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Red, White & RoyalBTS J-Hope made headlines on October 3, 2023, when fans learned that one of the main characters from the novel Red, White & Royal Blue was inspired by the BTS member. The popular novel from 2019 was recently adapted into a movie starring Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Henry and the Kissing Booth fame actor Taylor Zakhar Perez as Alex Claremont-Diaz.
Surprisingly, in one of the footnotes on page 31 of the novel, author Casey McQuiston listed the famous people who served as influences for the character Percy "Pez" Okonjo. Among them was BTS's J-Hope, who was born as Jung Hoseok. It is important to note that the inspiration for the character was continued in the movie as well.
“Inspirations for Pez include John Boyega, Jung Hoseok, Freckle from ‘The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo,'" Casey McQuiston's footnote read.
Prince Henry's closest friend Percy "Pez" Okonjo, played by actor Malcolm Atobrah in the film, is one of the main leads in the film. His character is inspired by the BTS member who is known for his flamboyance and bright personality—Jung Hoseok aka J-Hope.
Pez is introduced as a smooth-talking, endearing, well-groomed, and self-assured individual and he makes an impact on the audience as soon as he is introduced on screen. He works on himself while helping his closest friend and is frequently spotted in fashionable ensembles that resemble J-Hope's personal style.
"I knew it": BTS ARMY reacts to Pez being inspired by J-Hope
BTS' sub-rapper and main dancer, J-Hope is known for his endearing nature, boundless skill, avant-garde style, and ethereal charisma. Hence, fans believed it was understandable that he was the inspiration behind one of the main characters in the novel which was later turned into a movie.
In August 2023, Red, White & Royal Blue, a brand-new film that is based on the well-liked book of the same name from 2019, made its debut on Amazon Prime Video. Both the film and the book depict the fictional romance between Prince Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor and Prince Alex Claremont-Diaz, the son of the first female president of the United States.
Matthew Lopez, a Tony-winning writer has helmed the movie for Amazon Studios, marking his debut as a feature-length filmmaker.
ARMYs were over the moon about the fact that the book the film was inspired by mentioned BTS' Kim Namjoon and took to the comments section of @JhopePress and @JooniesLibrary's tweets to express their views about the same.
Apart from the book being hailed for its character inspired by J-Hope, it is also being praised for being progressive and stepping beyond gender norms. The book was a New York Bestseller in 2020 and displays two gentlemen falling in love despite all the odds.
The title follows Alex Claremont-Diaz, the multiracial, bisexual First Son of the United States, who falls in love with his lifelong opponent Prince Henry, the grandson of the Queen of England.
In other news, BTS J-Hope has been actively serving in the military since April 18, 2023. The BTS members' management company, HYBE Labels revealed on September 25, 2023, that information about Jungkook, RM, Jimin, and V's enlistment will soon be announced.
