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On April 12, 2025, BTS’ j-hope started the Asia leg of his HOPE ON THE STAGE solo tour in Manila. After the first day, j-hope shared an Instagram story where actor Im Si-wan was seen backstage at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. BTS member expressed his emotions in the caption, calling it the "best" surprise and thanked the Squid Game actor for coming.
As translated by X user @dalbitbangtan, his caption read:
"A surprise of showing up like this out of nowhere, my Hyung is the best.. I'm touched."
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The unexpected appearance instantly caught the attention of fans. They were delighted to see the two stars together. An X user, @swanglake88, wrote:
"MY 2 FAVS AAAAAAAAAAAAA."
Many were surprised to learn of their friendship, while others admired the bond these artists share.
"I forgot that they became friends before hobi enlisted," a fan commented.
"They're friends?" an X user mentioned.
"I didn't know they were friends lol," another person added.
"Siwang and Hobi,my world collided," a netizen remarked.
This backstage moment made the Manila stop memorable for the idol as well as the ARMYs.
"Awwww he experienced the concert here in Manila," a fan commented.
"Reading this literally sent me crashing out last night like what do you mean my favorite actor is also here!!!!!!!!!," an X user mentioned.
"Idk but his friends are truly the best friend tho, they try to join his stage everytime," another person wrote.
More about j-hope’s Manila show, his tour highlights, and Im Si-wan’s background
The Manila concert marked the first stop of j-hope’s Asia leg. It follows a successful U.S. run that included sold-out shows in cities like Brooklyn and Los Angeles. The show was backed by a full live band and dancers.
The artist delivered a 27-song setlist, featuring tracks like Arson, Equal Sign, Daydream, Trivia: Just Dance, Hope World, and his recent hit Mona Lisa. The latter just earned its first music show win on MCountdown.
Im Si-wan’s appearance also reminded fans of his roots in K-pop. He debuted with ZE:A before making his mark in acting with dramas like Run On, Boyhood, and most recently Squid Game Season 2.
j-hope’s tour continues with upcoming stops in Saitama, Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, Macau, Taipei, and Osaka.
Here is the list of upcoming tour dates for j-hope’s HOPE ON THE STAGE (Asia leg) are listed below:
- April 19–20 – Saitama, Saitama Super Arena
- April 26–27 – Singapore, Singapore Indoor Stadium
- May 3–4 – Jakarta, Indonesia Arena
- May 10–11 – Bangkok, Impact Arena
- May 17–18 – Macau, Galaxy Arena
- May 24–25 – Taipei, NTSU Arena
- May 31–June 1 – Osaka, Kyocera Dome Osaka.
The second night of the Manila concert is scheduled for April 13. Fans are eagerly waiting for more surprises ahead.
