BTS on a hiatus for band members to grow solo careers
BTS members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook announced that they are taking a “hiatus” again to focus on solo pursuits (the band took a pause for a few weeks in 2019 and then again in December 2021). The members dropped the news during their streamed annual Festa dinner, part of a celebration that marks their anniversary as a group. In the hour-long video, the members also drank, joked and reflected on their history together.
The leader of the group, RM said that after BTS’ last few singles, he “didn’t know what kind of group we were anymore,” adding that the group members were “exhausted”. He said, “I’ve always thought that BTS was different from other groups. But 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. I’ve changed as a human over the past 10 years, so I needed to think and have some alone time.”
Suga said, “It’s not like we’re disbanding. We should live doing what we want to do. We’ll probably die when we reach 100 and we can’t be BTS until then, I don’t think that’s an easy feat to achieve. Writing lyrics is the hardest. What message do we want to give? Nothing comes out anymore (sic).” J-Hope said that the time apart would be healthy for the group. “This is also a new direction for us as a company, the attitude towards solo projects has changed (sic),” he said, as he offered hope for the group’s return by saying, “It’s important for BTS to start our second chapter.”
Jimin said, “We’re starting to think what kind of artistes we want to be remembered by our fans [as]. 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.” Jungkook added, “I promise we will return someday, more mature than now. Till then, we ask for your blessing.”
By the end of the dinner, RM, J-Hope and Jimin were seen wiping tears, as they voiced gratitude for their fandom ARMY. Reacting to the news, a fan said, “BTS will be on hiatus. But will keep breaking records. I know something is coming. This is just the beginning. Maybe not as a group but as a soloist (sic).” Another fan wrote, “BTS hiatus, they deserve all the love in the world. Thank you, BTS for being there for me. Will forever be ARMY and wait for you (sic).”
We’re trying to find our identity and that’s an exhausting and long process. JIMIN, Singer
I promise we will return someday, more mature than now. Till then, we ask for your blessing. JUNGKOOK, Singer