20 August,2023 07:59 AM IST | Seoul, South Korea | Harshita Kale
J-Hope at Lollapalooza (L), during concept photoshoot for `Jack in the Box` (R)
J-Hope's 'Jack in the Box' debuted its physical edition a few days ago after initially being digital-only. The surprise announcement came in the form of an official statement from BIGHIT MUSIC on July 17. The new edition, aptly named the Jack in The Box (HOPE Edition) will feature an array of exciting additions that were previously unavailable in the original digital or Weverse album versions. Apart from the original tracks that garnered immense praise upon their release, 'Jack In The Box (HOPE Edition)' included include three live tracks, which were recorded during J-Hope's enthralling performances at Lollapalooza. It also featured two instrumental tracks that showcased the sheer range of musicality of the album.
J-Hope's album exceeded one million sales, crowning the dancer-rapper as the fourth BTS artist to achieve this feat.
J-Hope was the first amongst the seven to release his solo album last year, which included charged tracks with a completely new sound like 'MORE' and 'Arson.' The latter especially, is arguably the most sinister as well as profound on the album. In the music video, J-Hope stumbles through flames before ultimately falling to the ground amidst a burning world, not in surrender but with a clear sense of purpose as he mutters 'Let's burn, it's done.' The album, in contrast to his peppy 'HOPE World' offered a completely new insight not just into J-Hope the artist, but the powerful evolving figure of Jung Hoseok and BTS themselves.
The physical edition of 'Jack in the Box' was released on August 18, almost exactly a year after its original lauch. Presented as the HOPE Edition CD, its launch and the resulting one million sales, as highlighted by Hanteo, an agency that tracks global album sales, sent waves of excitement among ARMY. To mark BTS's 10th anniversary year, J-hope's solo film, "j-hope IN THE BOX", premiered globally earlier this year.
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SUGA's 'D-Day' also joined the million-sales club, making a splash in South Korea after its April 21 release. In just a day, Hanteo recognized its million-copy milestone. Jin's single "The Astronaut" (which was released after 'Jack in the Box') also secured a spot in this club, reaching a million in under 16 days.
Jimin's debut solo album, 'FACE' marked another significant BTS achievement. On its release day, March 24, it sold 1.02 million copies, as cited by Hanteo Chart. This landmark made Jimin the first Korean soloist to hit a million on the debut day, placing him among Korea's top day-one releases.
With J-Hope currently serving his military duties, fellow Bangtan members took it upon themselves to celebrate the album's physical launch. On Friday, BTS's YouTube channel, BANGTAN TV unveiled a series of videos, featuring RM, Jimin, Suga, Jungkook, and Kim Taehyung (V), as they unboxed and showcased the contents of the new physical album.