Aside from his glimmering identity as a member of the global sensation BTS, J-Hope’s self-introductory individualistic presence is one of its kind. Known as the septet’s ‘dance leader,’ the ‘94 Liner has earned this title for a reason, and its origins tie in with his pre-BTS past. He’s made his mark with his historic 2022 Lollapalooza headlining act, becoming the first Korean artist to lead a major US music festival. The award-winning artist’s Jack in the Box album marked his official foray into a soloist’s territory. Continuing the streak despite being away for his mandatory military service, the 30-year-old rapper is ready to break out with another career-defining outing this month.

Along with his follow-up mini-album, the accompanying Prime Video docuseries Hope on the Street will debut a day ahead of the musical premiere. Rocking the same name, the upcoming projects will jointly work as a time machine, returning to J-Hope’s dancer roots.

The BTS member’s former instructor, South Korean street dancer Boogaloo Kin, will join him on this journey again. Together, they will explore the streets of Osaka, Seoul, Paris, New York and Gwangju (J-Hope’s hometown), meeting inspiring street dancers on their globetrotting dance-venture. “Follow J-Hope as he pursues a dream connecting his past, present and future,” reads an extract of the official synopsis of Hope on the Street docuseries, which documents his street dance report.

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BTS J-Hope doc Hope on the Street release date

The 6-episode docuseries will be available on Prime Video, starting Thursday, March 28 at 12 am KST (or March 27, 11 am ET). New episodes will drop on the streamer every Thursday and Friday. South Korean audiences can stream the series on TVING.

What does the prolific dancer hope to achieve through the documentary? “I want fans to see what genre of dance I used to work with and my overall journey with the world of dance,” J-Hope revealed in a video teaser ahead of the series premiere.

Hope on the Street Vol 1 tracklist

Like the docuseries, J-Hope’s upcoming EP is also a 6-part record, which will release on March 29. An official press release described it as encompassing a “diverse array of sounds and moods that showcase j-hope’s musical prowess and depth.” The star-studded album features several collaborations, including J-Hope’s bandmate Jungkook, Benny Blanco, Chic’s Nile Rodgers, Le Sserafim’s Huh Yunjin, Jinbo the SuperFreak, South Korean hip-hop giant Gaeko (Dynamic Duo) and yoonmirae.

The previously dropped press release also foregrounded the interconnection between the docuseries and the album, adding, “J-Hope will convey the messages from his tracks through the documentary.”

The tracklist is as follows:

• on the street (solo version):
• i wonder (with BTS’ Jungkook)
• lock / unlock (with Benny Blanco and Nile Rodgers)
• i don’t know (with Le Sserafim’s Huh Yunjin)
• what it… (with JINBO the SuperFreak)
• NEURON (with Gaeko and yoonmirae)

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Each of these tracks from the album dives into J-Hope’s artistic street dance roots from before he debuted as a BTS member. Neuron is a direct reference to his old dance crew. The 2000s old-school hip-hop direction of the song is reminiscent of a genre that “made a significant impact on J-Hope as an artist,” in addition to reflecting the album’s overarching theme.

The newly featured ‘what if’ is a reworked ‘dance mix’ of J-Hope’s 2022 track of the same name. Additionally, On the Street boasts his solo outing contrary to his 2023 collaboration with J. Cole for the track.