According to Hankook Ilbo, last week, more than 27,000 fans filled Goyang Stadium (Gyeonggi, Korea) during BTS' J-Hope's concert, successfully concluding the singer's solo tour "Hope on the Stage" starting in February this year.
J-Hope conducted the stadium concert completely alone, something that was previously unimaginable for a K-pop artist without their group.
This goes beyond individual achievements, it acts as a signal about what is coming to BTS as the group prepares for the long-awaited 7-member reunion.
Since the final concert at Goyang Stadium was announced, ARMY Global - BTS's official fandom - has shown extreme anticipation.
What makes this event even more notable is that it marks BTS' first performance at Goyang Stadium. While BTS has conquered most major concert venue in Korea, the group has never held a concert at Goyang Stadium until J-Hope made it a reality.
J-Hope's attraction of 54,000 fans in 2 days at a location that even top groups struggled to fill was a clear testament to J-Hope's own appeal and BTS's continued influence, even during his hiatus from military service.
Goyang Stadium has a "huge" capacity, previously only holding a few solo concerts, typically the recent concert of G-Dragon (Big Bang). J-Hope's ability to attract audiences without BTS's support shows his personal maturity and global influence.
The success of the show also highlights a deeper change: The members of BTS are still thriving during the time the group's activities were interrupted due to military service.
Over the past 3 years, each member has tried their hand at solo albums and world tour, carefully creating a unique identity beyond the group's reputation.
These activities have proven that BTS's popularity depends not only on the overall strength of the group, but the individual color of each person is also very important.
J-Hope's final night at Goyang Stadium, with 180 minutes of energy, is a typical example of what a BTS member can achieve alone.
J-Hope's art and performing talent show that BTS' next chapter will be even more vibrant, built on the personal development of each member.
The surprise appearance of Jin and Jungkook on J-Hope's concert stage showed that their chemistry was still intact, easily dominating the stage and rekindling fans' dreams of the group's comeback.
During the concert, J-Hope hinted at what was coming: "Now that all the members have returned after completing their duties, there are many things we want to show you. We are preparing very carefully, so please wait for us.
Hankook Ilbo concluded that J-Hope's successful solo tour is a signal for BTS's comeback with a redefined era, in which each member brings new strength to the group. This is not just a reunion but will be an anticipated recreation.
