“They know BTS very well. But not how BTS’s J-Hope makes music.”
J-Hope, a member of the Korean group BTS, expressed this in HYBE’s “J-Hope in the Box.” This moment was also shown in the trailer. This line can also be considered the epitome of the documentary.
The film gives fans across the world, collectively called ARMYs, an exclusive look at J-Hope’s creative process as he works on his first solo album “Jack in the Box” and leads the promotions for it.
It also documents his journey to headlining the Lollapalooza Music Festival in the United States in August 2022. He is the first Korean performer to do so since it was launched in the 1990s.
It was mainly shot in three different locations—in Korea, in New York and in Chicago.
Moreover, the film also included J-Hope’s much-talked-about listening party during the release of the album last June.
J-Hope as an artist
As part of BTS, J-Hope has achieved a lot of accolades and milestones in his music career. The greatest of these awards would probably be his nomination in the Grammy Awards as a singer-songwriter for Coldplay’s “My Universe”, along with fellow members RM and Suga.
Amid BTS’ juggernaut status in the industry, however, it is true that not many ARMYs and even critics know J-Hope as a solo artist.
This time, fans will see J-Hope with a more refined lens as they join him in bringing his solo project to fruition from his studio to the stage.
As the main star of the film, the music sensation was shown beyond his reputation in BTS. Through one-on-one interviews and exclusive videos of his professional life, J-Hope as the artist, dancer and rapper is exhibited here as well. His personal vlogs, meanwhile, unveil him as Jung Hoseok the loving son with big dreams.
It could be attributed to the different approach in the filming process of Hybe, the parent company of BTS’ music label.
As the trailer had shown, the main premise and the end goal is J-Hope’s Lollapalooza performance. All the scenes, therefore, wrap up his activities and even routines that made his historical show possible.
The challenges and hardships shown were also not too dramatic and sensationalized. The approach was casual and well-balanced of J-Hope and his team’s ups and downs, and concerns and triumphs.
Some viewers might find some parts a bit uneventful or intrusive, especially scenes that showed his hometown in Gwangju, South Korea. These moments, however, highlighted that he is still an ordinary man who loves to spend time with his pet Mickey and his family albeit with his immense popularity.
The docu-film could improve the transition of the scenes which could get a bit confusing at times.
Overall, “J-Hope in the Box” feels like a gift to fans who have followed him and the rest of BTS. They will mostly appreciate the English translation of the songs from his album, and his other solo works while he performed them live in front of a jubilant crowd.
Hybe’s “J-Hope in the Box” is now streaming on Disney+ on February 17.
