Part of the series explores the Enneagram type of J-Hope, BTS’s main dancer, rapper, sub vocalist
who is also songwriter, record producer and a member of the prestigious Korea Music Copyright Association. He began as a well-known street dancer prior joining BTS, then became highly skilled as a vocalist, a rap artist and so forth.
Jung Hoseok (J-Hope aka Hobi) Enneagram Seven | The “Joyful” person
Although this is still speculative, I think Hoseok is an Enneagram Seven. Online, people who wrote about his type came to the same conclusion. Why does Enneagram Seven seem like a good match for him? Enneagram Sevens have a thirst for stimulation, from new ideas, new people, and new experiences. They also engage in positive possibility planning, wanting to keep all of their options open. They are imaginative, enthusiastic, quick-thinking, and often charming and engaging. They can also be highly spontaneous, even impulsive at times, and also rebellious if they feel their freedom is being limited.
In addition, Sevens are pain-avoidant. Pain avoidance isn’t just about physical pain; it is also about emotions with which they are uncomfortable, and this includes feeling sad or sorrowful but also fear and anger. Sevens avoid pain and discomfort in multiple ways. They engage in positive thinking and positive experiences whenever possible – for example, thinking of future plans they are excited about, being easily stimulated and also distracted by anything new or they find curious and exciting. This sets in motion a dopamine somatic response, dopamine being a pleasure, satisfaction and motivational hormone and neurotransmitter. If stimulation by something new and exciting doesn’t work, Sevens also use reframing. Reframing means making something negative into a positive. As an example, a Seven might be late to a meeting and say, “I know I was late, but I ran into two people who want to engage our services. Isn’t that great!”
Sevens are sometimes called the Peter Pans of the Enneagram because they are extremely optimistic, thinking that just about anything is possible. They are also upbeat and fun-loving. Many Sevens look younger than they actually are, so strong is their positive outlook, as if the harsher realities of adulthood have not yet sunk in. Sevens also feel responsible for bringing hope, joy and enthusiasm to those they encounter.
Quotes from Hoseok about optimism
“I always try to bring the fun into whatever I’m doing.”
“Stay positive in the face of hardships. Your positive mindset can move mountains.”
“Find joy in the journey, not just the destination.”
“You are in charge of your own happiness. Choose to be happy every day.”
What other BTS members say about Hoseok (Hobi Hyung; Hyung refers to someone like an older sibling or friend older and is used as a sign of respect)
RM “J-Hope always lights up this atmosphere. And he does best leading in performance, so he shares about half of my leader role, and I admire that.”
Jin: “He has this extraordinary leadership. If there’s somebody out of place, how he gathers them up… I admire that and I’m thankful for that.”
V: “If RM Hyung has the role of leader, I think Hobi Hyung stands in the middle between our members one by one. He’s very sweet and takes care of everything. That’s why he has a clear image of what he thinks and what he wants to do, and he achieves it.”
Suga: “J-Hope has a lot of positive energy.” “ Hope is my vitamin.” ”He’s a portable charger.”
Jimin: “…the fact that he thinks a member having a hard time is more frustrating than his own is so sweet, kind, and thoughtful.”
JungKook: “There’s not a person who gives us strength as much as Hobi Hyung. When we work, practice, or if there’s personal lives, we tend to get exhausted or frustrated. But when that happens, Hobi Hyung gives strength to us a lot.”
General Description of Hoseok
Hoseok is most often described as highly energetic, joyful and smiling, as well as being a talented dancer; his dancing background was initially in street and freestyle dancing as well as beatboxing. He also has the moniker of “sunshine” due to his upbeat interpersonal style. Those who know him personally describe him as a really, really nice person who continuously supports and encourages other BTS members in every way he can. For example, Hoseok gives BTS members big hugs when they need it and offers encouraging words when they get disheartened. He is also very playful, especially, but not only, with the younger BTS members Jimin, V and Jungkook.
The above descriptions are highly consistent with Enneagram Sevens. Because they are highly optimistic, Sevens believe that just about anything is possible if you put your mind to it and are doing it with the right people. The right people means people committed to the same vision and who have the talent and commitment to make that vision a reality. With other BTS members, it can be inferred that other BTS members share Hoseok’s view of their possibilities. Clearly, the talent is there in each of them and also as a unit.
Seven’s also believe it is their role and responsibility to keep things moving forward in an upbeat and positive direction. They do this through their generating and sharing their novel ideas, their charismatic charm, and their personal effervescence. Hoseok is described as having this kind of “infectious” energy, yet he can also be quite intent at certain times. For example, he plays a key role in choreographing dance moves. He gets other BTS members to practice their dance moves until they have the choreography down perfectly, even though he already knows the moves himself. V comments that he seeks Hoseok’s explicit approval regarding his ability to execute their complex choreography.
