For Chapter Two of BTS, we can look forward to solo projects as they spend time to take care and discover themselves.
Related: BTS Jams Out To Their New Songs With A Little Help From Anderson .Paak In Proof Live
On the evening of June 14, many ARMY excitedly tuned in to the BTS Festsa dinner expecting another fun and wholesome moment from the group. They just celebrated their ninth anniversary the day prior and spirits were high that the dinner was going to be a nice family meal with the boys. And truly dinner was served with a side of with a heavy side of emotions because right there, BTS revealed that they will be taking a break from their group activities. But this off-period is not a permanent goodbye, because they’ll still be here to talk to us from time to time. Instead, this is the Chapter Two BTS was talking about, one that may not be the easiest to accept at first, but will be filled with new opportunities and further growth for the members.
GOING ON HIATUS
The dinner already got off to an emotional start as it was held at BTS’ old house. All the members are now living separate from one another and the contract to their old house will soon be up, which is why they felt to have the dinner there one last time. Things first started off on a lighthearted tone as the members shared fun memories about the place along with some jokes along the way. Jin shared how Jungkook used scissors to cut the headboard of his mattress. They also opened up about how it’s like living separate from each other and how their homes reflect the owner’s personalities. V in particular brought up that they’ve since became closer as they’ve learned to understand and respect their privacy and space.
But the real meat of the dinner soon came when Suga broke the ice by saying that they should talk about how the group is taking a break from most of their group activities for the time being. RM said that No More Dream to On was their Chapter One and the anthology album came out now instead of their 10th anniversary because they couldn’t think of what else to say. One thing about BTS is that they will always be honest with you, especially when it comes to talking to ARMY. And during the Festsa diner, the group were open and honest about how they have been feeling as of late.
RM shared how making music has not been the same for him for a while now. “I feel lost. After releasing Butter and Permission To Dance, I started feeling that I don’t know what kind of a band we are anymore. What kind of music do we want to make? What do we want to say? I believe we should have taken this break long ago, but we kept putting it off. ”Suga furthers on the sentiment adding, “Writing lyrics is the hardest. What message do we want to give? Nothing comes out anymore.”
FINDING THEMSELVES
The members stressed that the decision was not easy to make, but that it needed to be done and was long overdue. Tellingly, they opened up that if the pandemic never came, they would have taken this much needed break after promotions for ON. Their creative burnout is what many artists, and people in general, go through. We all deserve that break, and more importantly, once we reach that roadblock in life, we need time to find ourselves. “I think now finally we’ve come to think about what kind of artists we each want to be remembered as to our fans. 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,” Jimin shared.
“This version of the universe is the best version I can possibly think of..I always want to be RM of BTS” pic.twitter.com/o6n9SnNkvO
— BTS Charts & Translations⁷ (@charts_k) June 14, 2022
RM notably connected this finding of the self with how the K-pop industry often works saying, ”The problem with K-pop and the whole idol system is that they don’t give you time to mature. You have to keep producing music and keep doing something…there’s no time left for growth and it’s not just about music and work.” It is very rare for an idol to criticize the industry he operates in, but RM spoke facts as the constant cycle of the K-pop industry wasn’t conducive for these men, who debuted as teenagers, to grow fully as individuals.
NOT DISBANDING
Make no mistake though, this hiatus is not a disbandment. “It’s not like we’re disbanding,”asserted Suga. While BTS may be slowing down on making group content to focus more on their solo work and projects, they will always be Bangtan at the end of the day. And true to their DNA, the fans have always been at the center of everything they do. “For me, it was a big deal that I didn’t know what we’re going to do as a group from now on. I don’t know what kind of direction our group has to take. Right now, we’ve lost our direction and I just want to take some time to think and then return but that just feels rude to our fans,” RM emotionally shared. BTS put ARMY at the top of their mind which is why it hurt some of them to make the decision.
?: we’re not disbanding! (laughs) we’re not going on hiatus! we’ll be filming run bts. and the members, each of us felt, and i think it’s the same for you, but we felt tired and felt like we were standing still in the same place. it’s just a time for us to recharge
— 남무행알⁷ (@odetonamu) June 15, 2022
Seeing RM cry and his voice break down with the other members shedding tears hurt us, because you could tell that it was a personal decision that included a lot of conflicted feelings and emotions. It hurt RM to do this because he was afraid of what ARMY might think. But he and all the members deserve the rest. They want to be able to express themselves sincerely and honestly without thinking about what the world has to say. The status of being a global icon was not all good on BTS as the pressures restricted them to certain things.
