I want to know where the title ‘Jack In The Box’ came from.
It occurred to me that the music j-hope has been doing may be stuck in a box. Then BTS performed in a stadium, spoke at UN General Assembly, got to stand on a huge stage for Grammy Award, then to the White House…Many feelings were built up through those experiences and finally were taken out of the box. The very concept of ‘Jack In The Box’ is the one I’ve been discussing with Bang PD long before my debut. Well, I have ‘hope’ in my name. We talked about how I would be a lasting ‘hope’ of BTS, and jump out as to surprise the world.
Why would you think that the past has been ‘inside of the box’? I know it is a metaphor but why?
There was some immature part of my music in the past, naturally. The immaturity has its own vibe and I do not want to deny those times. However, I wanted to bring out the darker, somewhat serious, and agonizing self, apart from the bright side that people are used to. People see me as always upbeat and full of energy but the moment I stepped inside home, I am literally, knocked out. That makes me wonder, which one is truly myself. I figured that I do come on both sides and decided to open the box and show a little more of me.
Tracing what BTS has achieved over the years, it seems like you have taken around the planet. Sometimes you were grateful, and sometimes you were overwhelmed. Then the voice inside you gives you the answer; ‘Thirsty!’, ‘I Want Some More!’ and ‘Right, I am the one who lit the fire’.
Right. I want to do more and I want to look cooler. I have this idea ‘When the light is out, I will be the one who lights the fire again.’ Working on this album made sure that I am the person who needs work. I mean, working on something sets my heart beating. Even though I’m sleep-deprived, tired, and hectic, taking a rest could not help me. I wrote the song for the album during the Pandemic. It was ‘leisurely’, compared to the past, so I could realize it for sure. Time passes by and life goes on, so I could not stand myself. ‘Even though it’s immature ambition, I need to do something’, I thought.
You are a creator and a performer. The pandemic has changed the ‘contact point’, your settings, and your stage.
The audience and their artists communicate through performances. We need to give and take, and share each other’s energy. If it’s not a face-to-face performance, it was not enough for me, and us.
So, being a BTS member, you have more stories to tell and the Pandemic definitely has some effect on the album.
I started working on the album after the Pandemic, maybe in 2020. I had to halt the individual project because BTS has things to do. I got down to working on the album at the end of the last year. It was after the concert in LA, around the time when I could take days off and the pandemic situation was getting better. I worked like mad for about a month and a half. It is really hard to concentrate fully on something usually, because of the schedule. I knew that the minute I thought ‘I gotta do this’, I needed to do it or the chance will be blown away. So I never left the studio.
<Hope World> is a mixtape you released in 2018 on SoundCloud. It literally is your debut mixtape with your name on it. I believe it was a great experience before the solo. Did you have any lessons learned from it?
Wow, I learned too much actually. I listened to all the songs I wrote before working on the solo. ‘1 Verse’ from 2015, songs from the mixtape from 2018, and ‘Chicken Noodle Soup’ in 2019… I wanted to showcase my moves and the chill vibes from LA. And the mixtape displays the vibes that are only possible at that time. But I could not tell whether they have a theme or a uniformity. I wanted to do lots of things, this and that. ‘What did I really want to do back then?’ ‘The next album needs to have some kind of unity’, I thought. If you listened to RM’s mixtape, you can tell his has unity. Also, there’s something in Agust D, Suga’s mixtape.
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There is a time you want to boast the variety and there is a time when you need to focus on your strength.
I listened to other members’ mix tapes and mine and was inspired and I could clear my head. The members are my biggest motivation. Actually, RM is the first one I played my album to.
Oh my. What was his reaction?
I took him by surprise. He said, ‘Hobi I didn’t know you would do this genre of music.’ He noticed that I tried something different and add some uniformity to the album.
In a recent interview with Weverse Magazine, you highlighted the importance of keeping the record. It may as well be unsatisfying, unveiling the mixtape is also your record to keep. The memos and albums will do so.
It really does. You know, I opened Pandora’s box myself a few days ago. I found my old phone. I went through all the pictures I took in Hawaii and they’re just… (laugh) But it made my heart melt a bit. The record has its purposes and meanings.
In the interview from last year, you talked about slumps and dilemmas. Were those about the ‘Do I go for it, or do I need to take a break here?’, the emotional theme of the solo?
Um… I had a meltdown around that time. I played a few works for my solo album to the producers I know. And their reaction was not what I expected. But you know what’s funny though? I got more creative doing a fresh start. I erased them all, and it just cleared my mind. I do not avoid challenges and slumps. I am the kind of person who encounters and overcomes it. Like, ‘Let’s just do it’. <Jack In The Box> actually walks through the journey.
