J-Hope facts for kids

Quick facts for kids J-Hope
J-Hope in October 2022
Born	Jung Ho-seok (1994-02-18) February 18, 1994 (age 31) Gwangju, South Korea
Alma mater	Global Cyber University
Occupation	Rapper singer songwriter dancer record producer
Years active	2012–present
Works	Solo discography songs written
Honours	Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit (2018)
Musical career
Genres	Hip-hop K-pop
Labels	Big Hit
Korean name
Hangul	정호석
Hanja	鄭號錫
RR	Jeong Hoseok
MR	Chŏng Hosŏk
Stage name
Hangul	제이홉
RR	Jeihop
MR	Cheihop
Signature

Jung Ho-seok (Hangul: 정호석), known as J-Hope (Hangul: 제이홉), is a South Korean artist. He is a rapper, singer, songwriter, dancer, and record producer. J-Hope was born on February 18, 1994.

He became famous as a member of the South Korean boy band BTS in 2013. J-Hope released his first solo mixtape, Hope World, in 2018. This album was very popular and reached number 38 on the US Billboard 200 chart. In 2019, he became the first BTS member to have a solo song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This was with his song "Chicken Noodle Soup", which featured singer Becky G. His first studio album, Jack in the Box, came out in 2022. In 2023, he released the song "On the Street" with J. Cole.

Early Life and School

J-Hope, whose real name is Jung Ho-seok, was born on February 18, 1994. He grew up in Gwangju, South Korea, with his parents and older sister.

He studied at Global Cyber University, earning a degree in Broadcasting and Entertainment. Later, in March 2019, he joined Hanyang Cyber University to study Advertising and Media.

Music Journey

Starting Out (Before 2013)

Before joining BTS, J-Hope was a member of a dance group called Neuron. He also took dance classes for six years in Gwangju. He was known for his great dance skills and won many local awards. In 2008, he even won first place in a national dance competition.

His love for dancing led him to become interested in singing. He tried out to become a K-pop trainee. While training, J-Hope was a rapper on Jo Kwon's song "Animal" in 2012.

Joining BTS (2013–Present)

On June 13, 2013, J-Hope officially joined BTS. He was the third member to become a trainee in the group, after RM and Suga.

As part of BTS, he has performed four solo songs: "Intro: Boy Meets Evil", "Mama", "Trivia 起: Just Dance", and "Outro: Ego". "Boy Meets Evil" and "Mama" were released in 2016 on BTS's album Wings. "Just Dance" came out in 2018 on the album Love Yourself: Answer. "Outro: Ego" was released in 2020 on Map of the Soul: 7. These songs showed off his rapping and dancing talents.

J-Hope also worked with his bandmate V and Swedish singer Zara Larsson. They released the song "A Brand New Day" in June 2019. This song was for the official soundtrack of the BTS World mobile game.

Solo Music (2018–Present)

J-Hope's first solo song outside of BTS was "1 Verse" in 2015. He shared it for free on SoundCloud.

On March 1, 2018, J-Hope released his first solo mixtape, Hope World. The music video for its main song, "Daydream", came out at the same time. Another music video for "Airplane" followed a few days later. Hope World was a big success, reaching number 38 on the Billboard 200 chart. This made him the highest-charting Korean solo artist on that chart at the time.

In 2019, J-Hope released a free song called "Chicken Noodle Soup". It featured American singer Becky G and came out on September 27. This song was a hit, reaching number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This made J-Hope the first BTS member to appear on the Hot 100 as a solo artist.

On June 14, 2022, it was announced that J-Hope would be the first BTS member to release a solo album. His album, Jack in the Box, was released on July 15. The song "More" was released earlier on July 1. J-Hope performed at Lollapalooza on July 31, 2022, as a main performer. He was the first South Korean artist to headline a major US music festival.

In September 2022, J-Hope was featured on the song "Rush Hour" by Crush. He also performed solo at the 2022 MAMA Awards in November 2022.

A documentary called J-Hope in the Box was released in February 2023. It showed how he made his album and prepared for Lollapalooza. This documentary is available on Weverse and Disney+. In February 2023, J-Hope also became a brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton.

J-Hope released the song "On the Street" with American rapper J. Cole on March 3, 2023. This song reached number 37 on the UK Singles Chart, setting a new record for a Korean solo artist at the time. It also reached number 60 on the US Hot 100.

A six-part documentary series called Hope on the Street was released in March 2024. It explored J-Hope's dance background. The series came with a special album, Hope on the Street Vol. 1.

J-Hope performed at a charity event in Paris, France, in January 2025. This was his first musical performance after finishing his military service. His first solo tour, Hope on the Stage, started in February 2025 in Seoul. It then went to cities in Asia and North America. The tour is set to end in June 2025. J-Hope will also be a main performer at 2025 Lollapalooza Berlin in July 2025.

His Name

J-Hope's stage name, J-Hope (Hangul: 제이홉), means he wants to bring hope to his fans. It also means he wants to be "the hope of BTS". The name also refers to the story of Pandora's box, where hope was the only thing left after everything else was released.

Personal Life

In 2016, J-Hope bought an apartment in South Korea. As of 2018, he lives in Hannam-dong, Seoul, South Korea, with his bandmates.

Military Service

J-Hope leaving the military in October 2024

Like all young men in South Korea, J-Hope had to complete mandatory military service. He started his service on April 18, 2023. After finishing his basic training, he became an assistant training instructor. He completed his service and was discharged on October 17, 2024.

Helping Others

J-Hope is a member of the "Green Noble Club" for people who donate a lot to Child Fund Korea. He has given money to this organization many times since 2018.

• In February 2019, he donated money to help students at his old high school.
• In December 2019, he donated more money.
• In November 2020, he donated money to help children facing money problems during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• In February 2021, he donated to help children with vision and hearing problems.
• In May 2021, for Children's Day, he donated money for children affected by violence in Tanzania.
• In December 2021, he donated more money to help low-income families and sick children.
• Since 2018, J-Hope has donated a total of ₩800 million (about US$600,000) to Child Fund Korea.

After the 2022 South Korean floods in Seoul, J-Hope donated money to help those affected. In February 2023, he donated money to help children affected by the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake.

In December 2024, after a plane crash, J-Hope donated money to help the families of the victims. In February 2025, he donated money to a children's hospital to improve treatment and research.

In March 2025, J-Hope donated money to help with wildfire relief efforts in South Korea.

Music Albums

• Jack in the Box (2022)

TV Appearances

J-Hope has appeared on several TV shows:

• He was a host on music shows like Inkigayo and Show! Music Core in 2016 and 2017.
• In 2019, he was a dance tutor on Under Nineteen.
• He appeared on IU's Palette in 2022.
• His documentaries J-Hope in the Box (2023) and Hope on the Street (2024) were released.

Concert Tours

• Hope on the Stage Tour (2025)

Awards and Nominations

J-Hope has won and been nominated for many awards for his solo music. Some of these include:

• Golden Disc Awards: Won "Thai Fans Support with Baoji" in 2023.
• iHeartRadio Music Awards: Won "Favourite On Screen" for J-Hope in the Box in 2024.
• Korean Hip-hop Awards: Won "R&B Track of the Year" for "Rush Hour" in 2023.
• MAMA Awards: Won "Culture & Style Award" and "Most Popular Male Artist" in 2022. He was also nominated for "Artist of the Year" and "Song of the Year".

See also

In Spanish: J-Hope para niños