Unboxing: BTS Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope" Photobook

(Warning: This post is long and photo-heavy.)

My copy of Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope" arrived this week, which is the 7th of the BTS member photobook series. This series is called Special 8 Photo-Folio because there will be a total of 8 photobooks — one for each member and one group edition. Though not confirmed by statement, I think this is BigHit's unofficial birthday project for the BTS members, as they've been releasing them by birthday order starting with Jungkook (September 1), then RM (September 12), then Jimin (October 13). We did get the BTS group book in November, but we resumed birthday order with Jin (December 4), then V (December 30), and now J-Hope (February 18).

Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope"Front with PET Overlay Cover
Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope"Front and Back Covers
Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope"Frontispiece

J-Hope's photobook is called "All New Hope." With this photobook, J-Hope stated, "I wanted to show a sentimental and risky side of me and how I overcome that to become powerful and dark. We're going to film in a concept where I meet hope and become stronger." "All New Hope" contains two main photoshoots based on two concepts, "Risky" and "All New Hope," and has a total of 80 pages. It is a soft cover book with a removable PET overlay. Included with the photobook are several extra items: a sheet of "postage stamps," J-Hope's item (a swing card), two photocards (one that is included with every book and a second one that is randomized out of 3 options), a mini poster, and a folded poster. The photobook retails for ₩33,000 or $30.65 USD on Weverse Shop Global. 

Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope""Risky" Photoshoot
Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope""Risky" Photoshoot
Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope""Risky" Photoshoot

The first photoshoot is called "Risky," of which J-Hope stated, "We tried to make the overall theme and objects appear risky and restless, and seem like they could fly away at any moment... It's a concept I thought of and planned out myself so I'm particularly fond of it." It features J-Hope in loose white outfits with light purple hair that starts off long and gets cut short. It is shot in a rocky, barren landscape in the day, featuring many hanging stones and crystals.

Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope""All New Hope" Photoshoot
Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope""All New Hope" Photoshoot
Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope""All New Hope" Photoshoot
Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope""All New Hope" Photoshoot

The second photoshoot is called "All New Hope," of which J-Hope stated, "Hope gone bad! By burning the seesaw, a symbol of instability, I'm saying, 'This isn't a problem for me,' and showing the confident and whole Hope. I'm burning and blasting away the objects and elements from the previous concept and showing something with an action that shows a clear contrast between the two concepts... There's nothing as good as fire to express something powerful. The fire could be like the passion inside me. Truthfully, meeting hope stoked many flames of passion in me, so I wanted to express that." It features J-Hope in structured black leather outfits with short black hair. Like the "Risky" photoshoot, this is shot in a rocky, barren landscape from dusk to night. It features a lot of fire and explosions with jagged rocks flying everywhere.

Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope"J-Hope's Item: Swing Card
Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope"J-Hope's Item: Swing Card
Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope"Photocards
Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope""Postage Stamp" Sheet and Mini Poster
Special 8 Photo-Folio: Me, Myself, and J-Hope — "All New Hope"Folded Poster
Finally, we get some extra items that come with the photobook. Each member has picked their own unique item to include in their photobooks, and J-Hope's item is a swing card (basically a fold-out card that has swinging elements) that features photos from both "Risky" and "All New Hope" photoshoots. As with all the photobooks, J-Hope's also includes two photocards (one that comes with every single J-Hope photo book and one that is randomized out of 3 options), a "postage stamp" sheet (seven photobooks in and I'm still not sure what purpose these serve), a mini poster that features a photo from one of the member's photoshoots (the back side also features an image of the member, but is a puzzle piece to a bigger group photo), and a folded poster. 

J-Hope had said, with this project, he wanted to erase J-Hope's colourful and street vibe he had shown so far. Well, okay, Dark Prince of Arson (see what I did there), MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.