What do you think is your best characteristic?
Embracing. I know I can be embracing. I believe my parents played a huge role in this. I know how to accept. I like to listen rather than speak. If someone is to pour out their emotions on me, I can sit there and listen to them. Whatever reaction and feedback you have on me, I would take it as an opportunity to grow and advance. And more, I am really good at reading people’s minds (giggle). So it puts me in a good position as a middle man in the group.
Your first encounter with music is through dancing. Your ability to embrace might have held a critical role when you overcome to learn rap, compose, and write lyrics.
Oh, I believe I would ‘enjoy’ them instead of ‘overcome’ them when it comes to those kinds of tasks. ‘A dancer boy from Gwangju’ is my foundation. From that, I pulled it off one by one, thinking, ‘Okay, this is my first time. So what? Let’s just give it a try.’ When I accomplished one, ‘Oh, this is how it turns out. Fun!’. I need to take an interest first to do something.
I guess the music you played to dance played a huge role in shaping your universe. What kind of music did you listen to?
When I was younger, definitely boom-bap. Old school and New Jack Swing as well. I danced locking to funk music, James Brown, you know. And Wu-Tang Clan, of course. Actually, ‘What If…’ from this album is the one I sampled ‘Shimmy Shimmy Ya’. Those times I danced to the music naturally built my foundation, I guess. In that sense, the album reflects my ‘identity’.
Can we really turn our heads away from the trend? Did you ever think about adding a bit of what’s in the pop market?
No. If I thought about the trend even a bit, it changed the album upside down. I hear House music a lot these days, like the one you might hear in a club. Getting on a chart was never an option for me from the start, it was just about being me, doing what I want to do.
What about Lollapalooza? It’s a music festival in Chicago in July. It will be a big stage to stand alone, the biggest challenge.
I can say it with one word. Lollapalooza is a challenge, a challenge! How can I stay calm? I am working hard and have this huge respect for all the solo artists (clapping). It’s not easy to perform several songs live in a row. I feel the absence of the members, I miss them.
What do you know about Lollapalooza?
Chicago’s iconic music festival. My favorite artists have been on the stage. I’ve seen Tyler, the Creator’s performance once and it was awesome.
With your solo album release and a festival solo performance before you, does your desire tell you ‘I want to be recognized’?
I know I have goals and ambition, but it’s rather close to ‘I want people to know that I exist here’. That is the reason I planned the listening party and joined Lollapalooza. Those are huge events that make me wonder if I can do this. You know I can just call people I know and perform. But the music festival is the place where I can get a sober assessment of the audience. They will jump and dance if I am any good. If I suck, they will not react. I really need to be on the stage alone.
What would you do if your solo album is not well-received?
Oh, that’s my burden to take. I would ask myself, was I too arrogant? Did I just do what I like? And learn my lesson.
You cannot imagine how excited and happy you looked through the whole interview. I want to ask you about your dream, but right now you have a box to open and jump out of, right? (laugh)
Yeah, I am one step away from my dream, ‘Focus on what you’re doing right now’. This is my dream now. I wonder if there would be another time in life that is this important.
What do you need, to keep your fire alive, or to light it bigger?
I need people to listen to my music and follow my trails. And, a sane mentality.
BTS is ready to open the door to the new world. j-hope reveals his unlimited ambition and confidence through his solo project <Jack In The Box> with his fit firmly standing on his world, rather than the world the others are expecting. Everything here you’re about to see, is the j-hope you didn’t know.
It was beyond everyone’s imagination. When j-hope released one of the double title tracks of his solo, ‘More’ from <Jack In The Box> ahead of other tracks, people showed such an enthusiastic response. Given the journey which BTS has gone through and all the spotlight that was on them, their decision to focus and expand solo careers seems wise. BTS showed a meteoric rise, and if they were to deepen and widen their world, the name of the most popular boy group in the world will be much more solid. On the other hand, it is a challenge and almost an adventure to stand on the stage alone without the members. I always wondered how they – in their 20s – handle all the love and enthusiasm toward them. When j-hope roared ‘I Want Some More’ and raps ‘the fire too big to put out’, it sounded like a clever answer to the silly question of ‘taking up the weight’.
j-hope sitting in front of me for an interview seemed excited and even thrilled. Was he the most energetic member of the group? I distinctly remember when President Biden played ‘Butter’ with seven members before him, j-hope was the first one to start ‘seal-clapping’. Whenever I see his lively reaction, his moves are like a rhythmical performance. The minute we started shooting the cover of <W>, he switched his mode – he changed the air around him. He even created rhythm whilst standing still, with his slightly slanted shoulder and sleek silhouette. The last track of the album – another title song – <Arson> has j-hope walking amidst the explosion. Even there, his walk carries many emotions and meanings. It just comes to me that a musician’s performance is not just simple choreography, but a part of the act. We had an interview before the solo album was released on July 15th. <Jack In The Box> will be released in digital format and the Weverse Album version will be released on July 29th.
