Rosa Gulliver of TINYGMUSIC | January 24, 2025
J-Hope took the stage to open Le Gala des Pièces Jaunes at La Défense Arena in Paris, France, on January 23 (local time). The charity event was led by France's First Lady, Brigitte Macron, who made a special request for J-Hope to open the event this year.
The arena was filled with a sea of purple ARMY BOMB (BTS official light stick) as the crowd chanted J-Hope's name even before the performance began. As soon as he stepped onto the stage and greeted the crowd with a “What’s up, Paris,” he was met with explosive cheers, kicking off the performance with high energy.
J-Hope delivered an unforgettable set, performing three tracks—“on the street (solo version),” from his Special Album HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1, “MORE,” the main track from his first solo album Jack In The Box, and BTS’ “MIC Drop.” His performances for “MORE” and “MIC Drop” were re-arranged as orchestral versions, adding a layer of grandeur and intensity that elevated the performance. J-Hope commanded the stage with his powerful vocals and intricate choreography, joined by his dancers, while the audience of 35,000 people sang along in Korean that resonated throughout the venue.
The highlight of the performances was “MIC Drop.” The moment the song came on, the crowd's energy skyrocketed as they chanted the track's official cheer in unison. As the performance neared its end, his electrifying choreography, reminiscent of a conductor, flowed seamlessly with the orchestral arrangement.
Through BIGHIT MUSIC, J-Hope commented, “It’s been such a long time since I performed in Europe, and I’m so happy to have been invited to such a meaningful event. I’ve once again realised how incredible it is to bring hope and comfort to people through music and dance. I’m beyond grateful to ARMY for their unwavering support, and I’d love to return to perform again whenever I get the chance.”
Le Gala des Pièces Jaunes is hosted by the Opération Pièces Jaunes foundation, led by Brigitte Macron, who also serves as its chairperson. The event is regarded as one of the most esteemed charitable events in the country and aims to raise funds for hospitalised children and teenagers. The performances will be broadcast on France's national channel, France 2, on January 28.
About J-Hope
J-Hope (Jeong Hoseok) is a South Korean rapper, dancer, songwriter, music producer and member of 21st century pop icons, BTS. Known as the ‘lead dancer’ of the group, J-Hope boasts his performance skills that are nearly perfect. His originality in music as an artist also comes from the fact that he learned music through dance. J-Hope has been participating in making music such as “Intro : Boy Meets Evil” and “MAMA” in WINGS, and his solo works. J-Hope’s first mixtape Hope World (March 2018) expressed his honest emotions and personal narratives, suggesting his vision as an artist. Globally-famed “Chicken Noodle Soup (feat. Becky G)” released in 2019 showcased his own musical personality with exhilarating energy and performance. J-Hope also validated his capability as a creative director by leading all aspects—from music to concept and visual elements—of his solo album, Jack In The Box (July 2022), which addresses his passion and agony he goes through as an artist. In 2022, J-Hope made history as the first South Korean act to headline a main stage at Lollapalooza. J-Hope released a special album HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1 alongside docuseries ‘HOPE ON THE STREET’ in March 2024. He is set to embark on his highly-anticipated first solo world tour ‘J-Hope Tour 'HOPE ON THE STAGE’ starting in February 2025.
About BTS
BTS, an acronym of Bangtan Sonyeondan or “Beyond the Scene,” are a GRAMMY-nominated South Korean boyband that has been capturing the hearts of millions of fans globally since their debut in June 2013. The members of BTS are RM, Jin, SUGA, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. Gaining recognition for their authentic and self-produced music, top-notch performances, and the way they interact with their fans, the band has established themselves as 21st century pop icons breaking countless world records. While imparting a positive influence through activities such as the LOVE MYSELF campaign and the UN ‘Speak Yourself’ speech, the band has mobilised millions of fans across the world (named ARMY), collected six No.1 Billboard Hot 100 singles since 2020, and performed multiple sold-out stadium shows across the world. They were also named TIME’s Entertainer of the Year 2020. BTS are 5-time GRAMMY nominees (63rd to 65th GRAMMY Awards) and have been recognised with numerous prestigious awards like the Billboard Music Awards, American Music Awards (Artist of the Year 2021) and MTV Video Music Awards.
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