J-Hope feels 'pressure' as first BTS star to go solo

J-Hope feels “pressure” and a “sense of responsibility” after becoming the first BTS star to go solo.

The 28-year-old K-pop star is looking forward to the release of his new album ‘Jack in the Box’ but admitted he’s also a little bit nervous about the reaction to the record because he made it to please himself and it is the first time any members of the group have released a full LP.

He said: “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?’

“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.”

J-Hope took the record to bandmate RM before the rest of the band but Jung Kook is the only other member to have heard the songs so far.

Asked if the ‘Butter’ hitmakers have all had a preview of the album, he told Rolling Stone magazine: “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 mu like this. I have a bit of a brain freeze. And it’s so you. The fact that you brought this mu at this time.… I really respect it, and I love that it’s so you.’ He gave me that feedback.”

And hearing the ‘More’ singer’s record has inspired Jung Kook to get started on his own album.

J-Hope said: “For Jung Kook, it was really funny. After hearing the album, he suddenly went to his studio.

“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 mu or working on an album, I see their individuality and colour, and think to myself, ‘I have my own colour, too. I want to reveal mine, too.’

“We influence each other positively and are good motivators to one another.”