<W Korea> Hello, ‘Captain Jeong’. I see you are not switched to dance teacher mode yet.
j-hope Hahahaha. I am, indeed. It is nice to meet you.
Congratulations. Your solo album <Jack In The Box> is to release a week after.
I know! Finally, I guess.
You are the first runner to release a solo album. How do you feel now?
I don’t know how I feel right now (smile). First, it’s really hectic. I need to focus while checking every detail. I mean wow… I have no words to explain my feelings now.
On the first day of July, you unveiled one the of titles of the <Jack In The Box>, ‘More’. I found it impressive to see you playing with this intensity and confidence in the music video. It was a treat for the eyes, also.
I listened to all the songs before releasing ‘More’, and I was confident. With this quality, I thought I can show it to the world, you know to the ARMYs, other artists, and industry people. I put all of my heart in so I knew what I was doing.
You’ve been looking around to get some responses to the early release?
I looked up the fans’ reviews, and reaction videos, and most of them were close to my expectations. Those surprise faces, ‘j-hope? Seriously?’ Haha.
‘More’ is introduced as old-school hip-hop.
Actually, to talk about a specific genre of my music with my musical spectrum, um… I just like what I like so I don’t think you need to name the genres and define them. I try to accept things intuitively and express them, like ‘this mood needs this vibe’.
I heard a rock sound on ‘More’, and you appeared in the music video with a band session. And I came across many reactions like ‘What? j-hope is doing rock?’. But I take it you are not doing the rock, but including the rock sound to make more efficient expression and energy for the song.
You hit the spot there. ‘More’ was completed after a lot of thought, like ‘we need this sound at this point or it should be burst out here!’. Of course, I do love rock music. But I added those features just to amplify the vibe the song has. You might hear people say ‘What makes this song an old-school boom-bap hip hop? It has a rock chorus in it.” or “How can this be rock music? Too much this and that!”. But if you go through the whole album, you will see what I meant you to see.
So are you trying to explore various genres through the album?
Under some unity. I give each track a twist.
Many musicians don’t want to limit their music to one genre or one color. As long as you are not a critic, most listeners take the music intuitively as you said, or through the general feeling of the song, like visual expressions. In this sense, ‘More’ and ‘Arson’ are somewhat in line with each other.
You are correct. I had a clear message that I wanted to convey through the album. To tell the message, I need more strong sound and bold visual effects. ‘Arson’ is listed at the end of the album list. It is not common to put the title at the bottom. But I wanted to do that. The questions that I have been dealing with, Do I go for it, or do I need to take a break here, the trajectory of feelings regarding the question is captured in the album.
You ‘had a clear message’, meaning that you need to do more?
Yes, that is right.
Listening through all 10 tracks on the album, I wanted to ask you whether those are close to the ones that you are good at or the ones that you would like to do. But I think it’s closer to the j-hope at this moment or j-hope of the latest.
Yeah. Um… I focused on putting my emotions over the last years on the album more than anything. So my vibes as it is had limitations. I need darker colors to tell my stories and feelings. That is where the album begins.
The mixtape, <Hope World> in 2018, had one of its tracks has a motif of the novel <20,000 Leagues Under the Sea>. This time, you got a chance to see the deep inside of yourself.
It has been 10 years as BTS. As you know, after the mixed tape, we had unbelievable momentum. Those honorable moments… and at some time, we went through something bigger and toured around the world. Then I discovered the shadows of myself that I didn’t notice before. I needed a chance to display those. The most important thing when you write a song is that you have a story. A story gives sincerity to music and motivation to work. That came to me. ‘I have a story to tell and I need to speak’.
W Magazine B-Cut
You had shared that the members of BTS were all with you when “More” was released. Have the members heard the full album? Do they have any favorites?
