Anushree Taparia, New Delhi

‘SUGA: Road to D-DAY’ and ‘j-hope IN THE BOX’ were released in selected theaters in India on 17^th June 2023. SUGA and j-hope are not just members of the world-renowned band BTS but they have also established themselves as successful solo artists carving their own identity with j-hope being the first Korean act to headline Lollapalooza and SUGA being the first member from the group to embark his own solo world tour post their respective solo album releases.

_{Picture Credits: Disney Plus}

To see the whole process, thoughts, and dilemmas these artists face while creating an album and their solo journeys so far; have been showcased in their respective documentaries and were made available for global audiences for both theatrical and OTT releases on Disney Plus. Hallyuism team visited to watch the movie at PVR Promenade located in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. With the amazing Atmos sound system and comfortable seating, the movie-watching experience became blissful.

_{Picture Credits: Disney Plus}

J-hope in the Box Documentary

j-hope’s documentary walked us through his artistic journey where he showcased the process of the making of his album Jack In The Box; from capturing the entire album production to behind-the-scenes creative ideations that made it to his first release as a solo artist. His debut stage performance at the annual music festival in Chicago: Lollapalooza, was a visual and auditory treat for the audience that was also covered in this documentary showcasing his passion for music, dance, and rap which he put together to present a grand performance. It was a fascinating documentary that took the viewers across j-hope’s passion for his work. It also gave a unique glimpse into his daily life as Jung Ho-seok where he is a son, and a brother, as well as a glimpse into the daily life of hardworking artist j-hope.

The documentary highlights a new side of the mega-talented artist j-hope as he experiments with a never-seen-before musical approach, the output of which is contrary to all his previous mixtape releases.

SUGA: Road to D-DAY Documentary

In SUGA’s documentary, he showcased his entire journey in creating the final installment in his trilogy album. He traveled all the way to the United States where he met his industry friends Steve Aoki, Halsey, and Anderson .Paak. The level of comfort he shared with all these artists showed the level of mutual trust and respect they have for each other. The exchange of ideas and influence helped SUGA to move forward in the creation of his album. The movie also showed him meeting with one of his childhood idols Japanese composer Late Ryuichi Sakamoto and how he acknowledged the composer’s influence on his own music. It was a heartwarming scene. The documentary also has live performances of some of his songs from the album which were enjoyed by the audience.

This documentary focused on showing SUGA’s exploration of adulthood, hardships, and success beyond being a member of the renowned BTS where he talked about showing his own style to the fans. It also has many inspiring dialogues such as in one of the scenes Yoongi said that he believes one becomes an adult when one stops dreaming.

Overall Experience

These documentaries were a treat to a BTS fan and even as a normal music lover it was interesting to know the music process and discover both these artists’ journey to their solo albums.  Since all the BTS members are currently pursuing their solo work, it will be really interesting to watch more such documentaries from each one of them where they share their solo experiences and dreams.  

Have you seen both documentaries? What are your thoughts? Tell us in the comments!