February 28, 2023
SEOUL – J-Hope of BTS is set to release a solo single before heading off to serve his mandatory military duty.
The K-pop superstar announced Monday that he will unveil the single “On the Street” on March 3.
“On the Street” is a lo-fi hip-hop song with a downtempo vibe that combines elements of hip-hop and chill-out music.
J-Hope took part in composing and writing the lyrics to the single giving the track a personal touch, interlaced with messages of hope and warmth.
It was the concept of the streets, on which diverse situations unfold, that became the song’s motif. In fact, the title holds a dual meaning — the first represents J-Hope’s dream of becoming an artist on the street, the second signifies J-Hope walking down the street together with his fans worldwide.
Since June last year, BTS has been on a hiatus from group activities to take a break and focus on their solo careers.
J-Hope released his first solo studio album “Jack in the Box” in July 2022, in which he talked about the dawn of J-Hope as an artist and walks listeners through how he planned his first studio album.
As a solo artist, he made history as the first Korean musician to take the main stage as a headliner at Lollapalooza, an annual four-day music festival held in Chicago’s Grand Park.
Meanwhile, J-Hope announced Sunday that he will be enlisting to fulfill his mandatory military duty.
Military duty is compulsory for all able-bodied men in South Korea between the ages of 18 and 28.
“I have been planning this since last year. After Jin started his service, I was contemplating on when to enlist and I thought it would be better to get it done as soon as possible,” said J-Hope on Weverse, an online fan communication platform.
“Don’t be sad because it does not mean I am starting military service immediately. Beforehand, I will do my best to shoot many things and there will be a lot to show,” J-Hope added.
Jin of BTS, the first to start military service in the group, called J-Hope right after his enlistment announcement to give him some advice.
Jin, the oldest BTS member, began his military service in early December in one of the northernmost military bases in South Korea.
“We ask you to continue to support and love J-hope until he completes his military service and we will also continue to support our artist,” Big Hit Music, the agency behind the K-pop mega group, announced the same day.
With this, J-Hope will be the second member of BTS to begin military service.