- Jung Hoseok, also known as J-Hope, is a member of the global K-pop sensation BTS, known for his roles as a singer, rapper, producer, songwriter, and dancer.
- He was born on 18 February 1994, in Gwangju, South Korea, and has significantly contributed to the international appeal of Korean music and culture.
- J-Hope has pursued a successful solo career alongside his work with BTS, releasing his debut mixtape “Hope World” to critical acclaim and commercial success.
- He is recognized for his philanthropy, having made several donations to Child Fund Korea and the Gwangju Dance Academy, demonstrating his commitment to giving back to the community.
- J-Hope’s engaging stage presence and musical versatility have cemented his status as a prominent figure in the K-pop industry, both as a group member of BTS and as a solo artist.
Who is Jung Hoseok?
Born on 18 February 1994, in Gwangju, South Korea, under the air sign of Aquarius, Jung Ho-seok is a South Korean singer, rapper, producer, songwriter and dancer – his nicknames include J-Hope, Hope, Hobi, Bangtan’s Hope, Sunshine and Golden Hyung. He is best known for being one of the seven members of Bangtan Boys (BTS), a prominent hip-hop and K-pop boy band hailing from Seoul.
Together with his bandmates, he’s revolutionized the way Korean music and the Korean language are seen outside of the borders of his home country. For his contributions, alongside the rest of BTS, he was the youngest recipient of the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit, awarded by none other than the President of South Korea.
Jung has embarked on several world tours, while also working on launching a successful solo career, after releasing his debut mixtape – “Hope World”. When it comes to K-pop, there are few who are more renowned than J-Hope.
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Early Life: Growing up in Gwangju
Jung Ho-seok was born into a Korean family in the city of Gwangju. He grew up with an older sister, who is immensely popular on Instagram and is considered to be one of Korea’s top influencers. There is no credible information about his parents across all authoritative sources. However, it is believed that his father is a literature teacher at Gwangju High School. This is a clear sign of the professionalism of Jung, as he doesn’t want anything from his private life leaking to the press.
Ever since the beginning of his career, he has faced innumerable inquiries about his family but has always politely refused to answer any questions related to this matter. An interesting thing is that Jung didn’t initially want to become a musician but strove to become a dancer, and even attended the Gwangju Music Academy in modern dance classes. In 2012, he matriculated from the institution as one of the best students in his class.
Category | Information |
---|---|
Full Name | Jung Ho-seok |
Known For | Member of BTS, Solo Artist |
Profession | Singer, Rapper, Producer, Songwriter, Dancer |
Occupation | Musician, Dancer |
Education | Global Cyber University (Broadcasting and Entertainment), Hanyang Cyber University (MBA in Advertising and Media) |
Net Worth | Approximately $20 million |
Date of Birth | 18 February 1994 |
Zodiac Sign | Aquarius |
Place of Birth | Gwangju, South Korea |
Nationality | South Korean |
Ethnicity | Asian |
Hair Color | Dark Brown |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Gender | Male |
Height | 5 feet 9¾ inches (177 cm) |
Weight | 68 kg (150 lbs) |
Awards | Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit (with BTS) |
Notable Works | “Hope World” Mixtape, “Jack in the Box” Album, “Chicken Noodle Soup” (with Becky G), “On the Street” (with J. Cole) |
Associated Brands | Louis Vuitton (Brand Ambassador) |
Hobbies | Dancing, Music Production |
Social Media |
Career Beginnings: Neuron and Being a Trainee
Before he burst onto the music scene, Jung had a career in dance in mind. After completing his Academy courses, he devoted his time to competitive dance.
Even before his debut track hit the airwaves, his reputation preceded him in South Korea, thanks to his mesmerizing dance prowess. He garnered accolades aplenty, with the pinnacle of his achievements being clinching a prestigious national title at a mere 14 years old.
As he was winning every competition he entered, J-Hope started pondering about becoming a musician. His background in dance allowed him to learn the ins and outs of the industry, and he first joined the underground dance group Neuron and achieved moderate success as a background dancer for several prominent K-pop artists and groups.
Buoyed by his early successes, he eagerly started on the journey to become an idol trainee, viewing it as the gateway to his ultimate destination: stardom.
What is a Trainee Program in Korea?
In South Korea, musicians and artists value apprenticeships as a form of furthering their culture and enriching the music scene. This approach functions with the help of record labels organizing auditions for aspiring musicians, who then have to compete against one another for an opportunity to work with prominent K-pop musicians.
