After being together for almost ten years, the seven members of BTS need some time apart.
The Korean boy band released a video on Tuesday in which they discuss the singers’ desire to take a break from their current arrangement, explore their individual music careers and put some pressure on their lives as international pop sensations.
“We’ve talked to each other several times and we believe it’s good to take some time apart,” J-Hope, one of the members, said in the video. “I hope people don’t think negatively about this move and see that this is a healthy, important part of our plan that will grow BTS stronger.”
But messages of support and heartbreak from the group’s devoted fanbase – known as BTS Army – were confused on Tuesday when news organizations reported that the entertainment company associated with the Grammy-nominated band released a statement saying that BTS was not, in in fact, took a break and that the members just focused more on solo projects.
The BTS video was released as the K-pop group celebrated the ninth anniversary of their debut. While chatting and reminiscing over a meal, the members — J-Hope, RM, Jin, Suga, Jimin, V, and Jungkook — touched on some of the challenges they faced as artists, including the pressure to keep producing hit songs.
“I should be writing about what I’m feeling and the stories I want to tell,” Suga said, “but I’m just forcefully squeezing out words because I have to satisfy someone.”
RM, who often speaks in English for the group — including on a recent visit to the White House — said it was challenging for him to balance his own artistic work with the demands of acting as a sort of group spokesperson. .
The singers seemed to agree that focusing for a while on their solo careers would bolster their future collaborations and ultimately serve their fans. And future solo performances are already in the books: Earlier this month, Lollapalooza, a Chicago music festival, announced that J-Hope would be a headliner at the event this summer.
“I want to keep performing,” said RM, “but I feel like I’ve lost direction.”
