hope on a stage (j-hope)

Currently listening to: Sweet Dreams – J-Hope feat. Miguel

My Sunday started earlier than I usually like—especially for a weekend. I typically like to sleep in and ease into the day, but I was up by 0700 to get ready and meet up with my friends.

First things first: coffee. I made myself a quick cup before heading out the door. I’m notoriously bad at eating breakfast. In high school, I used to survive mornings with a can of Diet Coke while my stomach audibly protested through AP Physics. Some habits die hard.

Luckily, Andrea had my back—she had made eggs and handed them to me as we hopped in the car. We ate on the go, en route to the J-Hope pop-up event.

When we arrived, we realized we didn’t have reservations (classic us), which meant we were directed to the walk-in line that wrapped all the way around the corner.

I wasn’t even mad about it. The sun was out, the vibes were good, and I had snacks—specifically the ones my friend had brought back from Japan. We nibbled on those to pass the time, chatting and laughing through the heat.

Two hours later, we finally made it in… but most of the merch had already sold out.

The cardigan I had my heart set on? Gone within the first 30 minutes. Ugh.

At least the photo ops were cute, and we consoled ourselves with the logic that the universe was helping us save money. We kept reminding each other that the 2026 concert is going to be insanely expensive—whether it’s in the U.S. or abroad—so maybe it was for the best.

Afterward, we made a casual detour to Daiso and H-Mart to do a little window shopping. I didn’t end up buying anything, which is rare for me, but I was feeling oddly disciplined.

We ducked into Heuk Hwa Dang for a little mid-day pick-me-up and shared a boba croffle (croissant + waffle) and an iced Americano. It was light, refreshing, and not too sweet—honestly hit the spot. We thought about ordering another one but decided to pace ourselves since we were meeting the rest of the squad for K-BBQ later.

Dinner was a delicious blur of grilled meats and side dishes.Noticing that Maria was not 100% so that made me pause for concern.

And after Maria’s hubby picked her up from the concert, Maggie and I made our way back to our seats to catch the rest of the concert.

Let me tell you—J-Hope was incredible. He was clearly in his element, radiating so much joy on stage. You could feel how much fun he was having, and the energy was infectious.

I had purple extensions scattered throughout my hair for the occasion (IYKYK), and yes—that is a soju enamel pin. What can I say? I’m Korean through and through.

Now, J-Hope isn’t technically my bias… but after that night, let’s just say he’s dangerously close to being a bias wrecker.

Despite being an introvert, most of my friends are extroverts, and I honestly think it balances me out. They pull me out of my shell in the best way.

I didn’t get home until nearly 0200 on a school work night, but honestly? No regrets.