Bad news BTS Army: K-Pop's foremost boy band are taking a step back from their union to focus on solo projects. But not to worry! They're not breaking up.
UPDATE (6/14, 1:02 p.m. ET): In a statement provided to Pitchfork, a representative of the band clarified that BTS "are not on hiatus but will take time to explore some solo projects at this time and remain active in various different formats." This statement stands in contrast to what the band members stated at a recent anniversary celebration.
During the group's annual Festa dinner, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook explained that their maturity as individual artists has been stunted due to the demands of their rigorous band commitments
"I think we should spend some time apart to learn how to be one again," said J-Hope. "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."
Hitting pause on BTS does seem to come from a place of honest need for personal development; as the seven bandmates chowed down on their spread cheerfully together, they discussed the pressures of K-Pop's "whole idol system." As RM explained, "Right now, we've lost our direction, and I just want to take some time to think."
"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. I think now we're starting to think about what kind of artists we each want to be remembered [as]," Jimin said.
Suga added: "It's not like we're disbanding!"
Watch the Festa clip below.
UPDATE (6/14, 1:02 p.m. ET): In a statement provided to Pitchfork, a representative of the band clarified that BTS "are not on hiatus but will take time to explore some solo projects at this time and remain active in various different formats." This statement stands in contrast to what the band members stated at a recent anniversary celebration.
During the group's annual Festa dinner, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook explained that their maturity as individual artists has been stunted due to the demands of their rigorous band commitments
"I think we should spend some time apart to learn how to be one again," said J-Hope. "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."
Hitting pause on BTS does seem to come from a place of honest need for personal development; as the seven bandmates chowed down on their spread cheerfully together, they discussed the pressures of K-Pop's "whole idol system." As RM explained, "Right now, we've lost our direction, and I just want to take some time to think."
"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. I think now we're starting to think about what kind of artists we each want to be remembered [as]," Jimin said.
Suga added: "It's not like we're disbanding!"
Watch the Festa clip below.
