South Korean agency HYBE has clarified that BTS members are not going on a hiatus but will be focusing on their solo work. The statement was issued after BTS members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook said that they were going into a hiatus. They made the announcement during the FESTA 2022 Live Dinner. While the group spoke in Korean, the word hiatus was included in the subtitles of the video. As expected, fans were emotional following the announcement but the agency jumped in to clarify BTS’ statement.
The agency clarified that BTS is not going on a hiatus. Instead, the Bangtan Boys will be focusing on their individual work. “BTS are not taking a hiatus. Members will be focusing more on solo projects at this time,” the statement said, as reported by Associated Press.
“BTS will start a new chapter that combines team and individual activities. It will be a time for each member to grow through various activities, and BTS will become a long-running team in the future. We expect that it will become a source of nourishment for us. For this, we will actively support at the label level,” the agency’s statement to Newsen read.
A few hours after the statement, K-pop Herald reported that J-Hope will be the first member to make his solo debut. The international news outlet added that other members of the band will also release solo projects in the future. It is also reported that BTS will return with their variety program “Run! BTS.”
We cannot wait!
During the Festa Dinner, BTS insisted they need to take a break to find their voice and direction again. They will also be working on their individual projects from now on, starting with J-Hope, who is all set to perform at the Lollapalooza music festival as a solo act. “This is also a new direction for us as a company, the attitude towards solo projects has changed,” he said. While BTS as a band will be on a break, all the members will be releasing their individual music at this time.
