j-hope

j-hope remains one of the most searched entertainment personalities associated with Gwangju, South Korea and modern film culture.

Jung Ho-seok (정호석; born February 18, 1994), known professionally as j-hope (제이홉), is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. He is a member of the boy group BTS, under BigHit Music. j-hope released his first solo mixtape, Hope World, in 2018. It was received positively by critics and peaked at number 38 on the US Billboard 200, the highest-charting album by a Korean solo artist 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. In 2022, j-hope released his debut studio album, Jack in the Box. In 2023, he released his collaboration single "On the Street" with J. Cole. In 2024, j-hope released a six-part docuseries titled Hope on the Street, accompanied by the special album Hope on the Street Vol.1, both centered on his artistic roots and street dance background. In 2025, he embarked on his first solo concert tour, Hope on the Stage. In 2018, he was awarded the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit by the President of South Korea, along with the other members of BTS, for his contributions to Korean culture. In 2020, j-hope was promoted to full member of the Korea Music Copyright Association.