K-pop superstars BTS to take ‘long-term break’
K-POP superstars BTS will take a ‘long-term break’ from the music scene, their agency said on Monday, after the boy band topped charts in the US and Britain earlier this year.
But the pause may only last a few weeks, with the septet due to play a controversial show in Saudi Arabia in October.
The K-pop industry is known for cutthroat competition and around-the-clock work hours that include concerts, press events and gruelling singing and dancing training when the stars are offstage.
BTS will take their “first official long-term break since their debut” six years ago, managers Big Hit Entertainment said, adding it will be a time to “recharge and refresh as musicians and creators”.
It would a lso be a time for them to “enjoy t hei r da i ly l ives a s nor mal 20-somet hi ng young men”, the agency said in a midnight statement.
“If you run into BTS at an unexpected place, we ask for the fans’ consideration to allow the members to enjoy their private time.”
BTS – or Bangtan Sonyeondan, which translates as Bulletproof Boy Scouts – have gained a massive globa l fol low ing in recent yea rs, becoming the first K-pop group to top charts in t he US and Britain wit h a string of sold-out shows i n Los A ngeles, Pa r is a nd London’s Wembley Stadium.
The f loppy-haired musicians, all in their 20s a nd of ten spor t i ng ea r r i ngs a nd l ipst ick, appeal to a generation t hat feels comfortable wit h t he idea of f luid gender identit y.
They maintain close relationships with their fans, flooding social media with selfies, videos and tweets in Korean and English.
The statement did not say how long the break will be but the band is scheduled to perform in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 11.
Hundreds of thousands of fans wrote on the BTS Twitter account – which has 21.3 million followers – to wish them a happy vacation.
“I love you very much and hope you enjoy your break to the fullest,” a fan commented.
Another wrote: “We are going nowhere and will be here to welcome you back with fanfares!”
The group’s popularit y has generated huge prof its for Big Hit Enter ta inment, which is even collaborating with Barbie maker Mattel for BTS dolls.
Sout h Korea n per for mers such a s Psy – whose 2012 hit Gangnam St yle became the f irst v ideo to top a billion v iews on YouTube – have prev iously broken into Western markets, but none have achieved BTS’ sustained success.