The BTS Armys’ day didn’t start off well, as the South Korean boy band revealed they would be taking a “hiatus”. The K-pop idols RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook revealed on Tuesday that they will be taking a break to pursue solo projects.

South China Morning Post

Just after their ninth anniversary, the members shared the news during their live-streamed annual Festa dinner, which also serves as a celebration of the BTS’ anniversary.

“We’re going into a hiatus now,” Suga said in the video, although he didn’t say that when they were planning to reunite. “It’s not that we’re disbanding, we’re just living apart for a while,” he reaffirmed the fans. 

Their entire discussion, which lasted over an hour, was recorded and uploaded to their official YouTube page.

An English translation shows one band member referring to the break as a “hiatus,” although a band official later refuted this.

“To be clear, they are not on hiatus but will take time to explore some solo projects at this time and remain active in various different formats,” stated Hybe, the entertainment organisation that manages BTS. 

Whatever the destiny of Korea’s most famous boy band, the news hasn’t pleased the Army. Fans would miss seeing them together, even if they are still supportive of their solo endeavours.

The septet previously went on hiatus, first in 2019 and then again in December 2021. But the past sabbatical was barely a couple of weeks long. Meanwhile, in a recent chart compiled by music industry authority the IFPI, BTS were voted the world’s best-selling acts of 2021.