j‑hope Triumphs at Lollapalooza Berlin 2025: See Exclusive Backstage Photos

For the final day of Lollapalooza Berlin 2025, j-hope took the festival by storm, delivering a headlining set that blended Hope World mixtape favorites, Jack in the Box standouts, BTS anthems and his latest hit singles into an unforgettable 90-minute affair.

With the weekend nicknamed #HOBIPALOOZA by ARMY fans, j-hope took full advantage of the weekend by checking out other superstar sets, like Day 1 performers Justin Timberlake and Gracie Abrams, before closing the festival on Day 2.

After rehearsals, dressed down in an oversized jean jacket, bright red basketball shorts and his signature bucket hat, j-hope put together a meticulous look for the day, topped off by his custom “HOPE” chain made by renowned jeweler Alex Moss with designs by Japanese graphic designer VERDY.

Once j-hope hit the stage, the star delivered a career‐spanning setlist somewhat reminiscent of his Hope on the Stage World Tour. However, it included crowd favorites like BTS’ “Dynamite” and the “Hotter” remix of “Butter” as well as his latest Billboard Hot 100 entry and first Top 40 hit, “Killin’ It Girl.”

Back in Seoul, two of his BTS members shared that they were tuning in from afar: Jimin posted on his Instagram Story during the live stream, quipping that he was inspired to show some skin when j-hope began unbuttoning his flowy, festival-ready shirt during the show.

Meanwhile, V took to Weverse to share a video of him watching the live stream on his phone, streaming right alongside the thousands who wished they could also be in Germany. The shout‑outs remind fans that, even thousands of miles away, BTS’ brotherly support remains united.

Get an exclusive look at j-hope’s rehearsals, backstage and onstage moments made for the history books with this photo diary from Lollapalooza Berlin 2025.

In Rehearsals

Image Credit: BIGHIT MUSIC

In one of his signature bucket hats, j-hope rehearses ahead of his headlining set at Lollapalooza Berlin 2025. The BTS star initially made history in 2022 as the first Korean artist to headline Lollapalooza’s flagship festival in Chicago and, on July 13, 2025, returned for a second appearance at the fest’s date in Germany.
Buttoning Up Backstage

Image Credit: BIGHIT MUSIC

Before getting glammed up for his performance, j-hope made the most of his time on the grounds at Olympiapark Berlin. In a live stream chat with fans, Hobi mentioned that he watched the Day 1 sets from Justin Timberlake, Gracie Abrams, and the K-pop girl group IVE. Later, IVE members Gaeul, Rei and Leeseo shared with fans that the BTS star came backstage ahead of their performance to show support and thanked him for the encouragement.
A Career-Spanning Setlist

Image Credit: BIGHIT MUSIC

Dubbed “Hobipalooza,” the night’s setlist took tracks from his Hope World mixtape, Jack in the Box solo album, some BTS classics, as well as new and solo renditions of j-hope’s latest Hot 100 hit singles “Sweet Dreams,” “Mona Lisa” and “Killin’ It Girl.”
Posing With His Piece

Image Credit: BIGHIT MUSIC

j-hope shined even brighter in Berlin by wearing his iced-out chain, designed by Japanese graphic designer VERDY and crafted by renowned New York-based jeweler Alex Moss, who is a favorite of Drake and Tyler, the Creator. The superstar originally unveiled the custom piece during the final show for the Hope on the Stage World Tour in Seoul.
A Moment Before the Music

Image Credit: BIGHIT MUSIC

According to on-the-ground reports, fans gathered hours ahead of the headlining slot. ARMY in attendance chanted and cheered before the opening piano note of the first song, “What If…” signaled the start of the show, causing an eruption of supportive shouts as j-hope appeared atop a riser set piece once a cloud of smoke cleared from the stage.
Purple Hearts for Hobi

Image Credit: BIGHIT MUSIC

The sea of glowing ARMY BOMBs, BTS’ official lightstick, wasn’t the only way fans showed their support for j-hope in Berlin. While performing “Sweet Dreams,” festivalgoers held up paper purple hearts, many with messages written inside, as a part of an organized fan project ahead of the festival. The gesture caused j-hope to break out in a huge smile and exclaim, “Oh my gosh.” Fans watching the live stream could also see a sea of purple when the cameras panned out for wider audience shots.
Berlin Bows

Image Credit: BIGHIT MUSIC

j-hope’s shirt was drenched and hanging together by one button by the end of his set, exposing some trendy SKIMS boxers underneath his jeans, but the star’s smile shone brightly as nighttime fell over Germany. “Thank you, ARMY. Thank you, Lolla. Thank you, Berlin!” he shouted after asking the audience to applaud his dancers and entire crew. With the hook of 2024 track “NEURON” repeating, j-hope took his final bows and sang along with the poignant lyrics displayed across his background LED screens. “I’ll tell you again: we’ll never ever give up, forever/ I’ll say it again: We’ll always be alive to move us.” The lyrics remained glowing as the stage went black and fireworks blasted above the festival grounds to mark the conclusion of a truly historic #Hobipalooza.