When J-Hope said he'd have been a ‘cool’ tennis player like Chung Hyeon, if not part of BTS: I’ve liked it since school

Happy Birthday, J-Hope. The BTS rapper once shared how he started playing tennis in elementary school and continued it until class six.

BTS member J-Hope, whose real name is Jung Hoseok, clocked his 31st birthday on Tuesday. The rapper, who completed his military service last year, has time and again said that if he weren't a part of the music industry, he probably would have played tennis as a profession. (Also Read | J-Hope responds to BTS ARMY asking when he will do a tour in India. Here's what he said)

J-Hope played tennis during a Run BTS episode in 2021.

When J-Hope spoke about tennis as a career

J-Hope shared about how he started playing tennis in an interview in 2013, BTS' debut year. He had said he started playing the sport when he was in elementary school and continued it till class six. As quoted by Koreaboo, J-Hope had said, "Tennis, that I played from when I was in elementary 4th to 6th year. I had a bit of a unique start…Our teacher asked the class, ‘Who wants to play tennis?’ and I was coincidentally raising both of my arms to stretch. She mistook that as me volunteering, so I ended up joining.

During a Run BTS episode in 2021, J-Hope the only member of the group with experience in playing tennis. Speaking on SBS, J-Jope had said, "I’ve liked tennis since I was in elementary school, so maybe if I didn’t follow my dream to become a singer, I would be a tennis player. A really cool tennis player like Chung Hyeon."

About J-Hope, his world tour

The sport later became a hobby for J-Hope. There is also an inside joke about J-Hope winning a medal in a competition. Once, he competed in a tennis tournament and won bronze; only three teams participated then. J-Hope debuted with BTS members RM, Jin, Suga, Jimin, Kim Taehyung, and Jungkook in 2013.

J-Hope will soon embark on his first solo world tour, Hope on the Stage. The rapper will travel to 15 cities, including six in North America, marking the first time he steps into the spotlight as a solo artist in his career. The tour will kick off with three nights in Seoul, followed by a highly anticipated North American leg. J-Hope will begin his US performances on March 13 with two nights at New York's Barclays Center.

Afterward, he will travel to Chicago, Mexico City, San Antonio, and Oakland before concluding the North American portion of the tour at LA's BMO Stadium. The Los Angeles stop is expected to be a historic event, as it will mark the first time a Korean solo artist has headlined a US stadium. The tour will then continue through Asia, including stops in the Philippines and Singapore, with more cities to be announced later.

This tour is J-Hope's first as a solo performer. In 2022, the rapper made history as the first Korean artist to headline the flagship Lollapalooza festival in Chicago.