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During BTS’ j-hope’s HOPE ON THE STAGE tour in Jakarta on May 3, 2025, fans were left concerned after some videos circulated online. The video seemingly showed him being grabbed multiple times by someone in the VIP section. The incident happened during the special Equal Sign segment, where the idol walked close to the barricade to connect directly with ARMYs.
Unfortunately, things took a turn when j-hope was seen visibly struggling to free his arm from a fan who held on tightly. Moments later, the same person reportedly touched his face, making the idol appear noticeably uncomfortable. A third time, while moving along the barricade to high-five fans, he was again yanked by the arm, allegedly causing him a minor scratch on the back of his hand.
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Footage of the events quickly spread on social media. BTS' fandom, aka ARMYs from around the world, expressed their outrage and disappointment over this incident. An X user, @btsraplinefb, wrote:
"Please be respectful towards j-hope. This is his concert and he chooses things the way he likes. It is not okay to just grab his arm and force him into choosing you. Be respectful towards him. He is a human. Give him his deserved space. And let people have their moment."
While many Indonesian fans reportedly apologized and clarified that the fan in question was not local, others urged all attendees to show more respect. Others also noted that he seemed uncomfortable but still managed to continue with the interaction.
"He didn’t even look her in the eyes like he does with anybody else.. and the way he “jokingly” tried to shake her off…," a fan commented.
"I'm really pissed about the situation where hobi got his arm grabbed THREE times.The first time he was confused because he was literally pinned down and had his hand grabbed, so he had to stay where he was," a fan wrote.
"It looks like he would've had to use quite a bit of force to pull away. Very unf**kingceptable," an X user mentioned.
"This is so uncomfortable to watch, I can’t imagine how uncomfortable it must have been for hobi," a netizen wrote.
Some fans noted that these repeated incidents could potentially end such interaction moments for future concerts.
"For sure reach out to him, but don’t pull on him please, it really appears his arm got pretty jarred there," an X user mentioned.
"people like that are the reason why artists stop interacting with fans in the crowd," a fan commented.
"he looks so uncomfortable throughout," another person added.
More about j-hope’s ongoing tour and recent events
This isn’t the first time such an incident has occurred during the tour. In earlier stops like Mexico City and Japan, fans were reportedly seen crossing personal boundaries during barricade interactions, as seen in the videos that surfaced online. In some cases, fans reached out to touch j-hope without his consent. It sparked heated discussions online about proper concert etiquette.
Despite these moments, j-hope has continued to perform with dedication and warmth. The artist completed his military service in October 2024 and kicked off his solo world tour in February 2025.
He has performed across North America, Asia, and more, bringing performances of fan-favorite songs like Equal Sign, MORE, and Sweet Dreams.
As the tour nears its end with upcoming shows in Bangkok, Macau, Taipei, and Osaka, fans are hopeful that future concert environments will be safer for both j-hope and those attending. The final concert will even be broadcast live in theaters around the world. This will allow global fans to experience the tour’s closing night from Osaka.
With BTS’ full group reunion expected in June 2025, fans are anticipating more solo work from j-hope.