The way they all broke down when namjoon started crying my heart hurts so much
— XxX (@jjkluhv) June 14, 2022
pic.twitter.com/rLOpsT37l5
RM emotionally let out that he wants to be open and make mistakes without having to follow the standards of the world. Behind all the fame and success are real human beings who go through their own things and should be allowed to live their lives. As they shared in Yet to Come, all the accolades and recognitions are not what drives them. It’s the music and experience. And that experience needs some refreshing.
SOLO JOURNEYS ON THE HORIZON
They stressed that they decided to do the announcement via the dinner and not a formal release was so that they themselves can explain what their next steps are and dissuade any miscommunication. At the end of the day, this will be best for the group and best for everyone in the long run. “I think we should spend some time apart to learn how to be one again. I hope you don’t see this as a negative thing and see it as a healthy plan. BTS will become stronger that way,” said J-Hope.
So, what exactly are the boys planning? For starters, we already have two confirmed projects on the horizon. J-Hope is performing at Lollapalooza this July while V and the rest of the Wooga Squad will be starring in a four episode spin-off of In The Soop in July. Jungkook and Charlie Puth’s collab will most likely drop on June 24. They also promised that they will be working on their solo music and be dropping albums, not mixtapes.
RM Namjoon’s Weverse ? pic.twitter.com/qfXn5UYgUQ
— 찜블리 •᷄ɞ•᷅ (@jjimvely) June 15, 2022
This means we can expect seven albums from the guys soon. So far, it kicks of with J-Hope and his follow up to Hope World, followed by Suga (Agust D!), then Jungkook. Jimin, V, and Jin also have solo albums in the works with V even sharing that he’s been working on it for a while now and he’s going to say a lot on it. Suga is hoping to branch out into other avenues while some even suggested that Jin can finally begin his acting career. And group activities like their show RUN BTS will also continue as well as a other content here and there.
A NEW CHAPTER FOR BTS
Is this easy to take in? For some, not really, and if you’re feeling sad or some type of way, it’s okay to feel your feels. This is a major shift in BTS’ career and it’s alright to process it with whatever way you see fit. This announcement, especially as it came the day after their ninth anniversary, is both a happy and sad one. Happy because BTS was honest with us, they are taking time to take care of themselves, and are doing what they want. But it’s also sad, because the group was a comfort and safe space for many so seeing them take some time off as a group is a hard pill to swallow. But at the end of the day, BTS wants you to know that this is for the best.
continued.
— 「 claire ⁷ 」 (@btstranslation7) June 15, 2022
namjoon: i have complete confidence, no doubt, that our armys who know us… will absolutely have the heart to understand exactly what we say, as we say it. everything we said in the video was shared exactly as it was intended to be.
Their Chapter One is officially over and they’ve said what they needed to say. It makes sense for them to do this. It’s now time for the members to do their own thing and tell their story to the world. This is not the end of BTS’ story, but an intermission. Artists take a break all the time to be authentic to their story and BTS will be BTS again, stronger than before. The entire point of Yet to Come is that their best is still on the horizon. All true ARMY should trust and respect BTS because only they themselves knows what’s best for them. Be happy for the group. And more importantly, we will be waiting for them when they come back.
the new chapter of @BTS_twt will focus on their solo activities, they will release solo albums instead of mixtapes. Tbh, i’m so happy for them and no matter what happen i’ll always support their dreams. May each of the members achieve success in every endeavour of their lives.
— BTS Quotes Archive⁷ (@btsqtsarchive) June 14, 2022
In the meantime, we can look forward to a new and exciting Chapter Two of BTS as each member tells their individual story whether it be though music, acting, variety shows, or what have them. “I promise we will return some day, more mature than now. Till then, we ask for your blessing,” said Jungkook as his final message and clearly many ARMY have given their blessing. We can’t wait to see what this new era brings us. Apo! Bangpo!
Watch the full Festa dinner below.
Continue Reading: With Yet To Come, BTS Shares An Ode To Their Future And ARMY In The Most Sentimental Way Possible