What about the Seven’s need for constant stimulation, a quality that contributes to their challenges with staying focused on anyone thing for too long? Hoseok describes his need for challenge and variety: “When I was little, I worked on getting ready to become a trainee. Then I became a trainee and challenged myself in various ways while getting ready for our debut. I’m still trying to push myself to all kinds of new adventures.” As much as Sevens crave variety, they can stay focused when they are deeply passionate about an activity, task or project. My guess is that his passion for BTS as a group and for their music, choreography and what they create together overrides his need for constant stimulation through ever changing variety.
Youthful Innocence
Hoseok has a pure innocence about him, a child-like sense of playfulness and joy, as if unfiltered through life’s challenges, which, of course, he has had. Many Sevens have also suffered and dealt with difficult situations, but they rarely express this. Instead, they present a positive persona or exterior and often keep their suffering and internal angsts to a minimum. They may feel certain emotions, but then ignore them in one of two ways: (1) by thinking about something exciting instead or (2) by acknowledging the uncomfortable feeling but not staying with the emotion for very long or exploring it in any depth.
Hoseok selected his stage name of J-Hope himself and almost always introduces himself in interviews and on stage this way: “I’m your hope; you’re my hope; I’m J-Hope.” He does this, always with a large smile, and the impact of this introduction is one of being uplifted and believing that whatever troubles you will pass and the future holds perpetual possibility.
Min Yoongi (Suga), a BTS member considered to be a musical genius, was asked to describe which musical genre would best suit each BTS member in their solo endeavors. For Hoseok, Yoongi replied, “Something cheerful. Something that gives positive energy to kids. A children’s song.”
Energizing and Tension-Relieving
Sevens believe they need to keep everything upbeat and positive. In Hoseok’s own words: “I feel like I consistently and unchangingly give the team good energy. I don’t know if I’m actually the [team’s] vitamins or not. Looking back, I’ve always tried to give them good energy and keep them in a good mood, and I think it’s safe to say now that I’m one of those people who try hard to keep their group’s energy up.”
In addition to using their effervescent enthusiasm to keep others motivated, Sevens also use humor when, in their perception, things are too serious. They also use humor just to be playful. For example, a young female actress during a film shoot for a video where she played V’s sister was asked what BTS members were like in person and if they were actually funny. She answered that while all of them were funny, J-Hope was the funniest of them all.
Storytelling
Of all the Enneagram types, Sevens are known as the consummate storytellers. In other words, they like to express themselves through sharing their experiences and perceptions in story form. Here is what one person noted about Hoeseok: “Dancing lets him tell stories through choreography.”
And here is how Hoseok describes himself in a 2020 interview with the Wall Street Journal: “I first study the topic and think about what story I need to tell and what kind of content it should encompass. Sometimes the type of stories I’m dealing with are light, but sometimes they aren’t, so it’s important that I’m knowledgeable about what I’m working on.” Apparently, he then “molds his vocals, rapping style and choreography to reflect the content of his lyrics.”
Speaking Style
Hoseok’s speaking style is highly consistent with that of Enneagram Sevens. The way he speaks is described as “friendly,” with a “brightness in his voice,” as well as a great deal of “energy.” He also “talks fast,” which is a tell-tale sign in Sevens. The reason for this is that they think very, very fast and unless they are highly introverted, which Hoseok does not appear to be. The Seven mind is like an inner brainstorm where one idea comes extremely quickly after another thought, all in rapid and sometimes overlapping succession. Fast-talking gets their ideas out quickly and also is an energy booster for them and others.
Hoseok’s speaking style has other characteristics consistent with Enneagram Seven. He laughs and “giggles” frequently and is even teased by other BTS members for his frequent use of the words “Hahahaha,” indicating laughter. He’s also verbally expressive and is known for making sound effects such as “chirps, shouts, squeals, and little laughs.”
In addition, his “sentence endings are higher, lighter and the phrases are more bouncy.” What this refers to is what is called a vocal “uptick” at the end of a statement. A question normally ends with a vocal uptick; our voice naturally goes up at the end at the end of a sentence like a question mark as if inviting a reaction. However, an uptick at the end of a statement that is not a question gives a different message. Is the person uncertain of their statement? Is the person making a statement but using the uptick to invite a response? Certain Enneagram types use the uptick when making a statement but for different reasons. With Sevens, it’s largely to invite a response. Sevens like to express their own ideas, but they also want a response from others about their ideas. Many, but not all, Sevens use an uptick at the end of statements.
Non-Verbal Behavior
Here is a summary of the non-verbal behavior of Enneagram Sevens and then a comparison with the way Hoseok expresses himself non-verbally. Enneagram Sevens are the most optimistic of all nine Enneagram types. They convey this through abundant smiling, with bright and even sparkling eyes, highly animated faces, numerous large hand and arm gestures and energetic physical movement.
According to those who know Hoseok personally, he “doesn’t stay still for long, is very energetic and active and doesn’t like staying in one spot for long.” He’s described as “a big ball of energy” with incredible physical flexibility while, simultaneously, having “control over his body, movements, gestures, steps and jumps.” His smile is “radiant.”
Emotional Expressiveness
Hoseok also has highly expressive emotional reactions, often shown not only through his facial expressions but also throughout his body. This is also common in many Sevens. When he receives compliments, he appears flustered and covers his eyes or he smiles with tears in his eyes. People often think that Sevens crave compliments or positive feedback, but this is not the case. They are often surprised by it and not sure how exactly to handle it. When he is happy, he makes big heart shapes with arms and hands and gives himself huge self-hugs where his arms wrap in front totally around his body. He’ll make an I love you (heart) sign with fingers, combined with a huge smile and happy dances. During these times, Hoseok’s whole face lights up and his eyes sparkle even more than they normally do.
He also shows other emotions quite visibly and instantly, emotions such as sadness, anger and fear. When he is feeling sad, his sorrow “feels contagious.” Other BTS members “tear up when he feels sad.” Sevens do not show their sadness readily, but when they do, it often feels very pure and compelling. Hoseok even cries when he feels emotionally moved, such as when other BTS honor him in a birthday celebration, at BTS concerts when ARMY, BTS’ fanbase, show their appreciation and love or when Jungkook, the youngest BTS member, went off to school and when he graduated from high school.
When Hoseok is angry, other BTS members take note. They describe him as “scary” when he’s angry, but this may be partly a result of Hoseok not getting angry very often. When he does, there is a dramatic contrast between his normal demeanor and how he responds when upset. It is also common for Sevens, when angry, to use a sharp, curt voice tone. Min Yoongi (Suga) notes that when Hoseok is angry, his mouth quickly changes from a smile to a downward-shaped “U,” his eyes no longer sparkle, and he either looks directly at the person he is angry with or looks downward. Jungkook says, “When J-Hope is angry, he can’t really hide it on his face.” And when Hoseok feels afraid, usually regarding something physical such as a potentially dangerous game or outdoor experience, his whole body often collapses, and he immediately covers his face.
Why such strong, fully embodied, emotional expressions? Most Sevens do express their emotions through instantaneous and highly visible facial animation. Some may also express their feelings through their bodies or at least by moving around, pacing, tapping their feet up through their legs, and so forth. Hoseok’s full-bodied response may also be related to his being a highly accomplished dancer who appears to both experience and express his inner states through his body.
This strength is expression, however, may be the result of another factor. Other than joy or happiness, most Sevens do not like experiencing sorrow, fear or anger because these detract from their optimism. As a consequence, when they do experience these feelings, they unconsciously avoid the emotion by doing something or thinking about something they find stimulating, or reframing. For example, early on when BTS performed, Hoseok did not receive the same level of applause, fan mail or fan gifts as other BTS members. He was visibly sad, yet said “It’s OK, everything will turn out fine.” However, these feelings still lurk inside and accumulate inside Sevens. Consequently, when something stimulates that particular emotion once again, the intense expression of these stored-up feelings is not unusual.
Something Special About His Appearance
In these blogs on BTS members and their possible Enneagram types, I’ve made no mention about their physical appearance in terms of attractiveness. This has been intentional because attractiveness is not Enneagram-type related. That said, there’s something of note online about Hoseok that I have read so many times that it might well be related to his Enneagram type. Here are some direct quotes:
“You get punched in the face by his beauty.”
“Photos and videos of him do not do him justice.”
“He’s at least three times more attractive in person than from still or videos; this is not true of other BTS members who look very similar in person to how they look on video or in photos.”
“He has a powerful charismatic energy that can’t be captured by the camera.”
I wondered about these very frequent quotes about his attractiveness on- and off-camera. Could it be his bone structure? Often, this is the cause of why someone might look better in person than on camera. And some people look better on camera than in person. But I then came across other comments from people who had seen Hoseok in person that are worth sharing. There were multiple comments that essentially said this: There’s something about him where he has a glow or a light emitting from him that is captivating and hard to explain in words. At first glance, it could be thought that this is simply the glow of charisma that celebrities might have or that a person can learn from an advanced course in presentation skills. However, notable in these same comments were statements that they did not experience this same light coming from other BTS members.
