BTS member j-hope is mourning the passing of his maternal grandmother, a loss he shared with fans during the group’s ongoing Arirang concert in Japan.
The K-pop star revealed the heartbreaking news during the first night of their two-day show at the Tokyo Dome on April 17.
Fans who watched via livestream on Weverse shared clips of the moment when j-hope appeared visibly emotional as he addressed the audience.
“To be honest, this might be a slightly heavy story, but I feel like I need to express how I feel today, so I want to share it,” he began.
j-hope went on to recount how he received the news shortly after arriving in Japan, describing the initial shock and confusion he felt. Despite the sudden grief, he found comfort in being with his fellow BTS members as they prepared for the concert.
Hobi said that when he landed in Japan he got the news that his grandmother passed away😭🥹
— BTS Charts News (@btschartsxdaily) April 17, 2026
“When I landed here, I heard the news that my maternal grandmother who raised me had passed away... I was quite flustered, but I was with the members the whole time, doing the rehearsals… pic.twitter.com/PyYF36naUe
“Actually, right after arriving in Japan, I received the news that my maternal grandmother, who raised me since I was little, had passed away. I was really shocked and of course, flustered, but while eating with the members and preparing for the concert rehearsal, that sense of bewilderment lessened a lot.”
The rapper then paid tribute to his grandmother, sharing how proud she had always been not only of him but of the entire group. Fighting back tears, he expressed hope that she was watching over them.
“Honestly, my grandmother was always so proud of not just me but the members too, and she found it all so amazing, so if she could see today's performance from up in the sky, I think she would have loved it so much.”
“Because you all made that meaning even more wonderful, I want to say thank you so much to our ARMYs for today's concert,” he said.
The emotional revelation resonated deeply with fans, many of whom recalled past moments when j-hope and his sister spoke fondly about being raised by their grandmother. Others remembered his touching stories about her during his guest appearance on the Pinggyego show.
Hoseok, Jiwoo, and their cousins were raised by their grandmother, which created such a beautiful bond between them 🥹. As someone who was also raised by a loving grandmother and lost her during the global health crisis, the story Jiwoo shared about visiting hers truly touched my… pic.twitter.com/fedQY4cIbX
— HobiCasa ⊙⊝⊜ARIRANG l🏊♂️🔴 YOUR, MY HOPE💖👟 (@HobiCasa) September 1, 2025
Following the concert, ARMYs took to social media to express their condolences and admiration for j-hope’s strength, appreciating him for continuing to perform despite his loss.
Meanwhile, fans will have another chance to witness the group’s Tokyo performances through a special live broadcast of the tour’s Japan leg, which will be screened in select cinemas starting April 18.