BTS member j-hope's apparent early reveal of Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 generated massive online attention even before the company's official product launch. According to a post shared by Pop Core on X, content surrounding j-hope's viral Galaxy Z Fold 8 "leak" accumulated 158.1 million cumulative views on TikTok. The figure included fan edits videos and discussions that spread across the platform after fans noticed the rapper using the then-unreleased foldable smartphone.
The buzz began days before Samsung officially unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold 8. During BTS' sold-out ARIRANG World Tour concert in Paris, videos from the group's soundcheck showed j-hope taking photos of fans with what appeared to be a new lavender-colored foldable phone. The device's wider design immediately caught the attention of eagle-eyed ARMYs, who speculated that it was Samsung's unreleased Galaxy Z Fold 8.
Soon after, photos and videos of j-hope arriving at Incheon International Airport further fueled the speculation. Fans once again spotted him carrying the same lavender foldable device, leading to widespread discussions across social media.
The speculation intensified when j-hope briefly uploaded an Instagram Story showing himself filming a mirror selfie video with the phone. Although the clip was deleted shortly afterward, fans quickly captured screenshots and videos, pointing out that the device appeared to be Samsung's upcoming release.
Samsung officially introduced the Galaxy Z Fold 8 on July 22. By then, the so-called "leak" had already become a viral talking point online, with countless TikTok videos and social media posts discussing the unexpected early glimpse.
The attention surrounding the incident had since been viewed by many fans as another example of j-hope's marketing influence. Following Pop Core's report that the viral moment had generated 158.1 million TikTok views, fans praised the BTS rapper's impact on the campaign. One fan wrote,
Other fans echoed similar sentiments. Several fans said he had turned his concert into one of the year's most talked-about tech promotions.
Others praised j-hope's influence saying the casual reveal going viral showed the rapper's marketing power. Some described the collaboration as a smart promotional move for Samsung and highlighted the strong buzz it generated.
On July 15, 2026, Samsung officially named BTS member j-hope as the face of its latest Galaxy campaign. To announce the partnership, Samsung Mobile released a promotional image featuring the rapper holding one of its new Galaxy devices ahead of the company's Galaxy Unpacked event. Although j-hope did not attend the Galaxy Unpacked presentation in person, he played a central role in the campaign leading up to the launch.
A day later, on July 16, 2026, Samsung Mobile released another promotional video starring j-hope. The teaser followed the rapper as he walked through the streets of London, passing colorful murals inspired by landmarks such as Big Ben and the city's iconic red double-decker buses.
The artwork also featured various animated elements, including a smiling sun, rainy clouds, an airplane, reference to the rapper's album Jack In The Box. The video concludes with a framed image of the BTS member alongside the Samsung logo.
In other news about the rapper, according to HYPEBEAST Korea, the gloves worn by the rapper during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show have reached a current bid of $14,000 USD. The amount is well above the estimated winning price of $1,000 to $3,000 USD, making it around 4.7 times higher than the upper estimate and 14 times the lower estimate. The auction will end in three days, with all proceeds benefiting the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which supports education and football programs for children worldwide.
Meanwhile, j-hope is currently on BTS' ARIRANG World Tour with the rest of the members. The group will resume the U.S. leg of the tour with two sold-out shows at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on August 1 and 2, before continuing with concerts in several other countries.
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