BTS’ Chapter 2 is so full of new music. J-Hope’s Jack in the Box is one of them. Have you listened to this album yet? Read on as I share my thoughts on the album and its relevance to fans like me.
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| Photo Credit: Big Hit Music |
When BTS announced they were taking time apart to do solo projects, the world went crazy. Media announced a hiatus/disbandment, and fans worried about missing the group. Back then, we didn't know that fans would have even more BTS solo albums and merchandise to look forward to. There has been so much that it has left my wallet shaking! Join me as I make a K-pop music review of the first of many BTS solo albums!
The first one to “go solo” after the announcement was J-Hope (Jung Hoseok). He had a solo effort in the past with Hope World back in 2018. Despite that, this latest project, Jack in the Box, is his first official solo album. The album first came out with the single More. Arson was the follow-up single. These songs were highlights of his performance at Lollapalooza in 2022.
I can’t imagine how much pressure there was for J-Hope when it came to releasing this album. His project was the first of the members of BTS to come out. The expectations that people have of their solo efforts were big. Being the first meant his success could affect how people see the future projects of the rest of BTS.
The Relevance of the Jack in the Box Concept
I loved the whole concept of the album. J-Hope being Jack in the Box is a nod to how hope is the one thing left in Pandora’s box in the Greek myth. I thought it was a nice touch to have that introduction to Hope and Pandora’s Box at the beginning of the album. It was a smooth transition from that to the first track, Pandora’s Box. This is where J-Hope talks about how he feels about his stage name.
Having a different persona as a solo artist, J-Hope called himself Jack in this album. I see it as something like how SUGA calls himself Agust D in his solo projects. I don’t know if this will carry over in any future solo albums, but I like it. This persona is very different from the J-Hope that fans see in BTS.
Album Review
Moreover, the first single from the album was a surprise for me. I did not expect More to have that kind of mashup between rock and rap to be the kind of music that he would produce for this album. It was new, nothing that I had heard from him before, and I thought it was very good. The drums and the guitars on this track keep my head banging to the beat whenever I listen to it. Disbandment rumors aside, this song gives me hope that there is more to come from everyone.
The two songs that follow carry a similar theme. Stop talks about hoping that despite the world we live in there is hope for change. It says there are no bad people in the world (none that started bad anyway). Equal Sign is a good follow-up to that. It has a good message of equality, love, and respect despite all our differences. I love Equal Sign, that chorus is catchy and reminds me of a song you would want to listen to for a feel-good boost.
There is an instrumental track called Music Box: Reflection bin the album. I thought it was a little creepy at first with the wind-up sound. The music that followed was a bit creepy too, but this was all in-theme with the whole Jack in the Box concept. Have to say though, it felt like a sound where a scary clown would jump out from a box while you are in a dark room.
What If is a song where J-Hope contemplates what his life would be like if he did not have the life that he enjoys today. He wonders what life would be like if he did not have the passion and the hope to go after his dreams. He asks himself what kind of person he would have been if his life had gone any other way. I love that he shows his vulnerable side with songs like this and with Safety Zone.
Safety Zone shares how his life sometimes feels like it is going too fast and challenging. That he is longing for that place where he can find comfort and rest. Even the song following this, Future, shows his vulnerability. It talks about how he looks forward to a future that is uncertain but moves straight ahead with hope.
Ending the album with the song Arson felt like a way of acknowledging his success with BTS. It was about how they have burned bright with their career and achieved great things. At the same time, it was about wondering if it was time to let it all end or to burn even brighter. I felt a bit sad with the lyrics because he was wondering if it was time to let it all end. But I loved that he was also hopeful that he considered burning even brighter too.
I thought that the album was an interesting look at what was going on in his mind during the period he made this album. I also felt that the song order had significance to this story. Listeners would appreciate this by listening to the songs in the order they have in the album. The flow of the messages and the song order would make you appreciate the message better in that manner.
Lollapalooza
Jack in the Box is such a good album from J-Hope. I love that he has been out there performing his music at various events and venues. His performance at Lollapalooza in 2022 showed that he shines not only as a BTS member but also as a solo artist. His stint there was so successful they released versions of it on streaming services.
J-Hope in the Box
The Disney Documentary shows the process that J-Hope had undergone for this project. It shows him working on the album as well as promotions for it. As a fan, it gave me an insight into his creative choices. I love that it slammed the false insinuations about their solo work. People said they do not have any creative control but this shows otherwise. I liked having this documentary to help me understand and appreciate the album even more.
Hope Edition
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| Photo Credit: Big Hit Music |
Before he enlisted in the South Korean military, J-Hope had prepared a re-release of the album. He called it the Hope Edition of Jack in the Box. He said that it was something for the fans to have while he was away in the military. Fans have responded well to this effort. The new version pushed the album into the Top 10 of the Billboard Top 200 charts. This marked the second time it was in the Top 200 charts since its release the year before.
The new edition has all the songs from the original version. The difference is the addition of new tracks. There are songs from his Lollapalooza performance and two new instrumental tracks. This is also the first time they released Jack in the Box as a physical album. This was in response to a demand for it because the first release was only digital. It also came with new photo cards, concept photos, and lyric book, new posters, and a paper toy.
The paper toy that represented the two versions of Jack in the Box was a nice touch. They were cute, but I agree that everyone would be more than happy to pay for real dolls if they released them. Jin had Wootteo from his The Astronaut release, and fans loved the dolls. Having these two Jacks would have been better with something more than paper toys if we could have them. Fingers crossed that one day we could get them with J-Hope’s say-so.
Final Thoughts
I love that J-Hope explores diverse types of music to combine with his rap. He also allowed himself to be vulnerable with the topics explored in the tracks of Jack in the Box. To me, his music has grown a lot from his first mix tape. It sounds more mature compared to Hope World. I hope that I get to listen and be a witness to more of that growth in the years to come. It doesn’t matter if it is as J-Hope or as Jack. The important thing is that he comes back with more music.
After getting a glimpse of the direction each BTS member's solo careers, I am excited for 2025. It will be exciting to see what kind of music they create after the completion of their military service.
Have you had the chance to listen to Jack in the Box? What did you think of it? Share your thoughts on J-Hope’s solo album in the comments!
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