The South Korean superstar group announced shortly after their ninth anniversary that they will be taking a short sabbatical as a band to focus on their separate projects.
The septet’s members communicated the news directly with their fans in a live-stream video on Tuesday, the day after the band’s anniversary on Monday.
“We’re taking a break right now,” Suga revealed. The group did not provide a time frame for their reunion.
Members of the Korean rock group, whose fame and popularity rivals that of The Beatles, discussed their plans for Festa in an informal live chat. Festa is the annual commemoration of BTS’ debut.
However, shortly after the rumour broke, a representative of Hybe, the South Korean firm that handles the band, reportedly issued a statement stating that this was not the case.
“BTS are not taking a break. Members will be concentrating on solo projects at this time,” according to the statement.
The news was revealed in a special video for their 2022 Festa, which is the name for BTS’s yearly anniversary celebration period, which is generally accompanied by a slew of activities and releases.
The hour-long video, called the “actual BTS dinner party,” featured the seven drinking and eating while discussing where the group is and why they feel it is vital to take some time apart to work on individual initiatives.
The members also discussed their problems with generating music in recent years, noting that working on single projects would allow them to grow as individuals and reassemble rejuvenated – to become an even greater BTS.
Following the release of On and Dynamite in 2020, RM stated that he believed BTS’s future was less apparent after the Covid-19 epidemic disturbed their preparations.
“I realised the group had changed significantly,” he reflected. “We must admit that we have changed.” For me, BTS was within my grasp until On and Dynamite, but after [2021’s] Butter and Permission to Dance, I had no idea what kind of team we were.”
He also stated that he was unsure what kind of messaging and tale he wanted to express with their music and hoped that this time would allow for it.
“The issue with K-pop and the entire idol culture is that you don’t get enough time to mature.” You have to keep making music and doing things… there is no time for growth.”
BTS members have been upfront about their mental health difficulties and the challenges of rising from obscurity to become one of the most influential musical groups of all time. They were frank about the personal toll it has had on the members to live up to the expectations of being BTS, and of completing their given roles within the group rather than pursuing their distinct interests and personalities in their Festa 2022 live as well. They did, however, assure supporters that the hiatus does not signal that BTS is breaking up.