BTS' J-Hope reflects on bittersweet military discharge in first post

J-Hope expressed mixed emotions about his discharge from mandatory military service.

On Thursday, October 17, he became the second BTS member to be discharged, following Jin, who was released on June 12.

J-Hope, whose real name is Jung Ho-seok, shared his first Instagram post, offering glimpses of his grand welcome while reminiscing about his army days.

The carousel of photos featured him smiling while sitting on a wooden floor surrounded by giant flower bouquets, colourful balloons, and confetti.

The following slide captures the overwhelming atmosphere as the Butter hitmaker opened the door to enthusiastic fans chanting and welcoming him back.

Other images include the Hobi taking selfies with his fellow soldiers and sitting against a wall with a sombre expression.

The final picture in the carousel features an animated version of him looking visibly sad and sobbing.

In his caption, J-Hope, 30, noted the dates of his enlistment and discharge, mentioning that he joined the army on April 18, 2023, and returned on October 17, 2024.

He received a warm welcome from BTS bandmate Jin and a large crowd of fans and reporters.

With J-Hope's return, excitement is building among fans for the upcoming BTS reunion, especially with the anticipated releases of other members Jimin, Jungkook, RM, Suga, and V by 2025.