We have crushing news for music fans across the country.
Nay, across the globe.
Nay, across the universe.
Seriously: We hope you’re sitting down while reading this.
On Tuesday, the members of wildly popular boy group BTS — RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook — announced they are taking a hiatus.
They’ll be going their separate ways in order to focus on various solo careers and projects.
“We’re each going to take some time to have fun and experience lots of things,” Jungkook said in the social media video.
“We promise we will return someday, even more mature than we are now.”
For his part, RM explained that the K-Pop industry is amazing and has obviously treated the group very well — but it has drawbacks.
“The problem with K-Pop and the whole idol system is that they don’t give you time to mature,” he admitted.
“You have to keep producing music and keep doing something.
“And after I get up in the morning and get makeup done there’s no time left for growth.”
BTS formed 2010 after Big Hit Entertainment founder Bang Si-hyuk recruited RM… followed by Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook.
They made their debut three years later.
Since that time, the artists have simply exploded in popularity and in commercial success — earning two Grammy nominations, six no. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and a passionate legion of fans.
RM added on Tuesday that he realized BTS had changed during the COVI-19 pandemic, when they released hit singles like Dynamite, Butter and Permission to Dance.
“I think 90 percent of our fans would root for us no matter what kind of music or direction we choose,” V said in the group’s announcement video.
“J-Hope told me this before, we could focus on our solo work this time and later when we gather again as a group that synergy will be like no other.”
As for what the future holds, exactly?
BTS can’t say.
But the door remains wide open, each member claims.
They just can’t state for certain when they’ll perform together again or record together again.
“We can’t help but think of our fans no matter what.
“I think now, finally, we’ve come to think about what kind of artists we 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, Jimin said.
J-Hope also chimed in as follows:
“I think that change is what we need right now. It’s important for BTS to start our second chapter.”
