J-Hope from BTS offers France his big comeback on stage at the Yellow Pieces Gala

Neither the cold nor the humidity got the better of the fans’ passion. In the RER A corridor, late in the afternoon, a group of admirers rush towards the exit. “What I wouldn’t do for him,” says one of them. “Him” is J-Hope, superstar of the group BTS, who is due to take the stage this Thursday evening for the Yellow Pieces Gala, organized by the Hospital Foundation. The rapper, producer, and dancer of the South Korean group has the difficult task of opening the concert which welcomes many artists, from Katy Perry to Gims, including Kpop names such as Rosé and G-Dragon and Taeyang.

For ARMY, the name of the BTS fanclub, who had been waiting since early morning outside Paris La Défense Arena, the motto was clear: make noise to support their idol. It must be said that the moment is historic for J-Hope and his fans. The young man is indeed offering France his very first performance since the end of his 18-month military service. So, when Teddy Riner, host of the evening, announces the arrival of “megastar” J-Hope, the entire audience explodes with joy. First singer to perform – the honor we give to those who we know will set the mood -, he will later explain during a live broadcast on the Weverse application, to have been proud to fulfill this role but above all surprised by the immense clamor of the audience who came to applaud him. He will also confide in having been supported by the president of the Yellow Pieces operation, Brigitte Macron, who even attended the concert rehearsals.

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In his Vuitton outfit, of which he is the ambassador, the man who is affectionately nicknamed “Hobi” by his ARMYs, has lost none of his habits on stage. Forgotten the military uniform and the imposed rules of rigor, the artist can finally let go. With three songs, accompanied by the evening’s symphony orchestra, J-Hope set the tone for his future tour which will take place from February, in Asia and America. It is first with “On the Street”, then “More”, two of his solo titles, that the thirty-year-old opens the ball. Then, he takes his fans back into the crazy atmosphere of a BTS concert by offering them a cover of “Mic Drop”. In the audience, ARMY’s light sticks are adorned with purple, the group’s flagship color, while with one voice, BTS admirers accompany them with their encouragement. It floats in Nanterre like an air of Stade de France in 2019, the year of the last BTS concert in France.

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The turmoil behind the scenes

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the stars crowd onto the red carpet. Among them, Yim Si-wan, actor of “Squid Game”, who, with a smile, stops in front of the journalists’ microphones and confides that he had come to encourage his friends, including J-Hope. (He will also explain that he is a fan of Gims). Katy Perry, who is trying as best she can to pronounce the words “yellow pieces” – “this is impossible”, she jokes – does not hide her enthusiasm at the idea of ​​sharing the poster with other big names. On stage, at the moment of the final salute, she can’t help but hug J-Hope in front of the won over fans who never stop shouting his name.

A clamor that has accompanied him since the start of his stay in Paris. Tuesday, invited to the Louis Vuitton presentation of Men’s Fashion Week, he was able to see that he had lost none of his popularity, he whose future title “LV Bag” produced by Pharrell Williams featuring Don Toliver, was presented in preview at the end of the parade.

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“I’m thrilled to be in Paris after such a long time and I’ve felt so much love and energy from the warm welcome from ARMYs here. I am also grateful for the opportunity given to me, not only to attend the show, but also to be a part of the new track being unveiled. I will do my best to offer a superb show at the next Yellow Pieces Gala,” he declared in a press release on the eve of his return to the stage.

Words reiterated on the red carpet Thursday where we were able to meet John Legend or the star actor of K-Dramas Rowoon. “If you see 15 Koreans, you let them all pass,” we hear furtively from the organizers, symbol of an electric evening resolutely focused on South Korea. Between two appearances on stage or on the red carpet, it’s difficult to know where to turn. A look to the right, and we see an actor discreetly slipping into the little corner, a look to the left, and it’s an entire crew of dancers heading towards the smoking room.

J-Hope’s arrival on the red carpet

Then, turning his head, J-Hope appears. Accompanied by his impressive team of XXL-sized managers and bodyguards, J-Hope enters the small room where journalists and photographers crowd (and sometimes bicker) in the hope of a good word. The atmosphere suddenly becomes very intimidating. The artist emanates an aura that inspires natural respect. We’re almost afraid to meet his gaze. But all it takes is a smile to make his face light up. Suddenly, the Hip-Hop star in a total brown look and sunglasses is no longer so intimidating, his serious air gives way to a warm delicacy.

If he cannot stop in front of our microphones, he does not fail to greet everyone with a wave of his hand before leaving for the dressing rooms, when he will go on stage one last time with the artists to greet the crowd. In the public, the ARMYs who came in large numbers said a last goodbye to their idol, with the hope of finding her on stage in Paris, alone or in a group, in the months and years to come. In the meantime, fans have not forgotten the objective of the gala. After the announcement of the rapper’s arrival in France, a prize pool was opened by the ARMY on the official Yellow Coins website. Prize pool which today exceeds 14,000 euros in donations. Enough to make J-Hope proud, who in return, will have made them dream for the space of an evening.

The Yellow Pieces Gala is broadcast Tuesday January 28 on France 2.