BTS Announces Hiatus To Focus On RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, And Jungkook’s Solo Projects, Days After The Release Of ‘Proof’

It was only four days ago that GRAMMY-nominated pop juggernauts BTS released Proof, a three-part anthology of key tracks, new songs, and previously unreleased rarities. But June 14 brought a shocker: The band would be embarking on an indefinite hiatus.

The news came during an hour-long FESTA dinner, during which members RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook broke bread together — laughing, teasing, and recalling their ascent to fame. It began with a simple prompt from Suga: "We have to talk about the direction we're taking."

"The group has definitely changed," RM said. "We have to accept that we've changed." He connected this observation to the slew of singles the group recorded during the pandemic: "After 'Butter' and 'Permission to Dance,' I didn't know what kind of group we were anymore."

And regarding the pressure cooker of the K-pop business, "They don't give you time to mature," RM added. "You have to keep producing music and keep doing something." But naturally, the conversation drifted to the engine that keeps BTS going: the ARMY.

"I think now we're starting to think about what kind of artists we each want to be remembered by our fans," JM said. "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."

The group was quick to note this isn't the end of BTS. As J-Hope stated, "I think that change is what we need right now. It's important for BTS to start our second chapter."

As a spokesperson for the group stated, despite the hiatus, "BTS will continue to be active in various different formats, including working on solo projects."

This isn't the first time BTS have taken a break; back in 2019, the group took a month-long break from the spotlight. In a statement from their management company, Big Hit Music (then Big Hit Entertainment), that break was an "opportunity for the members of BTS, who have relentlessly driven themselves towards their goal since their debut, to recharge and prepare to present themselves anew as musicians and creators."

Plus, in 2021, BTS took an "extended period of rest." As per Big Hit, this was so the group could become "re-inspired and recharge with creative energy."

Keep checking GRAMMY.com as more information arises about the BTS members' solo projects and collective future.

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