By the time this sees print, BTS’ j-hope will have wrapped up his weekend shows in Saitama, Japan — once again leaving legions of ARMYs yearning for more of his music, his electrifying performances, and simply, his presence.
The week before, on April 12 and 13, j-hope was in Manila to kick off the Asian leg of his Hope on the Stage (HOTS) world tour. Thousands of fans from across the Philippines and around the world packed the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City for the sold-out two-day concert.
ARMYs — as BTS’ fandom is collectively known — bravely endured the sweltering heat that weekend. As many said, Manila was hot, but j-hope was hotter. It was a reunion with a BTS member eight years in the making. The global superstars were last in Manila for their Wings tour in 2017, and the city was left out of both the Love Yourself and Map of the Soul world tours, the latter of which was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Filo-ARMYs, also known as Pearls, cheered when Big Hit Entertainment announced j-hope’s tour schedule in January — Manila was finally back on BTS’ map!
Thirty-seven Filipino BTS fan bases organized themselves and called themselves “HOPEful in Manila” to prepare the warmest welcome possible, organizing a series of fan projects that included a j-hope-themed bus to transport ARMYs to the venue, lamp post banners, a fanzone at the Mall of Asia Music Hall, and many concert-day surprises. The sunflower project even made it into Big Hit Entertainment’s highlight video of j-hope’s Manila stop. Various sponsors made possible giveaways for ARMYs who attended the concert. It was like a fiesta, a fitting celebration for j-hope’s homecoming.
Before Manila, j-hope had already performed 15 shows across Seoul, North America, and Mexico. After Manila and Saitama, he heads to Singapore on April 26 and 27, followed by two shows each in Jakarta, Bangkok, Macau, Taipei, and Osaka. ARMYs are still speculating when the encore or final Seoul shows will be announced.
Why HOTS world tour is special
The HOTS world tour is especially meaningful to j-hope and ARMYs for two reasons: first, it is his very first solo tour since debuting as BTS in 2013; and second, it marks his return to the stage after completing his 18-month mandatory military service.
Hope on the Stage is j-hope’s live retelling of his journey — as an artist, a dancer, a rapper, a vocalist, and a member of musical juggernaut, BTS.
To complete the visual storytelling of his 27-song setlist, the concert features VCRs showing j-hope in different situations: trapped in a room before breaking free, driving down a long dark highway only to find light at the end, and ultimately arriving backstage, ready to perform.
He opens the show with songs from his 2022 album Jack in the Box (JITB), rising from a red, undulating stage as he sings What If, followed by Pandora’s Box, Arson, STOP, and More.
JITB marked a turning point, showing j-hope exploring the darker, more introspective side of his artistry — a departure from his sunny BTS persona. The album reflects his struggles, growth, and the joy and comfort he has found in choosing his own path and pursuing his dream.
This section of the concert carries a heavier, punk-rock tone, with j-hope dressed in an all-red ensemble and dark sunglasses. In Manila, he wore a red short-sleeved top instead of the fur-draped outfit he donned during earlier tour stops — a wise choice given the heat, and the outfit suited him perfectly.
The show’s intensity was heightened by fireworks, laser lights, and a stage with hydraulic lifts — all flawlessly executed by Live Nation Philippines and the MOA Arena. (The concert was also sponsored by Smart and Viu.)
With the help of another VCR, the show transitions to j-hope’s first love: street dance. In this segment, j-hope performs tracks from Hope on the Street Vol. 1, his 2024 album released as the soundtrack to the six-part docuseries of the same name. The series chronicles j-hope’s deep love and passion for dance, tracing his journey back to his roots in street dancing.
Powerful dancer
As BTS’ dance leader, j-hope unleashes his signature fluid and powerful moves. His face lights up in pure joy, immersed in the rhythm. The stage brightens; the mood shifts. He performs on the Street atop a lightbox stage with butterfly projections fluttering below and behind him. The performance ends with butterfly-shaped confetti raining down on the crowd.
This is followed by a high-energy set featuring lock/unlock, I Don’t Know, and I Wonder, where j-hope seamlessly sings and dances with his crew. I Wonder is a duet with BTS’ Jungkook, but in his absence, j-hope invited ARMYs to sing his part in a capella— and Filo-ARMYs delivered, impressing even international fans who later watched the fancams.
The crowd erupted when Trivia: Just Dance came on — j-hope’s iconic solo from the Love Yourself tour and a guaranteed fan favorite.
In Sweet Dreams, Filo-ARMYs once again showed their vocal strength, effortlessly covering the lines of American R&B singer Miguel, j-hope’s collaborator on the track.
