BTS and j-hope are currently on their ARIRANG world tour. Sadly, during the group’s first concert at Tokyo Dome, fans received нєαятвяєαкιиg news from j-hope as he revealed that his maternal grandmother, who was in her 90s, had pαѕѕed away shortly after he arrived in נαραи to prepare for the show.
At the time, he shared that he was ѕнσ¢кed upon hearing the news, adding that spending time with the members helped him gradually overcome the initial ѕнσ¢к. He said: “When I landed here, I heard the news that my maternal grandmother who raised me had pαѕѕed away... I was quite flustered, but I was with the members the whole time, doing the rehearsals and then now with all this, I think I felt a little better.”
He also spoke about his grandmother’s support for his career, emphasizing that she had always been proud of him and the other BTS members: “Honestly, usually my grandmother really... is so proud of my members and me as well. If she'd been watching this show from heaven, I'm sure she would have loved it.”
After this surfaced online, it quickly gained widespread attention across social media platforms. Fans flooded timelines with messages of condolence and comfort for him and his family. The hashtag #WeAreYourHope even trended for hours. Many also expressed admiration for j-hope’s incredible strength in continuing to perform despite facing such a painful loss.
In addition to sending condolences, ARMY recently launched a campaign called “Safety Zone”—named after a B-side track from his 2022 solo album Jack In The Box. The message behind the campaign reads: “Hobi always show up for us, it's our chance to show up and let him know we are his Safety Zone,” along with the call: “Please join this project to show Hoseok our love and support after the loss of his grandmother.”
Accordingly, fans are encouraged to purchase both versions of “Safety Zone” on iTunes—from the original Jack In The Box album and the JITB HOPE Edition. For those who have already bought both, ARMY is urging them to help by reposting and spreading the message across various platforms to encourage wider participation.
As soon as the campaign was launched, it received strong support from the global fan community. Choosing “Safety Zone” as the campaign’s name carries deep symbolic meaning. In Jack In The Box, the song reflects j-hope’s yearning for a place of refuge amid overwhelming pressure. Now, ARMY has turned that longing into reality—creating a mental and emotional “safe zone” to support and protect him during this time of loss.
ARMY has stood by j-hope in the most beautiful way, as always: using his own music to connect, and unity to create strength. This approach is not only a powerful form of comfort for the artist and a meaningful message to spread, but also directly reinforces his standing. The “Safety Zone” campaign proves that j-hope will always have a strong support system behind him, no matter the circumstances.
Meanwhile, on the morning of the 18th, j-hope’s older sister shared a post confirming that the funeral had been completed, along with an emotional farewell message to their late grandmother—one that both j-hope and Jungkook reacted to: “Time does not wait for us. Every time I feel that the moment I wish it didn't come is getting closer. I will regret holding on to the time that has pαѕѕed more than in the future (...) Grandma, rest in peace. I love you.”
Later that same evening—just a few hours after finishing the two concerts in נαραи—j-hope boarded the earliest flight back to кσяєα to be with his family following the funeral. He appeared with swollen eyes and looked visibly exhausted, yet still took a brief moment to greet fans who had been waiting outside the airport late at night.
Ultimately, fans’ greatest wish right now is for j-hope and his family to overcome this difficult time, and they continue to pray for his grandmother’s soul to rest in peace!