The first person I shared the album with … it’s always the same for me. I always share with RM first. I could have also shared it with Suga, but he likes to be very respectful of the process. He told me, “I’ll listen to it when it comes out.” He always says that to me. There’s a bit of shock and motivation that comes after hearing that. “When it gets released, I’ll look it up and listen to it then.” So I let RM hear it first … and after that was Jung Kook. For the other members, I showed them the title songs, but not the full album.
When RM heard the album, he said, “Wow, I didn’t think you’d do music like this. I have a bit of a brain freeze.” [Smiles.] “And it’s so you. The fact that you brought this music at this time.… I really respect it, and I love that it’s so you.” He gave me that feedback.
For Jung Kook, it was really funny. After hearing the album, he suddenly went to his studio. [Laughs]. I think he felt the motivation to start. I love that one of our greatest motivators is one another. I’m like that myself. When one of my members is doing a certain type of music or working on an album, I see their individuality and color, and think to myself, “I have my own color, too. I want to reveal mine, too.” We influence each other positively and are good motivators to one another.
When “More” came out, we were all together for work. [Smiles.] They were very surprised by the strong visual direction, that J-Hope did this type of music.… They were surprised.
And of course, congratulations on Lollapalooza. You’re the first South Korean artist to headline a major U.S. festival, which is huge news! How did you react when you heard about it?
It’s such a huge honor to be invited to such a big festival, and to be a headliner, too. If you’ve heard “More,” and when you listen to Jack in the Box, you’ll realize clearly why I said OK to Lollapalooza and chose to participate. I really want to show my musicality, and wanted to show J-Hope’s live [show] to a big audience. While practicing, I’m used to performing as BTS’ J-Hope, one of seven. Now that I’m trying to fill an hourlong setlist alone, I’m realizing that it is tough. [Smiles.] I feel the need to really focus and be detail-oriented as I check things off. That’s the headspace I am in as I prepare these days.
It might seem haughty or like a reckless challenge, but even that, it just depends on how you want to perceive it. There’s a lot to learn, and I’m stepping up to the challenge. I would love to give some spoilers, but I think it would be best to be there in person to see. I’m going to show musicality the way I did with Jack in the Box, but not only that, there will also be elements of the J-Hope image expressed.… That is my not-so-spoiler-like spoiler.
You’ve said that you learn something new and mature with each album. What did you learn with Jack in the Box?
I think it’s a little early for me to say. I like to steadily listen to it. When something comes out, I like to listen to it consistently and steadily gather feedback. With this album, I’ve asked many people for feedback. There’s a lot of things I start to realize from getting the feedback. I’m doing a listening party with artists and industry people to enjoy the music together. One of the reasons for this is to show them “J-Hope is doing this type of music. What do you think of it?” To get that feedback and take it in, and to improve.
I think, right now, it’s too early to say what I’ve learned. I think at the end of July or maybe early August, I’ll have a clearer picture of what my learnings are. This is now the start. This is the start of everything I wanted to challenge myself with and show with Jack in the Box, so I think going forward, there will be more for me to process.
Kristine Kwak July 15, 2022 12:00AM ET
BIGHIT MUSIC
RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook have officially been together as BTSsince 2013, working tirelessly while becoming the biggest band in the world. The group recently announced it would be embarking on a new chapter together, one that, for now, places an emphasis on solo activities. Although individual members have released mixtapes or singles in the past, none have officially released a full-length solo album — until now.
At first glance, J-Hope can seem like the most light-hearted and upbeat member of BTS, a big smile perpetually on his face. But there’s a lot more than meets the eye. He’s the group’s lead dancer, but he’s also involved in the creative process for every BTS album. He puts extreme care into his craft, and he isn’t afraid to experiment.
With his new album, Jack in the Box, J-Hope — born Jeong Hoseok — turns introspective, showing off a darker side to his persona, not to mention how multidimensional he is. With “More,” the album’s prerelease rock/hip-hop single, he surprised audiences and even bandmate RM with his approach. (The album title is a play on Pandora’s box, which also inspired his stage name.)
Talking to Rolling Stone in Korean, over Zoom, the 28-year-old dove into the creative process and what Jack in the Box means to him and his identity.
The whole world is about to hear Jack in the Box. How are you feeling?
It’s half nervousness, half excitement. Since I’m the first one to go solo, I feel a sense of responsibility and there’s definitely some pressure as well. Jack in the Box is filled only with things I personally wanted to do, almost to the point where I worry to myself, “Did I focus too much on solely what I wanted to do?” [Laughs.] I think that’s where the half nervousness comes from. This album is really meaningful to me, and mostly, I feel proud and excited it’s coming out.
