While BTS is still on hiatus until June, due to their mandatory service with the Korean military, the boys are keeping their fan base — known as the army — fed. Since 2022, each of the BTS members have been dropping music as solo artists. The latest bit of music comes in the form of “Sweet Dreams,” a magical collaboration between BTS member J-Hope and Miguel.
On “Sweet Dreams,” J-Hope and Miguel detail the joyous feeling of falling in love and letting go of inhibitions. “Sweet dreams come after hours / Nothing that’s not allowed / You should never sleep alone / ‘Cause I’ll always take you home,” the two sing on the song’s chorus, over a calming, percussive instrumental track. Bound to be a hit, the song fuses elements of k-pop and R&B, continuing to push the musical envelope, as the army knows the boys to do.
“With this single having such a clear goal and direction, I feel a mix of excitement and nervousness,” said J-Hope in a statement. “After much thought and effort, the song has finally come to life, and I truly hope many people will enjoy it.”
In the song’s accompanying music video, J-Hope is seen waking up in a house that floats into the sky, symbolizing the airy feeling encapsulated by the song. Throughout the clip, J-Hope walks through a vibrant neighborhood, without a care or worry in the world. Though Miguel himself doesn’t appear in the video, the collaboration comes as a welcomed venture into pop by the R&B hitmaker. “Sweet Dreams is really a nice reprieve,” said Miguel in a statement, “and I’m happy I got to pair with J-Hope on his track.”
J-Hope’s Vision For A New Chapter of BTS
BTS last put out music as a group in 2022, before beginning their service with the Korean military. At the time of writing, J-Hope, along with members Jin and Suga, have completed their service. Members RM, Jimin, Jungkook, and V are expected to complete their service by June. As this year will mark the first time in three years the boys have collaborated as a group, J-Hope is anticipating that BTS’ comeback will be monumental.
J-Hope shared his vision in an interview with Weverse published in December 2024.
“When we’re all back together as a group, it’s going to have a huge impact, and everybody’s going to be watching,” J-Hope said. “I’m excited to see what it’ll feel like when we perform together again. I want to come back in style and say, ‘This is us. This is BTS.’ I can’t speak for everyone, but I can tell you the other members feel the same way. What hasn’t changed is that I really, really love to do it. Even now. I’m here because of the group.”
In the meantime, there’s no shortage of music from the guys to tide us over while we wait for what’s bound to be an epic comeback.