BTS announce temporary break, with plans for solo releases before reuniting as group
BTS will be taking a break.
The South Korean superstar group announced shortly after their ninth anniversary that they would be going on hiatus for a temporary break as a team in order for members to focus on their solo careers.
Sharing the news in a live-stream video on Tuesday - the day after the band's anniversary on Monday - the septet's members shared the news directly with their fans.
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"We're going into a hiatus now," Suga announced. The group did not say when they aimed to reunite.
He later reiterated the sentiment that they are not breaking up. "It's not that we're disbanding, we're just living apart for a while."
"I think BTS could become a stronger group that way," J-Hope added.
However, shortly after the news broke, a representative of Hybe, the South Korean company that manages the band, reportedly issued a statement saying otherwise.
"BTS are not taking a hiatus. Members will be focusing more on solo projects at this time," the statement said.
In the original video, Suga's answer was subtitled in English, with the original more directly referring to the group being on an "off" period.
The Post has reached out to Hybe to clarify.
The announcement came in a special video for their 2022 Festa, the name for BTS's annual anniversary celebration period, which is usually accompanied by numerous events and releases.
The hour-long clip, dubbed the "real BTS dinner party", featured the seven drinking and eating while sharing their thoughts about where the group is at, and why they feel it is necessary to take some time off to work on individual efforts.
The members also offered insights into their struggles with creating music over the past few years, saying that this period of focusing on solo projects would help them grow as individuals and regroup refreshed - to become an even greater BTS.
RM said that, following the releases of On and Dynamite in 2020, he had felt like BTS's direction was less clear after the Covid-19 pandemic set in and disrupted their plans.
"I realised the group has definitely changed," he reflected. "We have to accept that we've changed. For me, it was like the group BTS was within my grasp until On and Dynamite, but after [2021's] Butter and Permission to Dance I didn't know what kind of team we were any more."
He also added he was unclear what sort of messaging and story he wanted to tell with their music any more, and he hoped this time would allow for that.
"The problem with K-pop and the whole idol system is that they don't give you time to mature. You have to keep producing music and keep doing something ... there's no time left for growth."
Suga also said that he's unsure what to say when writing lyrics nowadays.
Along with spending time off to refresh, during this hiatus the members anticipate pursuing their own paths, with several solo albums planned.
In the past, the members only ever individually released mixtapes rather than formal albums, which have limited their releases and promotions.
"We can't help but think of our fans no matter what," said Jimin. "What kind of artists we want to be remembered [as] by our fans. I think now, finally, we've come to think about what kind of artist we each want to be remembered as by our fans. I think that's why we're going through a rough patch right now.
"We're trying to find our identity, and that's an exhausting and long process. Our fans know us and we know us. We have so many things we want to tell them but we can't be honest all the time.
"We want to be comfortable with them but it's so hard, and that's worn us out. We're trying to slowly figure things out now."
BTS also shared that the members will no longer all live together as their joint apartment's contract is up.
The announcement came days after BTS released their first anthology album, Proof, which is said to reflect on the band's past, present and future, and open a new chapter of the band's career.
The single, Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment), promises that the group's best moment has yet to come, fitting with BTS's promise to return as a united team.
J-Hope is expected to be the first to release an album. He released his mixtape Hope World in 2018.
"The important thing is that I'm just the start, everyone's working on their own music," he said.
BTS's members also said that they'd like to come together on occasion while even if formally on a temporary break, such as to film their variety series BTS Run or perform from time to time.
In response to the news, fans shared messages of love and thanks, with phrases like "ARMY FOREVER" and "THANK YOU BTS" trending on Twitter.
A day before the announcement, BTS celebrated their anniversary with a special performance of songs from "Proof", including Yet to Come. Anderson .Paak, best known as of late as one half of Silk Sonic along with Bruno Mars, featured as a guest.
Along with all the other news and new activities, Jungkook also released a solo song, My You, dedicated to fans.
The break comes ahead of the deadline for the eldest member Jin to enlist in South Korea's military by the age of 30, as per the country's draft.
Due to the immense impact of BTS, the country's politicians and military leaders have debated whether or not members warrant an exemption, such as top-tier athletes receive, but to date no announcement of any waiver has been announced.
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
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