Upon reading these comments, I was once keenly reminded of that very same “glow” I’ve seen in a few Enneagram Sevens. Most Enneagram types get their groundedness from the Earth. This refers to a sense of their wholeness and embodiment starting with their feet on the ground and then moving their awareness up through up through their bodies into the heads. Enneagram Sevens, by contrast, get their energy from right above their heads. To get grounded and into fully embodied wholeness, they need to bring their energy down through their heads into the rest of the body until it reaches their feet.
What then is this glow in some Enneagram Sevens? When Sevens have learned to channel their energy from above and also done a great deal of inner development work, a clear, almost spiritual energetic sense of wholeness glows throughout them. When I see it, I refer to them as “light beings,” meaning “beings of light. I think Hosoek may be one of these Sevens, although I’ve never seen him in person. The comments below may explain more about this. The few Sevens I’ve seen who have this “glow,” and I’ve experienced thousands of Sevens in my work with the Enneagram, are usually much older than their late 20s/early 30s.
One More Thing About Hoseok
Most Sevens pay much greater attention to the outer world of experience than their own inner worlds. The external environment provides them with continual stimulation, while the inner life contains feelings and experiences they may not want to feel or reflect on. Hoseok, even though he has just turned 30 (in international age), asks himself the challenging questions many of us should reflect on but often do not.
During the pandemic when BTS could do no live performances, he said in a Weverse interview (2021) “I ended up thinking about the shadows inside me. I realized I’m not just some always-cheery person – I experience hardship, too. So I thought I could grow closer with listeners by sharing little parts of me that I had been hiding away, and that it would be interesting to show people a side of me that’s different from their idea of who J-Hope is.”
His self-reflection is also evidenced by his insights from his recent prime video docuseries “Hope on the Street.” “I think I’m pretending to enjoy things. I say I love what I’m doing but I don’t think there are many things I actually enjoy. I say that I am enjoying something but am not sure I truly am. Sometimes I feel very out of touch with my true self.”
This level of self-awareness and inquiry is quite remarkable for any person of an Enneagram type and at any age!
Challenges for Enneagram Sevens
Enneagram Sevens have challenges that are unique to them and to their self-development. The first challenge is the ability to look inward, explore what you discover, and to stay with those experiences. Be as curious about the inside as you are with the outside. This will help you learn to stay more focused, which is a big challenge for Sevens. A second challenge for Sevens is to pay attention to and honor all of your feelings, especially those you prefer not to engage with. The more you do this, the more whole you will feel and the more familiar you’ll become with the subtle nuances of emotions. This also increases your familiarity and ability to work with these same emotions when they arise at later points. The third challenge is to question yourself about whether it is your role and responsibility to keep everyone happy and uplifted. Is it? Although some may appreciate your doing this, others may want to explore the issues that arise in them more fully. And consider the price you may pay for always needing to act upbeat, even when you don’t feel that way.
Simple, Powerful Development for Enneagram Sevens
Rumi poem
Reflect on the meaning of this poem by 13th-century poet Rumi:
“I looked inwards
And the beauty of my own emptiness
Filled me until dawn”
Slow down using your breath
Most Sevens breathe as fast as they talk. First, slow down your breathing and breathe more fully into your whole body and not just into your head. Breathe through your nose, allow your breathe to move down your body, and exhale through your mouth. This helps you relax, slow down, and experience and savor more of life, both the external and the internal.
Ground yourself from your head to your feet
Starting at the top or just above the top of your head, imagine and sense somatically your energy in that place. Then, by intention and attention, gradually bring that quality of energy through your head, your neck, your shoulders and arms and so forth. Bring the energy down your torso, pelvis, legs and feet until you feel your feet connected to the ground. Practice this multiple times daily.
Watch J-Hope’s Music Video
About Ginger
Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD, author of nine Enneagram books, is a speaker, consultant, trainer, and coach. She provides certification programs and training tools for business professionals around the world who want to bring the Enneagram into organizations with high-impact business applications. TheEnneagramInBusiness.com | ginger@theenneagraminbusiness.com
The photo used for this blog is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported license and was downloaded from the Wikimedia Commons site. Through Wikipedia Commons, an independent reviewer confirmed that this image was under the stated license on that date listed. BTS is very careful and diligent with their copyrighted materials, which we respect and follow. All photos for this blog will be obtained from Wikimedia Commons with an International Creative Commons copyright.
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