j-hope skipped Samsung Unpacked, but he spoiled the Galaxy Z Fold 8 anyway

BTS member j-hope may be the face of Samsung's newest Galaxy campaign, but fans hoping to see him at the company’s Unpacked event in London on Wednesday were left waiting.

j-hope did not appear in person during the presentation, where Samsung unveiled its latest generation of foldable devices. Instead, the rapper and dancer popped up on screen in a new advertisement introducing the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, Samsung's redesigned, wider foldable phone.

His absence from London was not entirely surprising. j-hope arrived in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday after BTS co-headlined the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show at New York-New Jersey MetLife Stadium on Sunday. The group performed their English-language hit "Dynamite" during the 11-minute production, which also featured Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, Burna Boy, and several other performers.

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But j-hope may have been promoting Samsung's new device before the company officially announced it.

Photos and videos of the BTS member arriving at Incheon International Airport circulated among fans online, with eagle-eyed ARMY members noticing the unusually wide — and lavender! — foldable phone he was holding. It was the same phone he was spotted holding last week during soundcheck footage at a BTS World Tour stop in Paris. The device appeared to be the then-unreleased Galaxy Z Fold 8, prompting speculation that j-hope had given fans an early look at Samsung's new design and color.

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Samsung confirmed the phone during its July 22 Unpacked event in London. The company introduced the Galaxy Z Fold 8 with a shorter, wider design intended to make the foldable easier to hold and use. Samsung also unveiled the more traditionally shaped Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and the Galaxy Z Flip 8.

Although some fans had hoped j-hope's starring role in Samsung's Unpacked promotional campaign meant he would attend the London launch, his involvement ultimately came through the advertisement that debuted during the event.

In hindsight, however, his airport appearance may have been the more fitting introduction. While Samsung waited until Unpacked to officially reveal the Galaxy Z Fold 8, j-hope had seemingly already unfolded it for the fans paying close attention.