"OUR HOBI CAME HOME": ARMYs rejoice as BTS' J-Hope updates on being an assistant at training camp in new letter

BTS' Jung Ho-seok, aka J-Hope, has been serving as an active soldier in the South Korean military since April of this year. It has been a few months since his duty commenced but ARMYs (BTS' fandom) have missed him a lifetime's worth in the months he has been away. So, when earlier today he posted a letter on Weverse updating about his military duties, fans could not hold back their emotions.

In the letter, the idol mentioned that he's been promoted to assistant at the training camp, where he is diligently doing his work. Amidst the artist's further updates and his reminiscences of his life as a BTS artist in the letter, fans are caught in a hurricane of emotions.

Fans over the moon as BTS J-Hope returns ahead of ARMY Day celebrations

ARMYs are delighted that their sunshine is back but most are happier as he returns prior to ARMY Day celebrations that are held on Sunday, July 9. In the update, the Daydream singer further added that he has just finished his assistant research lectures at the 36th Division White Tiger Training Brigade.

Finding some time from his busy schedule, he sat to write to his fans, recalling the hot summer days of July he spent last year as a BTS member.

The 29-year-old rapper further added that although the previous J-Hope and today's Jung Ho-seok may appear externally different, they still share the same "passionate aspirations for the future", as he is living both as the superstar and the army officer he is:

At last, he asked ARMYs to take good care of themselves and be careful of both heat and rain, while also wishing fellow military personnel and everyone well. He ended the letter in the typical Korean military fashion saying, "Loyalty!" Fans have shared their thoughts on their fave returning when they missed him terribly. Check out some of these reactions below:

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On June 13, 2023, BTS completed its 10 years in the K-pop industry and released its commemorative song, Take Two, in celebration of the same. Out of BTS' seven members, only two - Jin and J-Hope - are presently enlisted and are working as on-duty soldiers in the South Korean military.

While Jung Ho-seok entered the military on April 18, 2023, Jin enlisted way back on December 13, 2022, becoming BTS' first member to join the army. The other five members are yet to be enlisted and fans find it hard to bear that it would be quite a few years until they see the group with all seven members back from the military. For now, ARMYs are happy to have J-Hope back before ARMY Day.

Meanwhile, in recent news, BTS' Jungkook is all set to soon release his upcoming single, SEVEN, on July 14.

About the author

Sreejita is a Kpop and Kdrama writer at SK POP. Combining her passion for writing with her personal interest in K-entertainment, she develops engaging content, and has been writing since she was very young, contributing to school journals, newspapers, and anthologies. Prior to her current role, she worked with Namaste Hallyu and Korea.net.

Sreejita’s knowledge of K-pop and K-entertainment is her biggest asset professionally, and she has demonstrated expertise in artist profiling. She interviewed the K-pop boy group TAN (To All Nations) upon their comeback with their third mini album, TAN MADE [I], in August 2023.

She emphasizes rigorous research, unbiased reporting, and respect toward fan sentiments. While establishing contact with artists' agencies, she strives to represent her company in the best light, and she deeply values the guidance of experts in her field as well as seasoned K-enthusiasts. Additionally, her exchanges with Korean natives has made her aware of the country's traditions and K-pop’s influence locally and globally, thus ascribing fresh insights to her reports.

Sreejita credits her favorite artist, Kim Namjoon aka RM of BTS and his love for literature, for exposing her to writers who inspire her. When not keeping up with the K-entertainment scene, Sreejita loves to read, write, and listen to music and podcasts. Sreejita had a podcast of her own for a while, called LavenderKosmos, where she spoke about lifestyle trends and her personal interests.

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