Day 1 of the Manila show was made even more special when the Filipino fanbases recreated the iconic Philippine flag ocean — first seen during BTS’ Wings concert. The sea of red, blue, and yellow lights across the arena brought a wide smile to j-hope’s face. He responded with a heart hand gesture to thank the crowd.
Sweet Dreams was followed by Mona Lisa — another singalong moment — and 1Verse, released in 2019 that showcases j-hope’s rap skills and lyricism.
The next segment, the longest in the two-and-a-half-hour show, is a medley of j-hope’s solo work and BTS songs: Baseline, Hangsang, Airplane, Airplane pt. 2, MIC Drop, Baepsae (Silver Spoon), Dis-ease, Outro: Ego, Daydream, and Chicken Noodle Soup.
It’s impossible not to marvel at j-hope’s stamina. He sings while dancing non-stop, his voice steady, his energy boundless. His love for the stage and for performing is palpable. J-hope, 31, was born to be onstage.
As he launches into the BTS medley, the longing for his bandmates becomes evident. He revels in ARMY’s powerful OT7 fanchant — Kim Namjoon! Kim Seokjin! Jung Hoseok! Park Jimin! Kim Taehyung! Jeon Jungkook! BTS! — before rapping the opening lines of Mic Drop, a fiery anthem of defiance and pride.
He also embraced the thunderous chant of “Mianhae eomma” (“I’m sorry, Mom”) — Suga’s iconic line in Mic Drop — shouted by ARMYs as a show of support after the online bullying Suga endured last year.
Mic Drop, inspired by Barack Obama’s iconic gesture at the 2016 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, is BTS’ way of acknowledging their success while confronting those who doubted them.
Baepsae (literally “crow tit” in Korean) is another ARMY favorite, thanks to j-hope’s powerful choreography. The song speaks of the struggle of Korean youth facing systemic inequality and an unforgiving, competitive society.
In Manila, Chicken Noodle Soup was one of the most anticipated performances — not just for the energy, but for the Spanish verses. Filo-ARMYs flexed their inner Latinas (we weren’t colonized by Spain for over 300 years for nothing!) and sang American singer Becky G’s parts with gusto.
But as the dance party continued, so did the inevitable realization that the night was coming to an end. J-hope, too, seemed like he could go on forever, but it was time for his final ment.
Manila one of happiest stops
Filo-ARMYs were thrilled to hear him say that Manila was clearly one of the happiest stops on his tour — and even more thrilled when he promised to return.
HOTS closes with Hope World, as j-hope money (Manila got ₱100,000 bills!) showers the audience, followed by Equal Sign, Future, and finally, Neuron, which opens with the lines: “I tell you again, we’ll never ever give up. Forever I’ll say it again: we’ll always be alive to move us.”
As the song plays, black-and-white footage fills the LED screens — j-hope rehearsing with his crew, flashbacks of BTS practice sessions — ending with the powerful message that both his and BTS’ music will endure.
To date, j-hope and Jin are the only BTS members who have completed military service. Jin, who was discharged last year, recently announced his own world tour, set to begin in June — just a few weeks after j-hope wraps up HOTS in Osaka.
The rest of the members will be discharged in June: RM and V on June 10, Jimin and Jungkook on June 11, and finally Suga, who served in the public sector, on June 21. Their return marks the end of BTS’ two-year hiatus, with a highly anticipated comeback – perhaps the biggest from a musical act in recent years – expected in 2026.
Filo-ARMYs are hopeful that the Philippines will be included in the BTS world tour. It’s become a running joke that we’ve already auditioned successfully after impressing j-hope with our vocals and sass — especially our “Walang uuwi (Nobody goes home)!” chant, which j-hope cutely tried to mimic as “Walang huhuhe!” (which other ARMYs heard as “Walang uunge!”).
He also learned a few Tagalog phrases — “Mag-ingay!”, “Salamat po!”, and of course, “Mahal ko kayo!”
He definitely has to come back — this time with his brothers — to have a blast with Filo-ARMYs again and introduce them to his new favorite Filipino food! J-hope was obsessed with halo-halo and absolutely loved Filipino restaurant Manam’s spread: garlic rice, sisig (“My favorite!” he declared), crispy pata, and his charming take on sinigang na baboy sa sampaloc — “singnigang na baboy sa sampolic.”
Before the HOTS final curtain call, j-hope reappears holding a mini replica of the stage. It’s a powerful image — a symbolic gesture of how he has come to embrace both the challenges and triumphs of his journey.
Holding the stage in his hands, it’s clear: j-hope and the stage are one.
