j-hope is widely known as a “human vitamin” thanks to his friendly, outgoing personality and his ability to bring a cheerful atmosphere to everyone around him. Even his stage name reflects this defining trait. However, that does not mean he is careless or lax when it comes to basic standards of interpersonal behavior.

On the contrary, j-hope is someone who values discipline, maintains clear boundaries regarding how people should treat one another, and is especially serious when it comes to work. Most BTS members — including the eldest, Jin — have admitted to feeling intimidated when j-hope switches into “dance team leader mode.” j-hope himself has also stated that he has certain behavioral rules so strict that he would be unable to be friends with someone if they violated them.

Specifically, in one interview, j-hope was forced to choose between two options: "Which one is worse: people who always make a mess whenever they visit versus people who are never on time?". His answer did not come immediately, as he admitted that neither option was ideal in his eyes. According to him, both types of people violate the most basic standards of human behavior.

j-hope went on to bluntly remark that it might be better to cut ties with people like that altogether. He joked, "This one is tough…these types of people, you gotta stop meeting them."

However, if he had to eliminate one type, it would definitely be people who are always late. j-hope commented that he “cannot stand” those who are never punctual, stating firmly, "I’ll go with the second one. I can’t stand a tardy person."

He believes that someone who is never on time causes more inconvenience to others than someone who is messy. He explained, “I can always clean up when they make a mess but being late is about basic manners". Ultimately, a messy room can be cleaned up by oneself or by someone else, but the habit of being late can only be changed by the person responsible.

For someone as serious and dedicated as j-hope, punctuality is a fundamental virtue. It is also a practical and essential rule of social interaction for anyone, because time is valuable. Being on time reflects discipline and respect for others — and in another sense, it is also a way of respecting oneself.

Following j-hope’s answer, fans immediately began chanting RM’s name, who is famously known for his legendary clumsiness and the nickname “God of Destruction.” ARMY pointed out how fortunate it is that RM falls into the category of “messy” that j-hope is willing to tolerate, which is why they have been able to remain teammates for over a decade. Fans also believe that j-hope is likely one of the people — alongside SUGA — who grew accustomed to cleaning up the “battlefields” created by the leader during their dormitory days.

However, ARMY also noted that this exception likely applies only to RM and BTS. As for everyone else, it might be best to avoid both making a mess and being late — unless they want to be permanently blacklisted by j-hope!