Although BTS members have released mixtapes and singles in the past, you’re the first to release a full-length solo album. How did that decision come about?
Rather than thinking of an order of who would release first, while promoting as BTS, I kept asking myself the question “What type of music can I do as BTS’ J-Hope?” I am always asking myself that question, steadily coming up with a plan. I think by doing that, naturally, my [2018] mixtape Hope World came out … and from reflecting more, I realized I wanted to show more dancing, which you can consider as my main foundation. That led to the creation of [2019 solo single] “Chicken Noodle Soup,” which features more of that. I started to think that J-Hope needed to show more sincerity in music, and that’s what I focused on while approaching Jack in the Box. I think timing-wise, I ended up becoming the first because I was constantly preparing. I didn’t approach the project with wanting to be first in mind.
How long has Jack in the Box been in the making? You’ve mentioned in the past that you always have a plan, and in a recent V Live, you confirmed that the artwork for last year’s full version of “Blue Side” was somewhat of a spoiler for this album, with the jack-in-the-box illustration and the words “Pandora’s box.”
The jack-in-the-box concept is actually tied heavily into my stage name, so I think I’ve always had the idea in my back pocket. I’ve always felt the need to unveil music tied to jack in the box thematically for a long time. Pandora’s box is also an analogy for my name. “When can I release this? When can I make an album that includes these elements?” These questions were always in my head. I wanted to include spoilers of these themes in the artwork for “Blue Side,” and while discussing with the artist behind the work, I clearly stated that I wanted these elements included. That’s how systematic my approach was as I prepared the album and its tracks.
You’ve shown darker sides to yourself in tracks like “1Verse,” from 2015. Even with Hope World, although visually it may seem colorful, the lyrics show depth. How did you decide to visually go darker and heavier with “More” and the full album?
First off, how do you know “1verse”? [Laughs.]
I think it’s this: While being part of BTS for 10 years, I’ve experienced a lot. From that standpoint, of course there are stories I want to tell, and I realized that it could be tough to tell some of these stories through music with the existing image and vibe of J-Hope. I felt the need to show some of my darker aspects … and I think I really wanted to do something like this. I wanted people to realize that J-Hope isn’t limited to bright things. He can do these concepts and has a wide spectrum. I wanted to call attention to this ability by challenging myself. I didn’t think much of the future.
Just wholly focused on what I wanted to do, what I wanted to express, what I wanted to show. That was the focus, and Jack in the Boxhas those raw elements. When this album is “opened,” I am a little worried because it contains only what I wanted to do. [Smiles.] I’m very curious how people will react. But what I really want to say is that the album is filled with my soul and my sincerity. In that way, it’s a unique album, and the album is very meaningful because, in terms of musicality, it’s going to act as a stepping stone for J-Hope to go forward.
With the beats, you’re using more of that old-school hip-hop sound as a foundation; “What If…” even samples Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya.” What made you want to take the album in this direction?
When you hear the music, you’ll know, but that sound is my foundational base. The music I listened to when dancing [dances], the vibe that I had … that’s what I express in the music, and that’s what got included in Jack in the Box, going back to what I wanted to do, what I’m capable of, as my base. I think through that, it’s become more sincere, more J-Hope-esque, while visually, I’m able to show something very different. I think the album contains elements that are fun and engaging both visually and aurally. I think for fans, there are definitely elements that they’ll find very J-Hope-esque.
When “More” came out, some people were shocked. “J-Hope? J-Hope is doing music like this? Rock? Emo? Hip-hop? Emo-rock?” But I think if you listen to the album, you’ll start to realize there’s a clear reason why J-Hope chose music like this, why he chose this track, why he chose this line.
Jack in the Box features two title tracks, “More” and “Arson.” [In the Korean music industry, “title track” is often used to describe the lead track of an album, regardless of whether the track shares a title with the album.] You mentioned that you were surprised when “More” was chosen as one of them. How did you decide on “Arson” as the second title track?
As soon as I heard it, I felt like it was meant to be. I put everything I am able to convey and just most of my … my energy into this song. I chose it because I felt like the song’s style shows the zenith of J-Hope’s emotions. “Arson” is a song that feels like a turning point and crossroads. It has the fire, the passion that I wanted this album to possess. The song is also last on the track list. One of the reasons for this is I found that this song nicely packages up my thoughts behind why I created this album. The track acts as a period at the end of a sentence, and clearly straightens out what I wanted to express with this album.
Equal sign is a radio hit
Promo slowly starting up.
Whats the first one?
2nd Best cover in 2022
