BTS's J-Hope Teases "Extremely Dark, Raw Side" Of Himself For "Hope World 2"

Hope World-ians, we can look forward to new music! We have all been excitedly streaming BTS‘s new anthology album Proof.

From left: BTS’s V, Suga, Jin, Jungkook, RM, Jimin, and J-Hope in “Proof” concept. | *BIGHIT MUSIC*

Still, we may have some new music from J-Hope coming next.

Weverse Magazine released an exclusive solo interview with J-Hope for the release of PROOF. He spoke on The GRAMMYs, Instagram, the new BTS album, and self-expression as a solo artist.

After talking about connecting with his members via Instagram, interviewer Myungseok Kang asked J-Hope how he expresses himself individually.

You have been heavily influenced as a member of BTS while progressively changing as an individual artist. What would you like to express with your music or dancing these days?

— Myungseok Kang

| BANGTANTV/YouTube

J-Hope opened up about being BTS’s “sunshine” or “vitamin.” While that is what he is known as, he hopes to show a different side, particularly in his “current projects” that we can only assume to be the sequel to his mixtape Hope World.

As you know, I often present myself with a sunny demeanor. So I have a strong desire to display a different side of me. I personally challenged myself to do that in my current projects. I wanted to show an extremely dark, raw side.

— J-Hope

| BTS/VLIVE

Myungseok Kang asked J-Hope why he wanted to “show an extremely dark, raw side.” So, J-Hope explained, “In my time working and living, I figured out the stories I can tell are extremely limited when I only use my natural style or how people see me.”

I have things I want to say, but I kept feeling like, if I did them in the same style I always have, they wouldn’t come across well. If I was going to convey the things I wanted to say, I would have to be darker. It’s something I’ve never done before, so I was excited to try something new. I was heavily influenced by what my heart was telling me, and that’s why I decided to give it a try.

— J-Hope

Interviewer Myungseok Kang added, “When it comes to BTS’ music, you decide what you need to do based on how things are flowing overall, whereas it seems like you call the shots in your solo work.” From there, J-Hope reflected on his previous solo releases.

When I look back now, I used the mixtape I released to show what I’m all about as j-hope, the member of BTS. I wanted to use the mixtape to paint a wider picture of the style I bring to the table within BTS. ‘Chicken Noodle Soup’ showed that I could make something in that way, and now I’ve decided to show the kind of new musical direction and thoughts I have and how I can convey them in a new way.

— J-Hope

While J-Hope is eager to explore a new side of himself as a solo artist, he is still crafting himself within BTS too. He is definitely a multifaceted artist!

I think now I’m definitely continuing to craft the style I have within BTS as well as my own style I can show individually. I almost feel embarrassed calling myself an artist (laughs) but I think I’ve become the kind of artist who’s capable of that.

— J-Hope

Myungseok Kang also asked J-Hope, “What is it you want to talk about, as a person and as an artist capable of all that?” J-Hope continued to tease his upcoming music in his answer.

My own self. I wanted to look back on things, like how I’ve lived and the kind of emotional shadow my hidden side casts. You’ll understand when these songs come out later, but if I was going to discuss these things, I couldn’t always be light about it. That’s why I edged a little closer to a darker place, which I think allowed me to open up about my life story completely.

— J-Hope

So, it has officially been confirmed that J-Hope is planning to release a new solo mixtape, just as we suspected, but it will be a different vibe than the original.

More than ever, ARMYs have suspected that J-Hope would be releasing new music since it was announced that he would headline the Chicago music festival 2022 Lollapalooza.

hope world is only 20 min… hobi’s set is an hour long… YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS pic.twitter.com/P4W3D18wfD

— sanj⁷ bts day 💜 (@namkookerz) June 8, 2022

Hoseok performing at Lollapalooza for ONE HOUR… pic.twitter.com/POY8ka4daC

— j-hope daily™ #HOBIPALOOZA (@thehobiprint) June 8, 2022

HOPE WORLD is 20 minutes and 22 seconds long, his set is ONE HOUR long .. NEW MUSIC COMING. pic.twitter.com/zYnAMXCYTr

— louise⁷ 6.13 (@daljoonx) June 8, 2022

HOPEWORLD 2 IN JULY MAYBE pic.twitter.com/KPUIDUfZer

— mon⁷ 6.13 (@knjgIoss) June 8, 2022

At the end of last year, J-Hope actually spoke about his second mixtape in his interview with GQ. He had nearly completed it but “decided to start over from scratch.”

I had some struggles recently. And I went through a slump too. I’d reached my limit, in a way. I kept wondering how I could get through it, but in the end, I decided to start over from scratch. So yes, I’m working on something completely new, with the desire to make something that is truly and uniquely mine, as quickly as I can. I’ve even given myself a deadline.

— J-Hope