On this day, even the Seoul Metropolitan Government and related authorities had to make emergency preparations for BTS’s return this March. The frenzy of album pre-orders and ticket purchases for concerts in South кσяєα and other regions has been spreading worldwide. Within just the first week, more than 4 million albums were pre-ordered, and over 44 stadium concerts completely sold out, with tickets at some venues disappearing within minutes.
All of this serves as proof of BTS’s unshakable status as the “Pop Icons of the 21st Century.” Thirteen years ago, the boys—then only 18 to 20 years old—were handing out flyers on the streets to invite pαѕѕersby to attend their concerts for free. They could hardly have imagined that more than a decade later, millions of people around the world would be competing for the chance to see them even once. BTS have truly come a long way on their journey to success.
One indispensable factor behind BTS’s success today is the unwavering support of their families. Their parents were their very first ARMYs, standing by their side from concerts with just a few thousand attendees to performances in mαѕѕive stadiums holding tens of thousands of fans. In particular, despite being global superstars, when they return home, they are still their parents’ beloved children.
Recently, fans were once again touched by a story shared by j-hope’s sister that perfectly illustrates this truth. On January 25, Jiwoo posted a photo on her personal Instagram of a box of chocolates, accompanied by the caption: “Mommy ordered the Dubai Chewy Cookie for me. My mom said she wanted to eat it so she looked for it and bought 3 boxes. One box for me, one box for my mom, and one box for my brother.”
The item in the photo is a dessert that has recently taken South кσяєα’s F&B industry by storm—the “Dubai Chocolate.” This dessert combines thin Middle Eastern-style kadayif pastry strands with pistachio sauce, marshmallow, and chocolate. The Original and Premium versions are priced at approximately 9,500 to 17,000 won per piece (around $7–$13 USD). According to Naver data on January 22, the “Dubai Chewy Cookie” currently ranks No. 1 in food-related search volume this month.
Notably, this dessert tends to sell out extremely quickly. It is common to see customers lining up in front of cafés early in the morning just to buy it. Many shops even sell out their entire daily supply by morning. As a result, people in South кσяєα often have to place orders several days—or even a week—in advance to get their hands on one.
It appears that j-hope’s mother also joined this trend, pre-ordering three boxes for herself and her children. However, what impressed fans the most was the fact that the BTS rapper’s mother was keeping up with a youth trend to order desserts for her children, who are already in their 30s. Both Jiwoo and j-hope are more than capable of easily accessing this popular dessert themselves, but their mother seemed worried that they might be too busy to buy it, so she purchased it for both of them to enjoy together.
Jiwoo’s post quickly spread across social media, prompting ARMYs to gush over the sweet gesture from j-hope’s mother toward her children, leaving comments such as: “I find it too sweet and cute, mommy,” “j-hope, pleaaase make a mukbang videooo,” “the sweetest family, literally,” “Mama Hope is the sweetest,” “A Dubai chocolate from mom for a 30-year-old son, so lovely,” “The way she went out to find Dubai chocolate for Hobi is so precious,” “Obsessed with this family,” and more.
At the same time, Jiwoo’s post also reminded fans of a video from j-hope’s vacation at his hometown, filmed for his documentary. One viral moment showed j-hope having breakfast with his parents and remarking, “I think I’d finally put on some weight if I stayed here for a month.” His mother then not only smiled at her son’s comment but also warmly offered to the other members, saying, “If any of the members need to put on weight, send them here.”
Fans have come to realize that delicious food for her children is j-hope’s mother’s own love language. They also find it endearing that, like many other mothers, she shares the common desire to see her children grow chubby and healthy through hearty, nutritious meals.
Beyond the story of j-hope’s mother ordering a trending dessert, fans also recalled how RM’s father once joined the Pokémon bread craze in South кσяєα for his son. Each loaf cost around 1,500 won and featured a different Pokémon theme, wrapped in special packaging with a collectible sticker.
At the height of the craze, RM posted several photos on Instagram, showing off the Pokémon bread he managed to get with help from friends—and especially his father. He revealed that his father had visited up to 10 different stores to find all the varieties RM wanted. Despite RM being 30 years old, his father still indulged his interests, even when it required significant time and effort.
All of this highlights a common trait shared by BTS’s parents: they never lack love or indulgence for their children, even though they are global K-pop superstars. Growing up in families filled with such unconditional love has helped nurture idols with golden character and generous hearts—artists who continue to heal countless wounded hearts around the world.
