By 
J-HOPE of BTS made his headlining debut at Lollapalooza 2022, capping off the festival with a grand finale. He became the first Korean artist to headline a major US music festival.
J-hope performed 18 songs from his latest solo album Jack In The Box, first solo mixtape Hope World, and other albums during this hour-long set. He also performed “Chicken Noodle Soup (feat. Becky G)” and reinterpreted BTS songs “BTS Cypher PT.1” and “Dynamite” on the final day of Lollapalooza, which was attended by approximately 105,000 people.
J-hope began the set by cranking out of the box set on stage, as the album title Jack In The Box suggests. For the first time, j-hope performed the album’s two main tracks, “MORE” and “Arson,” live. He also performed Hobi’s versions of BTS songs, “BTS Cypher PT.1” and “Dynamite,” giving fans and the audience a new flavor.
Becky G made an appearance as a special guest near the end, and they heated up the night with their “Chicken Noodle Soup (feat. Becky G)” performance.
The setlist and set design emphasized J-distinct hope’s vibe and well-planned stage flow. The box sets represent both ‘Jack in the Box,’ which is full of surprises with j-new hope’s charms, and ‘Pandora’s Box,’ which relates to his identity and how the stage name ‘j-hope,’ which was created. Various performances filled the stage, displaying both ‘familiar’ j-hope with positive energy and new j-hope with darker and more serious aspects as an artist. The conclusion raised the audience’s expectations for what else j-hope has to offer.
J-hope made history as the first Korean artist to headline the main stage at Lollapalooza in its over 30-year history. j-hope said during the performance, “Even if we speak different languages, I pour my heart and soul into my music. I hope you listen to my story.” Closing the set with “Future,” he said, “This is a very meaningful moment for me. We are getting closer to a wrap up of this album that started off with my ambition. I’ve grown so much throughout the whole journey with the album, and seeing the audience at Lollapalooza today gave me a firm belief for myself. I am grateful to everyone who came to watch my performance. I’m embarrassed to say this, but I’m also proud of myself for enduring the challenges up until this moment.”
Denise J. Mallabo 