BTS’s J-Hope Faced His Father’s Opposition—Until One Silent Dance Spoke Louder Than Words!

BTS member J-Hope is known for his bright energy and confidence on stage, but his path to becoming a global superstar wasn’t always smooth.

In a candid appearance on the YouTube show 'Yojung Jaehyung' on March 23, J-Hope shared stories from his childhood, his time in the military, and the release of his latest solo single ‘Mona Lisa’.

Reflecting on how he first fell in love with dancing, J-Hope said it started back in elementary school: “I used to do a lot of morning workout. One day, the teacher asked if anyone could record choreography videos to help classmates learn routines, and I volunteered. I had so much fun doing it—that was the beginning.”

But his dream of becoming an idol wasn't always welcomed at home. While his mother supported him, his father had strong reservations. “My dad was born in 1961 and worked as a literature teacher. So he was very quite opposed to it at first,” he said. “He allowed it because I wanted it, but I think deep down, he hoped I wouldn’t pursue it seriously.”

In a surprising turn, J-Hope recalled a vivid moment when his father may have finally acknowledged his passion. “One day, he said, ‘Dance for me right now—without music.’ So I just danced on the spot. I don’t know if that was the moment he accepted it, but it felt like something shifted.” At that time, J-hope recalled being around second year of middle school.

The conversation then turned to his military service. "For me, every gaze felt like a camera. I couldn’t just relax—I lived by a certain discipline.” Despite the pressure, J-Hope made an effort to connect with his fellow soldiers in a humble and relatable way.

When asked how he handled communal showers in the training camp, J-Hope laughed, saying, “The first thing I thought was, ‘How am I supposed to shower in front of everyone?’ So I decided to just own it. I joked, ‘This is the celebrity body,’ and stripped down. I figured if I wasn’t embarrassed, no one else would be.”

He added that military life helped him let go of the idol persona: “It had been a while since I even said the word ‘celebrity.’ I let a lot of that go while serving.”

His approach paid off—he was well-liked within his unit. “Some guys told me, ‘Thanks to you, my military life was fun,’ or ‘You are the best conversation starter over drinks.’ Hearing that made me feel like my service wasn’t meaningless. It gave me motivation to stay positive after coming out.”

J-Hope recently released his new single ‘Mona Lisa’ on March 21, which quickly rose to the top of the iTunes Top Songs chart in 67 countries and regions, including Brazil, France, and Japan.

Describing the track through his agency BigHit Music, he said, “It’s been a while since I released a performance-based track, and I made this with ARMY in mind—it’s meant to feel like a gift.” He added, “I’m really excited about it too.”

As for what listeners can expect, J-Hope shared, “The lyrics are playful and clever, so I think people will find it easy and fun to listen to. There are also little sound effects and mischievous touches sprinkled throughout—if you catch them, it’ll make the experience even more enjoyable.”