Leaving the ARMY in a bundle of tears, BTS announces that the group is taking some time for themselves and focusing on solo projects.
BTS has conquered the news since they released the new album PROOF to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the debut release. The septet sat down for dinner after the Festa, and the members, Jin, Suga, RM, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, announced their break to pursue individual ambitions.
Hours following the declaration, Hybe, the South Korean entertainment business behind BTS, issued a statement confirming that the band would continue to work on projects both; collectively and individually. According to the announcement, BTS is not taking a hiatus, and members will focus more on solo projects.
Later that day, the band members discussed their struggles to grow and mature as distinct artists within the K-pop genre in an hour-long video they posted on the official YouTube channel of BTS.
All members of the group elucidated their thoughts behind taking this step.
RM said, “The problem with K-pop and the whole idol system is it does not give you time to mature.”
“You have to keep producing music and keep doing something. I have changed as a human over the past ten years. I needed to think and have some alone time. We are at our best I feel like I should be contributing something to the world, but I do not know what that is,” he added.
Singer Jimin, 26, mentioned that BTS members were slowly trying to figure things out. “I think we are going through a rough patch right now. We are trying to find our identity. It is an exhausting and long process. Members are starting to think about what kind of artists we each want to be remembered by our fans,” he said.
J-Hope, with wet eyes, exclaimed that it was the beginning of their second chapter.
In the end, the members became emotional while showing gratitude towards the ARMY at dinner. The group has also discussed taking brief vacations in the past, first in 2019 and then in December 2021. According to reports, BTS embarked on a significant global tour when the COVID-19 outbreak broke out.
Read more: BTS Turns 9; JKook Gifts ARMY “My You”
