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BTS’ j-hope (Jung Ho-seok) has opened up about his 18-month stint in the South Korean military in a candid interview with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe. Discharged in October 2024, he became the second BTS member to complete enlistment, and he spoke of how the experience deepened his love for his country and reshaped his perspective on life and music.
In his April 29 appearance on Apple Music 1’s The Zane Lowe Show, j-hope described the build-up to his discharge as a defining chapter. He spoke about the anticipation that grew with each passing day and the relief of exchanging fatigues for civilian life.
j-hope also praised South Korea’s natural patriotic mindset, calling military service a “very important part” of his life and noting that it felt “only natural for young people” to shoulder this responsibility. The idol said:
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“I think it’s only natural for young people in South Korea to take on this responsibility. I thought it was a very important part of J-Hope’s or Jung Ho-seok’s life. After all, I am a proud citizen of South Korea. I love my country. There are things that I cherish in this country.”
On October 17, 2024, j-hope officially concluded his mandatory 18-month military enlistment, emerging from a base in Gangwon Province as the second BTS member to be discharged, following Jin’s return in June 2024.
The Mona Lisa rapper-songwriter described his time in uniform as “a different experience” that exposed him to new facets of life, saying,
“It’s a different experience. Also, in reality, I’ve learned a different life. And in many ways, I got to meet people from all walks of life and I received a lot of good energy. And I heard a lot of good things. But also, you know, a year and a half is actually not a very short time. That bit made me feel a lot of things."
He then added:
"In the end, I think the most important thing was I realized how important the work I’ve been doing for all these years is incredibly meaningful to me.”
j-hope reflects on his role in K-pop’s global ascent and fuels BTS' group reunion, teasing comeback releases
In a conversation with Zane Lowe on Apple Music’s The Zane Lowe Show, BTS’ j-hope offered a modest appraisal of his individual contributions to K-pop’s meteoric international growth, while expressing eager anticipation for his group’s full-member comeback post-military service.
Across over half an hour of dialogue, the idol traced his evolution from a “positive vibe” artist to a boundary-pushing solo act. Looking ahead, j-hope’s excitement peaked at the thought of reuniting with RM, Suga, V, Jimin, Jungkook, and Jin in June 2025, when the former five complete their service.
He reflected on the members' individual journeys and looked ahead to June 2025, when all seven of them will reunite. The rapper said:
“The funny thing for me is when our identities, which have taken shape in various ways, come together as BTS, I'm curious to see how it'll look like. So I look forward to June when our members will have completed their service. We will quickly get together and talk about what BTS can do in the future. I think it's going to be a massive energy.”
BTS’ j-hope also acknowledged that K-pop's global rise is the product of collective vision, teamwork, and the unwavering support of ARMY, rather than any singular achievement.
He emphasized that while BTS "paved the way," it was a path built by many artists, dedicated fans, and the interwoven narratives of all seven members.
“I don’t consider myself alone responsible for K-Pop’s rise. It’s the teamwork, our fans, and every artist who’s come before us that paved the way,” he said.
On festival stages, j-hope broke new ground as the first K-pop headliner at Lollapalooza in 2022, and he became the first K-pop solo act to headline Los Angeles' BMO Stadium for his HOPE ON THE STAGE world tour on April 4 and 6, 2025.
The idol sold out the stadium, which led the organizers to add 24,000 additional seats at the last minute. The two-day concert reportedly sold over 46,236 tickets, confirming 100% ticket sales.
