and barking coming. He gazed around the stadium, admiring everyone’s love and enthusiasm.
“Wow, you guys have hella energy,” he said.
As the night went on, the audience’s energy never faded away, and neither did j-hope’s! Joined by a crew of dancers, j-hope crafted bold performances that could only be described as magnificent. For example, during “MORE,” j-hope stood on an elevated platform on the stage as his dancers marched circling the platform. During the chorus, fireworks rose from the stage, and both j-hope and his dancers jumped around with all their might. It was almost impossible to not join in and jump around at my seat as well!
To everyone’s anticipation, j-hope performed two songs which he released during the span of the tour – “Sweet Dreams” and “Mona Lisa.” At the beginning of “Sweet Dreams,” Miguel emerged on stage with j-hope, and the two looked as happy as can be to perform the dreamy love song together once again. As the song concluded, the audience roared, and it all intensified as the opening notes of “Mona Lisa” began to play. The cheeky R&B track has been a crowd favorite throughout the North American leg of the tour. j-hope also used the performance to create yet another fashion statement, as he donned a diamond encrusted Mona Lisa belt buckle and bejeweled jeans. Whenever the camera operators would zoom in on the belt buckle, the audience would be sent into a frenzy.
ARMYs were also elated to see j-hope perform the BTS classic “Trivia 承: Just Dance,” which found him commanding the stage on his own for the majority of the song. Lasers swirled the dimly lit stage, and the crowd’s lightsticks formed a purple ocean. During the song’s crescendo, j-hope’s dancers joined him once again on stage, sparks began to fly, and a large burst of streamers showered the crowd. It was a subtle nod to his performance of the song on the ‘SPEAK YOURSELF’ tour in 2019, which featured large water canons that sprayed the crowd.
At the conclusion of the song, I overheard an ARMY in my section say, “I always wanted to sing that song live.” This was the first time many in attendance were able to catch a BTS member live, or even attend a K-Pop concert in general. As the crowd remained mesmerized by j-hope’s charisma and stamina, I couldn’t help but think of just how much everyone (including myself) has to look forward to once the rest of the BTS members are discharged from the military this summer.
I also felt so incredibly proud of j-hope, since touring as a soloist must have been a huge undertaking. During his closing ment, he recalled asking himself whether or not he’d actually be able to complete this tour off successfully.
“Today is the last day of my North American tour,” he said. “In the beginning, I wondered if this moment will ever come. This includes everything. Will I actually be able to hold a solo concert on my own? I also wondered, will I ever be able to go on a tour for all of these global fans? Will I also be able to hold this meaningful concert here at a stadium by myself? But I actually did them all!”
He also went on to confess he was slightly doubtful of his abilities to hold this tour. However, being able to work through these feelings was extremely important to him. “I always felt like ever since I was little, I have to experience everything myself,” he said. “I have to really come into all of these experiences myself to know myself better, and to know the world. I feel like that becomes my sincerity, and that becomes my music, and that music is delivered to you guys in the end.”
This was a concert where it would be difficult (and perhaps unfair) to label individual performances as “standout moments.” I, like many others, had my favorite moments in the show – such as when j-hope performed “STOP.” His flow and vocal tone in the song makes it feel as though he’s rapping directly for the listener in their ear, and I found it thrilling to experience this sensation live. Piecing each number together, the whole show felt like a non-stop highlight reel of j-hope’s musical accomplishments, and a massive celebration of his colorful hip-hop roots.
j-hope finished the show with “Neuron,” a song that is full of hope for his future self. In the middle of the song, he paused to recognize all of his dancers, with each dancer doing a brief solo as their names appeared on the screen. All of the dancers proceeded to give one another hugs and high fives, while j-hope said, “I’ll always cherish this precious memory we made tonight in my heart.” As he bid the crowd farewell one last time, fireworks soared above the stadium, and the crowd was showered in confetti.
As the ‘HOPE ON THE STAGE’ tour continues in Asia, j-hope and ARMYs around the world will surely keep the party going and write another chapter in BTS history together!
Featured photo credit: BIGHIT MUSIC