J-Hope went down the same route, with several successful auditions for JYP entertainment, however, he couldn’t make it to the final round and was disqualified. Just a few weeks later, he had an audition organized by Big Hit Entertainment, and after emerging as a winner, Jung debuted on “Animal”, a single by rapper Jo Kwon, released in 2012.
The song turned out to be a major success, and J-Hope was successfully introduced to the South Korean music scene. Due to immense interest in this aspiring artist, Big Hit Entertainment revealed that they had big plans for the young man.
2013-present: Dominating the Charts with BTS
In 2013, J-Hope became the third member to officially join the Bangtan Boys, after Suga and RM. On 13 June 2013, the world had the opportunity to see him for the first time, when BTS made their big debut on “M! Countdown”, a popular Korean show, performing the song “No More Dream”, and afterwards released their debut album, “2 Kool 4 Skool”.
Despite being considered “unpolished”, their first songs and performances were praised by critics all over the Asian continent, citing their uniqueness as the group’s main selling point. BTS successfully implemented old-school hip-hop elements and fused them with facets of K-pop.
As time went on, they broke through the international barrier, and embarked on several world tours, attracting millions of people to see them perform live. Jung’s dance expertise is a large part of the group’s immense success and popularity.
2018-Present: Working on His Solo Career
When BTS became globally renowned as one of the best K-pop groups, rumors began swirling about the group’s members having solo career aspirations. Since J-Hope is one of the most popular members of the group, fans have been waiting for his solo material.
On 1 March 2018, Jung released his debut mixtape “Hope World”, and concurrently uploaded videos for the songs “Airplane” and “Daydream”. The mixtape debuted at number 63 on the Billboard 200 list, with its eventual peak being at 38, still the highest position a Korean solo artist has reached on the chart. The mixtape was an amazing success for Jung, as it charted in ten countries, with the single “Daydream” charting in three.
However, 2018 wasn’t done with her surprises for J-Hope – Billboard ranked “Hope World” as the fifth-best album in the entire world for the year, which is something many Latin American and US artists have failed to achieve in their careers.
Jung Hoseok’s Songwriting
Jung has been praised as one of the most upbeat and energetic performers in all of K-pop. Critics praised his mixtape “Hope World” because of its musical diversity, as even though it was a K-pop/hip-hop record, he incorporated elements of house, techno, trap, funk, soul and many more genres. Jeff Benjamin, a music writer for FUSE, said that “Blue Side”, the mixtape’s outro song ‘leaves the listener curious for what’s coming next from J-Hope and the BTS crew.’
His greatest influences are Joey Badass, Kyle, Aminé and, surprisingly, the author Jules Verne, as the singer himself said in an interview with Time magazine. Most of his lyrics dabble in mental health, growing up and the difficulties that young people all over the world face.
This is perhaps the most apparent reason for his popularity – with relevant songs and motivational lyrics, Jung has captivated fans all over the world.
— ᴊᴜɴɢ ʜᴏsᴇᴏᴋ – ᴜᴀʀᴍʏʜᴏᴘᴇ (@JHope__bts_) July 30, 2019
Personal Life: Does Jung Hoseok Have a Girlfriend?
As for his romantic involvements, there is almost no information across all credible sources that could accurately describe this part of his life. Jung himself tends to keep news about his partners completely private and has not yet come forward to address these fan inquiries.
Nothing is known about his early relationships, as well as his current status. He’s never seen attending any public events in particular female company, and there’s no one that the fans suspect across his Instagram posts. There has also been no controversy regarding this matter.
According to available information, or the lack thereof, J-Hope is heterosexual and currently single. He is a known philanthropist, with several donations to Child Fund Korea and the Gwangju Dance Academy. Interestingly, all of his donations were leaked, despite his insistence that they stayed private.
Body Measurements: How Tall is Jung Hoseok?
Jung Ho-seok is 5ft 10in (178cm) tall and weighs approximately 143lbs (65kg). His blood type is A, which he himself revealed during a Q&A session.
Net Worth: How Rich is Jung Hoseok?
Have you ever wondered how affluent Jung Ho-seok really is? According to several credible sources, he has a net worth of approximately $6.3 million, accumulated by becoming a globally popular music star, transcending cultural boundaries and performing in front of millions of fans. Given that he is still young, and that BTS is showing no signs of stopping, it’s highly likely that his net worth will rise significantly in the near future.
Social Media Presence
J-Hope seems to only have an Instagram account, on which he is followed by an astonishing 49 million fans. There are many fake accounts claiming to be the star, but only his Instagram account appears to be official.
Source: IMDb, Wikipedia