K-Pop Spotlight: j-hope Takes a Departure From BTS’ Sunny Rapper With Dark Debut Solo Album ‘Jack in the Box’

j-hope, BTS’ rapper typically known for his bright and cheery demeanor, has traded in his rainbow colors for a darker concept with his first full solo album ‘Jack in the Box’. A departure from his first mixtape ‘Hope World’, songs like ‘MORE’ and ‘Arson’ delve into dark themes that j-hope says show a different side of himself that fans may not know.

On July 1, the first track from the album, ‘MORE’ was released, bringing j-hope to the top of Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart. The track also debuted at No. 6 on Hot Alternative Songs, No. 9 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and No. 82 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.

Watch the music video For ‘MORE’:

The second single from ‘Jack in the Box’, called ‘방화 (Arson)’ also has an accompanying music video, that features j-hope emerging from the scene of a fire, spitting powerful verses about having a surplus of passion and achieving his dreams.

Watch the music video for ‘Arson’: ‘Jack in the Box’ Tracklist

1. Intro2. Pandora’s Box3. MORE4. STOP (세상에 나쁜 사람은 없다)5. = (Equal Sign)6. Music Box : Reflection7. What If…8. Safety Zone9, Future10. 방화 (Arson)

Who is j-hope?

Jung Hoseok (Korean: 정호석), better known by his stage name j-hope, is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, dancer, and record producer. He made his debut as a member of South Korean boy band BTS in 2013, under Big Hit Entertainment.

j-hope released his first solo mixtape, Hope World, in 2018, which peaked at number 38 on the Billboard 200 in the United States, making him the highest-charting solo Korean artist on the ranking at the time. He became the first member of BTS to enter the Billboard Hot 100 as a soloist in 2019, when his single “Chicken Noodle Soup”, featuring singer Becky G, debuted at number 81 on the chart.

Up next for j-hope is headlining the music festival Lollapalooza in Chicago on July 31, making him the first South Korean artist to headline a major American music festival!