Will we ever be worthy of the eternal sunshine that is J-Hope?
On March 1, the BTS rapper and dance captain surprised fans with a 2021 version of “Blue Side (Outro)” on the third anniversary of his first mixtape, Hope World. The re-imagined version of the mixtape’s final song is an extension of the original, building on its subtle soft rock touches and rippling xylophones. A new opening verse looks to the past: "Spring, summer, fall, and winter, always in that same feeling, Blue/I’d want to go back to those days when I didn’t know anything,” J-Hope sings, per translation from Doolset Bangtan.
In a letter to fans, J-Hope explained the reason for the new “complete” version, and reflected on writing Hope World. “I can’t go back to that time but I needed a moment where I could caress myself in that time to prove comfort,” he wrote according to Spotlight BTS’s translation. “I needed a blue safe haven that would help claim from my overwhelming sense of passion. Over time I was able to find the answers to why I couldn’t finish this song.” Per Doolset Bangtan, he continues, “I feel like it was a theme that was too much for me to handle musically, but also I think I had a thought that someday I would for sure be able to feel and know it. Although it’s just one song this time, I wanted to show you that I’m becoming a little bit more mature musically.”
Written by J-Hope alongside frequent collaborators Hiss Noise and Adora, “Blue Side” has become a fan favorite, an example of J-Hope’s aesthetic references and his heartfelt lyricism. In a Vlive from 2018, J-Hope was candid about the creative process behind Hope World and “Blue Side” in particular. “I like the blue sky and breeze and so I tried to melt them [into the song],” he said. “When I listen to this song, good memories come back to me. This song is about wishing to go back to when I didn’t know anything.”
The unexpected release of the full version of “Blue Side," while likely planned in advance, also serves as a small balm to fans who are still recovering from the racist words of German radio personality Matthias Matuschik towards BTS last week. Fans have continued to urge his employer Bayern 3 to take his show off the air, after a series of lackluster apologies. Meanwhile, J-Hope has managed to live up to his stage name, bringing comfort to people at a time where he and his group mates have been criticized for simply daring to occupy space in a global music industry that has been less than welcoming to Asian performers.
Hope World hit no. 1 on the iTunes album charts of over 70 countries within less than 24 hours of its release. The mixtape also peaked at no. 38 on the Billboard 200, which made J-Hope the highest-charting Korean soloist at the time of release. J-Hope is out here proving once again that he really is our piece of peace.
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