BTS have announced that they are going their separate ways after nine years as a band
(Picture: Getty Images for The Recording A)K-Pop boy band BTS have revealed that they are taking a “temporary” hiatus to focus on solo careers.
The shock announcement comes just days after the Dynamite hit-makers released latest album Proof, a 3-disc career retrospective compilation.
The seven-piece group dropped the bombshell around 20 minutes into an hour-long video shared on YouTube.
Members Jungkook, 24, Jin, 29, RM, 27, V, 26, Suga, 29, J-Hope, 28, and Jimin, 26, could be seen sat around a table sharing a meal together as they discussed their decision to go their separate ways.
“I 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,” RM said in the clip.
“You have to keep producing music and keep doing something.”
“We can’t help but think of our fans no matter what, we want to be the kind of artists that are remembered by our fans,” added Jimin.
“I think now we’re starting to think about what kind of artists we each want to be remembered 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.”
V insisted this is not a split adding that they will get back together “later when we gather again as a group that synergy will be like no other.”
Agreeing, J-Hope said: “I think we should spend some time apart to learn how to be one again. I hope you don’t see this as a negative thing, and see it as a healthy plan. I think BTS will become stronger that way.”
While Suga was keen to emphasise that this is not the end.
He said: “It’s not like we’re disbanding!”
BTS is a South Korean boy band that was formed in 2010 and debuted in 2013. They are also known as the Bangtan Boys.
This is not the first time they have taken a break. They took a mini break in 2019 and along with time out in December 2021 saying that they needed some down time to recharge.
After the video was shared, V shared a note with Weverse.
It read: “For the last ten years, we never stopped looking up towards what awaited us…Now, this is just the beginning, the first footsteps we are taking to ensure that we remain together as Bangtan for a long time.
“The purple string that ties ARMY and Bangtan together is strong, and will not ever break.”
Fans have already been given a taster of what’s to come with Jung Kook releasing a solo single on Sunday called My You and J-Hope was recently announced as a headliner of Chicago’s Lollapalooza festival in July.
