BTS taking a break to 'figure things out'

SEOUL • K-pop megastars BTS told fans they were taking a break from the supergroup to focus on their solo careers, citing exhaustion and the pressures of stratospheric success in an emotional video appearance.

But the Grammy-nominated septet's label Hybe pushed back yesterday as its share price went into free fall, saying the pop juggernaut would still be working together.

The seven members of BTS, credited with generating billions of dollars for the South Korean economy, dropped the bombshell on Tuesday, telling fans they were "exhausted" and needed time apart.

"We're going into an off phase now," said Suga, 29, speaking Korean to his bandmates at a dinner, a video of which was posted to the group's official YouTube channel.

The clip, which included English subtitles, had used the word "hiatus", but Hybe disputed that, saying group activities would not be suspended.

"They will be doing team and individual projects simultaneously," said a representative for the label, whose share price was down 27 per cent early yesterday.

In the video, group leader and rapper RM, 27, said they were "exhausted" and that they "didn't know what kind of group we were anymore".

"The problem with K-pop and the whole idol system is that they don't give you time to mature," he said, referring to South Korea's notoriously hard-driving music business model.

"Somehow, it's become my job to be a rapping machine," he said, adding that this made him feel "trapped". "I wanted to shed that for a little bit, but the world wouldn't let me be."

Jimin, 26, said the members are "slowly trying to figure things out now".

"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."

By the end of the dinner, several members of the group behind songs such as Dynamite (2020) and Butter (2021) had grown tearful as they voiced gratitude for their supporters, a fandom known online as the "Army".

"It's not that we're disbanding. We're just living apart for a while," said Suga.

Army's online reaction was tearful but supportive, with tens of thousands of comments quickly posted under the YouTube video.

"I can't imagine how much pressure they felt these years. Being called the biggest band in the world, having all that responsibility must be overwhelming," one fan wrote.

"I really love how honest they are here," wrote another. "They are also people like us. They get exhausted and worn out. They deserve to rest and enjoy what they love to do."

BTS have said they were going on short breaks before, first in 2019 and later in December last year.

The news comes just days after the group released Proof, an anthology album that included a new single, Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment).

BTS' label enjoyed a surge in profits despite holding fewer concerts during the pandemic.

But its messaging around the band's next steps was "confusing" and "not clear", said Mr Lee Moon-won, a K-pop culture commentator. "It appears what they meant is BTS will continue their 'supplementary' group activities (such as on YouTube) while pursuing solo careers," he said, while not releasing music as a band.

"It would have been more appropriate had the label first issued a statement clearly detailing what it would mean," Mr Lee said, adding that it was a bad decision to have the band announce the development, which was sure to send fans into a tailspin.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE