As many fans know, toward the end of last year, following a live broadcast in which SUGA introduced his black cat Seoltang, j-hope also revealed for the first time that he has two pet cats. Although he is well known as an animal lover and for his affection for the family dog Mickey, j-hope admitted that he had never actually considered raising cats. However, fate took a turn during a filming project he participated in before enlisting in the military.

“Before going to the military, I had a film shoot and I went to the set and there were so many tiny kittens there. There was a kitten who had an eye that looked half, how do I say this, a bit necrotic. And it made me so sad. I felt I needed to get it treated. So I rescued that cat and brought it to a hospital. As I took care of that cat, I came to feel charmed by the cat. And that cat was able to find a good home. And in this way, I came to become interested in cats and all my algorithms turned towards cats,” he said.

From that moment on, the seed of love for cats was planted in his heart, eventually leading j-hope to decide to adopt two abandoned cats. Although he has spoken about them, j-hope has not officially introduced his cats to fans yet, explaining: “Actually I wanted to show you naturally. I thought it wasn't right to say, ‘Here are my cats!’” .

As a result, fans have continued to wait for the day he will officially share photos of his cats. While the public photo of j-hope’s two cats has remained a mystery to fans, an υиєχρє¢тє∂ situation suddenly arose involving actor Gong Yoo’s latest post.

On January 26, the actor shared a photo on his personal Instagram showing two cats—one gray and one wнιтe—lying on the floor. After some ARMYs saw the post, they reshared it with captions such as “Hobi’s cats,” with some even speculating that Gong Yoo and j-hope might be raising the two cats together. This quickly drew the attention of many other fans, who rushed to take a closer look.

Additionally, some background information further strengthened the perceived connection between j-hope and the famous actor. In June 2024, news outlet TenAsia reported that j-hope had spent 12 billion won to purchase a penthouse at Afer Hangang, one of the most luxurious residential areas in Yongsan, Seoul. Coincidentally, this is also where Gong Yoo resides, with his home likewise being a penthouse offering views of the Han River and Yongsan Park.

Beyond being neighbors, j-hope and Gong Yoo have also demonstrated a positive professional relationship on multiple occasions. Both serve as brand ambαѕѕadors for Louis Vuitton (LV), and they were previously seen sitting next to each other and chatting warmly at an after-party for the fashion house. Most recently, on the 22nd, j-hope was also spotted interacting with Gong Yoo’s Instagram post.

These details caused posts claiming that the two cats in Gong Yoo’s newly shared photo belong to j-hope—or that the two stars are raising the cats together as neighbors—to spread rapidly across social media, attracting million views and interactions. Reactions filled the comment sections, ranging from surprise to skepticism. Some were astonished to supposedly see j-hope’s cats for the first time, while others were confused about why Gong Yoo and j-hope would be raising cats together.

However, the reality is not what some people have αѕѕumed. The cats in the photo are actually Mawoo and Kong Kong—Gong Yoo’s longtime pets, whom he has previously mentioned on several occasions. Fans of the actor are already familiar with these cats. Meanwhile, the two “main characters” in j-hope’s life are still being kept private by him and have never officially appeared before the public.

Although the viral photo turns out to not feature j-hope’s cats, it still continues sparking another topic of discussion online. The fact that both top stars are animal lovers and neighbors has led many to speculate that they may have shared conversations about caring for cats, or even enjoyed gatherings as “two penthouse-dwelling cat dads.” Some fans are even hoping that one day, the two will appear together in a single frame—alongside their adorable cats.

Meanwhile, many fans still have yet to see what j-hope’s beloved cats look like. Though slightly disappointed, they remain more than willing to wait until the day he feels ready to introduce them to the world in the most natural way possible—just as he once hoped.