April 17, 2025
MANILA – During his time in Manila last weekend for his ‘J-Hope On The Stage’ concert, J-Hope of BTS indulged in Filipino cuisine and enjoyed every bite.
J-Hope and his fans were immediately drawn to one particular Filipino restaurant.
The K-pop idol savored a spread of crispy pata, sinigang na baboy sa sampaloc, crispy sisig, and garlic rice during his laid-back Weverse live, keeping things candid and relatable. He even finished his hearty meal with halo-halo, a delectable dessert.
He exclaimed with a smile, “This is my favorite dessert! Halo-halo!”
Later on, it was discovered that the delectable spread came from Manam, a well-known Filipino restaurant for its comforting local dishes presented in both traditional and contemporary fashions.
This immediately made a buzz online as social media users expressed their thoughts about his stamp of approval.
One user wrote, “I actually love manam isa yan sa comfort food ko when I was staying in ortigas now maalala ko na din si jhope everytime na kakain ng food nila [I actually love manam it was one of my comfort foods when I was staying in ortigas now I will also remember jhope every time I eat their food].”
“Matry nga yang Jhope package sa Manam bukas. Cancel ko muna Holy week ok lang vah?? puro baboy inorder niya haha [I’m going to try the Jhope package in Manam tomorrow. I’ll cancel Holy Week, is that okay?? He ordered all pork haha],” a second user wrote.
A third user wrote, “jhope package manam cravings kaso mag holy week na HAHAHAHAH [The manam jhope package is my cravings but it’s holy week HAHAHAHAH].”
Manam expressed their gratitude to the K-pop idol by reposting J-Hope’s video and posting a heartfelt remark on their Instagram Stories.
“Super amazing Hope on the Stage Manila concert this weekend! Gamsahamnida [Thank you] J-hope!! Please rest, eat well, and enjoy some Filipino fare, our beloved Jhopeee. Mahal ka namin, walang uuwi [We love you, no going home]. Saranghae! [I love you!],” they wrote.
In addition to the Filipino restaurant, J-Hope made sure to sample the cuisine of the well-known fast-food restaurant, Jollibee. During the special farewell at his Manila show, he joyfully shared it with his Filo-Army fans.
With his most recent visit, J-Hope made his trip back to the Philippines after eight years, the last being during BTS’ 2017 Wings Tour.