"Welcome to the second round of 'Hobipalooza' with J-Hope!"
J-Hope proved his presence as a solo artist by taking the stage as the headliner of the world-renowned music festival 'Lollapalooza Berlin'.
On the morning of the 14th at around 3 AM (Korean time), J-Hope from BTS stood on the final main stage of 'Lollapalooza Berlin' held at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany. He performed for about 90 minutes, brilliantly concluding the festival. The total number of attendees for the festival was reported to be over 60,000. The venue was packed with global fans who had gathered since dawn, showcasing his worldwide popularity. The audience cheered for J-Hope and BTS, chanting "j-hope, We wanna party!" even before the performance began, setting the atmosphere ablaze.
As he had previously announced, J-Hope enjoyed the festival with ease. He showcased 21 songs arranged with a band sound and heated up the venue with a performance befitting a 'world-class performer'. He demonstrated his value with unwavering vocals even amidst intense choreography. As night fell, the official light stick, ARMY Bomb, shone brightly, and J-Hope's presence during the performance under the dazzling fireworks was nothing short of intense. The audience responded to his passion with thunderous cheers, and many were seen moved to tears.
J-Hope made his entrance on a lift, opening the performance with tracks from his first solo album 'Jack In The Box', 'What if...' and 'Pandora’s Box'. He then exclaimed, "This is the second time for 'Lollapalooza'. Welcome to 'Hobipalooza' (a combination of J-Hope + Lollapalooza) round 2. Are you ready to go crazy tonight? Then let's go!" instantly elevating the atmosphere.
He then presented songs from his special album 'HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1', including 'on the street (solo version)' and 'lock / unlock (with benny blanco, Nile Rodgers)'. The stage for 'Killin’ It Girl (Solo Version)' was bursting with sexiness. The audience sang along loudly to 'MONA LISA' from start to finish. During 'Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel) - FNZ Remix', a surprise event where purple heart slogans were raised touched the crowd. As the medley of BTS group songs 'MIC Drop', 'Dynamite (Tropical Remix) + Butter (Hotter Remix)' began, the excitement in the venue reached its peak, with the audience singing along to the Korean lyrics.
At the end of the performance, J-Hope shared, "This year has been truly meaningful for me. I have been grateful for many things while touring around the world. It feels like a perfect ending to be able to wrap this up with all of you here today. Thank you once again for joining me on this unforgettable journey, and I love you all."
Fans gathered from all over the world shouted "I love you" in Korean, expressing their feelings. Even after the performance ended, they continued to chant "j-hope, We wanna party!" In response, J-Hope returned to the stage to perform '= (Equal Sign)', 'Future', and 'NEURON (with Gaeko, Yoon Mirae)'. He completed the festival with unyielding energy until the very end.
This performance was special as it was adapted for a large outdoor stage for his solo world tour 'j-hope Tour 'HOPE ON THE STAGE'. The lift, a symbolic element of the tour, was utilized as a directing point on the main and protruding stages. The cube-shaped band, vibrant VJ visuals, lighting, and special effects combined to enhance the immersion and completeness of the performance.
J-Hope returned with a more powerful 'Hobipalooza' after three years. 'Lollapalooza Berlin' clearly showcased why he was invited as a headliner for a world-class festival. J-Hope previously made history as the first Korean artist to perform on the main stage at 'Lollapalooza Chicago' in 2022.
[Geum Bitna, MK Sports Reporter]
