Record label BTS says group’s plan to work on solo projects isn’t a break

Global superstars BTS have said they’re taking time to focus on solo projects, but the company behind the groundbreaking K-pop group says it’s not taking a break.

The seven-member band with hits like Butter and dynamite spoke about their future in a video released Tuesday celebrating the ninth anniversary of their first release. They just released a three-disc anthology album, EvidenceLast week.

Band member Suga asked the band if they should explain why they were taking a break as they sat down for a group dinner. They discussed having to deal with COVID-19 interrupting their touring plans and musical releases, as well as what each felt about their individual artistic goals.

The group was speaking in Korean, and the word « hiatus » was used on the English subtitles included in the video.

But a statement from Hybe, the South Korean entertainment company behind BTS, said they would still work on projects as a group, as well as individually. « BTS is not taking a break. The members will be focusing more on solo projects at this time, » the statement read.

No details about future BTS collaborations or solo projects were announced on Tuesday. BTS has a global fan base that follows the group and its members online and in recent years the group’s profile has grown overseas. The group recently addressed the United Nations General Assembly and visited the White House to discuss with US President Joe Biden ways to reduce violence against Asian Americans.

The group members — J-Hope, RM, Suga, Jungkook, V, Jin, and Jimin — talked about the struggle to grow as individual artists in the K-pop genre.

“The problem with K-pop and the whole idol system is that [it doesn’t] give it time to mature,” RM said. Some members of the group appeared to be crying during the conversation.

Band member V recalled a conversation he had with J-Hope in which they discussed how working on solo projects would enhance their « synergy » as a band. Suga described an interest in trying new genres.

“We are each going to take some time to have fun and experience a lot,” Jung Kook told his fans. « We promise that we will one day come back even more mature than we are now. »