Netizens Praise ARMY for Celebrating BTS’ j-hope’s Military Discharge by Cleaning Seoul Forest

Festivities around the discharge of BTS member j-hope from military service have been vibrant, with ARMYs (BTS fans) from Korea and across the globe celebrating in various ways. On October 19, 2024, the fan club known as ‘Jung Ho-seok Flower Way Creation Group’ organized an eco-friendly clean-up event at Seoul Forest, marking a unique conclusion to the celebratory events.

The ‘Seoul Forest Clean Project’ was officially announced at 2:18 PM KST on this day, designed as the final military support effort for j-hope, in partnership with their Japanese fan club. Fans enthusiastically engaged in cleaning up the park while taking pictures alongside cardboard cutouts of the idol dressed in his Assistant Drill Instructor uniform, all in front of a prominent Seoul Forest landmark sign featuring official HOPE ON THE STREET merchandise.

j-hope, who served as an assistant instructor in the 36th Infantry Division’s new recruit training battalion located in Wonju, Gangwon Province, completed his service on October 17. As the community rejoiced to welcome him back, the thoughtful gesture by both Korean and international ARMYs garnered praise across social media platforms. One user on X remarked,

“OMG…Look at these adorable ARMYs! In honor of Hobi’s return, ARMYs are cleaning up Seoul Forest today. What a fantastic way to conclude the celebrations!”

Supportive online messages referred to the fan club members as “angels”and “purple fairies,”showcasing their appreciation for the touching initiative.

“Awww, You’re the purple fairies of the woods,”remarked one user.

“ARMYs are Angels,”praised another netizen.

“Thank you so much for this incredible project,”read one comment.

Additional posts included sentiments like,

“Such a beautiful project; our Hope would be so proud of it,”stated one post.

“Troopers! Thank you for supporting him and for your contributions to the community!”another encouraged.

A Look at the Festivities Following BTS’ j-hope’s Discharge

In anticipation of j-hope’s discharge, the ‘Jung Ho-seok Flower Way Creation Group’ had previously created a bench garden named ‘J-Hope Forest 2’ within the Seoul Forest, located in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. According to a report from The Digital Times on October 13, the fan club explained that this project was made to celebrate the BTS member’s return.

This initiative came after the successful establishment of ‘J-Hope Forest Bench Garden’ as part of a donation project in October 2023. ‘J-Hope Forest 2’ is thoughtfully placed between the central pond and a water playground in Seoul Forest.

The newly erected bench garden, located near a prominent ‘J’ in the forest, features an arrangement of wooden benches in varying heights and sizes, creatively oriented in different directions. The front displays the word HOPE, surrounded by planters designed to resemble the letters ‘H’ and ‘P’, all coming together to beautifully represent ‘J-Hope’.

Korean media provided coverage of the idol’s discharge days in advance, acknowledging the ARMY’s initiative at the Seoul Forest.

At the discharge venue, the environment was bustling with ARMY members eager to catch a glimpse of j-hope, while BTS’ Jin surprised fans by presenting a large bouquet to him and assisting as he faced the media. Fans from Korea and around the world gathered outside the HYBE headquarters to warmly welcome the 30-year-old artist.

As reported by user @HobiCasa on X, the on-the-street singer received a heartfelt send-off from nearly all soldiers of the Baekho New Recruit Training Unit, which included high-ranking officers and instructors.

Numerous ARMYs displayed message and aerial banners while also featuring the idol on digital billboards around Seoul. Display trucks featuring his images roamed the HYBE vicinity as fans celebrated his return, and international admirers partook in various festivities, including listening parties playing BTS and j-hope’s hits.

The artist was joyfully welcomed back by BigHit Music staff with an array of colorful balloons and flowers, along with a special party celebrating his homecoming. On the same day, j-hope participated in a Weverse live session at approximately 12:30 PM KST, connecting with fans globally following his military hiatus, much like Jin’s reunion with fans after his service completion in June this year.

During the live stream, j-hope expressed that he felt a new chapter of his life was beginning.

“After completing my military service, I feel like this marks the third chapter of my life.”

He further shared his excitement about stepping back into the role of BTS’ j-hope, leaving his military uniform behind.

“I’m ready to showcase the real J-Hope of BTS to everyone, not Sergeant Jung Ho-seok. Thank you for your patience, and I love you all.”

j-hope is the second BTS member to complete military service, following Jin. Throughout his time in the military, he earned commendations, achieving the rank of a special soldier and an early promotion to Sergeant. The rest of the group will continue to serve until they are expected to reunite as a full ensemble in the latter half of 2025.

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