"Most iconic tour" - Fans stunned as BTS' j-hope credited for 40% of HYBE's concert revenue surge with Hope on the Stage solo tour

On August 16, 2025, fans of BTS' j-hope took to social media after Yonhap News Economic TV uploaded a video on YouTube. It quickly gained attention among fans as the report revealed that HYBE's operating profit had jumped nearly 30% compared to the same time last year. This news comes despite album sales performing lower than expected.

Analysts explained that the dramatic increase came from concert income, which grew far beyond the rise in audience numbers. What stood out most was that almost 40% of this revenue came from a single tour, BTS member j-hope's Hope on the Stage world tour.

The solo tour began in early 2025, with the rapper-dancer touring major cities in Asia and North America before concluding in South Korea in June. The tour spanned across 33 shows, marking attendance by more than half a million fans.

His ticket sales with high merchandise demand turned his solo run into one of HYBE's most profitable ventures of the year.

Fans expressed their pride on social media on Hobi's latest achievement, calling him the company's driving force. Some even described the feat as "iconic."

"yessss he did all ALONEEEE HOS Tour will always remain as the most valuable and the most iconic tour by a kpop artist!! the quality was top tier," tweeted one fan.

Many fans said it proved why Hobi was constantly getting recognized by critics and peers as one of K-pop's more powerful performers. Some added that this milestone showed the idol's artistry went beyond trends.

Fans also gave this impact a nickname, calling it "Hobipower," celebrating the fact that his tour carried HYBE during a slow album cycle.

More about BTS' j-hope's tour and recent activities

Hope on the Stage finale on FESTA (Images via Instagram/@uarmyhope)

Hope on the Stage was j-hope's first solo world tour. It followed his albums Jack in the Box and HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1. The tour ran across 16 cities and included sold-out stadium shows in Los Angeles and Mexico City. The finale took place on June 13 and 14 at Goyang Stadium in South Korea.

The encore concert coincided with BTS' 12th debut anniversary. The show turned into a symbolic reunion of the BTS after their military service when Jin and Jungkook joined Hobi on stage. Meanwhile, RM, SUGA, Jimin, and V were present in the audience.

During the final stop of the tour, j-hope debuted his new single Killin' It Girl featuring GloRilla, marking the start of another chapter in his solo career. The concerts also showcased fan projects, live band arrangements, and large-scale stage effects.

It was reported that over 524,000 fans had attended across the entire run. This made it one of the largest tours ever for a K-pop soloist.

In addition to his tour, HYBE recently announced a new exhibition dedicated to the idol titled AND WHAT? It is opening in Shenzhen on August 30, 2025. The exhibit promises to explore his artistry from debut to present and offers fans a closer look at his creative journey.

Meanwhile, all seven BTS members are currently in Los Angeles preparing for their much-anticipated 2026 group comeback.

About the author

Mantasha is a pop culture writer at Sportskeeda who covers K-pop and K-drama. She has recently completed her Masters in English and has a rich 3-year writing experience where she crafted engaging content for top companies such as Unacademy, Apollo Hospitals, Adani Airports, and the Economic Times. Her experience has helped her create a strong foundation that complements her passion for creating the best content related to K-pop, K-dramas and Korean movies.

Mantasha's interest in pop culture took root when her cousin introduced her to classic Hollywood and Bollywood tunes and the rest, as they say, is history. Mantasha’s connection with K-pop supergroup BTS is a special one as their song lyrics, hard work, and dedication resonate with her like no other group does.

Maintaining accuracy, relevance, and ethics in her reporting is extremely essential for Mantasha. She prioritizes thorough research, delving deep beyond just superficial sources, to ensure comprehensive and trustworthy information.

When not writing, Mantasha enjoys journaling and doodling, watching K-dramas and listening to songs.

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Edited by Ankita Barat