ARMYs have been thinking about the phrase “J-hope is coming” a lot lately, and for a good reason. J-hope has been relatively quiet since his enlistment and military service began in April 2023. Before his enlistment, J-hope released a documentary film on Disney+ called J-hope IN THE BOX, and toward the end credits, he hinted at an upcoming project, saying, “On Hope On The Street, I’ll be going back to my roots.”
At the time, I, along with the majority of ARMYs, thought this teased his “On the Street” project with rapper J. Cole, which showcased his artistic expression and progress prior to being a member of one of the world’s biggest boy groups, BTS.
However, in February 2024, HYBE Labels debunked fan speculation by announcing it’s actually a new album titled, Hope On The Street Vol. 1. Yes, you read that right: J-hope is releasing a new album! And it will be released sooner than you think on March 29. With his docuseries and album coming out practically simultaneously (and with the same name), eagle-eyed fans already started to deconstruct parts of the first episode, which was released on March 28. The episode may have featured J-hope hinting at what to expect from the album, and let’s just say he reveals a lot, especially about the title track “Neuron” featuring rappers Gaeko and Yoon Mirae.
On March 28, HYBE Labels dropped a teaser for “Neuron.” The teaser was different from what J-hope normally releases as it was labeled as a “Motion Picture” rather than a music video. This left fans curious about the song lyrics and sentiments included within the film. That’s when fans decided to return to the first episode of Hope On The Street for any possible clues.
Toward the end of the doc, J-hope opens up about what ARMYs can expect from the title track, even providing a lyric from the song that states that “Neuron” will highlight his roots and, more significantly, his progress in his dance style. He shares the lyrics: “We live to move, and will keep moving without forgetting about our roots. Because we are Neuron.”
So, what is Neuron? Neuron actually refers to the Neuron Crew, an underground dance group in South Korea. J-hope began his career with the crew before pursuing his dream of becoming a K-pop star, and he demonstrated his talent for dancing by winning numerous honors, including first place in a 2008 national dance competition while being a member. J-hope talks about his time with Neuron in the documentary, saying, “I learned to dance from the members of Neuron. I imitated their dance moves and attended their lessons.In a way, I owe them everything.”
In addition to being a member of the dance crew, J-hope attended Gwangju Music Academy, where many famous K-pop singers have trained. He attended for six years from elementary school to high school before getting signed by HYBE labels, also known as Big Hit Music at the time. It’s unknown whether he did both simultaneously, but Neuron was undoubtedly a defining factor in his dance career.
In the song, “Neuron” also refers to its literal meaning, which is to generate electricity and send information while stimulated. According to a press release obtained by Billboard, “[The song] is inspired by 2000s old-school hip hop, a genre that made a significant impact on j-hope as an artist… [and it] reflects the album’s theme of exploring j-hope’s artistic roots, ‘street dance,’ and delivers his motivation for life and a new start.”
The documentary also included members of the dance crew and suggested that J-hope would work with them again as he progressed, highlighting what he learned from various dance mentors in his past. With the release of “Neuron” approaching, I’m literally on the edge of my seat as to what to expect!