BTS announce hiatus as band members pursue solo projects

Decision was announced in a pre-recorded special

BTS have announced they are going on hiatus.

The seven members of the globally successful Korean pop group will be focusing on solo projects for the near future.

The decision was announced in a pre-recorded special that was released as part of FESTA, an annual celebration held around the anniversary of the boy band’s debut.

Suga was filmed telling fans: “We’re going into a hiatus now. Should we talk about why we’re not doing the FESTA or making content?”

RM, meanwhile, said that the group had “definitely changed” in recent years, and that the band members “didn’t know what kind of group we were anymore.”

“Whenever I write lyrics and songs, it’s really important what kind of story and message I want to give out, but it was like that was gone now. I don’t know what kind of story I should tell now,” he said.

However, the band have insisted that they are not breaking up permanently, and plan to get back together in the future.

BTS (Getty)

“We’re each going to take some time to have fun and experience lots of things,” said Jungkook. “We promise we will return someday even more mature than we are now.”

Fans have taken poorly to the news, with many expressing their heartbreak on Twitter.

“No plzzzz......... There is no life without BTS plz don’t go solo u all are in a group is a strength to all world and ur army love u guys,” one fan pleaded.

Someone wrote: “My daughter has been crying for three hours straight after hearing this.”

“That’s sad, I’m speechless and can’t say how I feel about this but I l know what I will say isn’t positive,” another added.

Although some empathised, with one writing: “Their break is a well-deserved one. They have been working as a group for 10 years to some even more.”

Another echoed: “We will be waiting and God bless them in their individual journey.”

Just a couple of weeks ago, BTS were invited to the White House Press Briefing to celebrate the final day of AANHPI Heritage Month.

There they joined US Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre to deliver brief remarks and speak out against anti-Asian hate.