Fans Crumble As Confusion Ensues Over Korean Boyband 'BTS' Saying They're Taking A Break

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Just days after releasing their three-disc career retrospective compilation album, Proof (2022), international phenomenon and Korean boyband BTS sat down for their Festa Dinner, an annual celebration on the founding of their group that is presented by livestream on Youtube.

They then announced their plan for an indefinite "hiatus" for the time being. Or did they?

2022 marks the ninth year that BTS — whose members include RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook — has been actively performing as a group venture. 

One of the members, RM, noted that while their accomplishments are next to none globally, they still need to develop and mature as artists beyond the confines of the boyband. 

"I think we should spend some time apart to learn how to be one again," added J-Hope to the statement. "I hope you don't see this as a negative thing and see it as a healthy plan. I think BTS will become stronger that way".

Plans have already been in place for solo releases for two of the members, J-Hope and Suga, who have both already released solo mixtapes previously. Jungkook also revealed the release of a solo album in the future.

Without revealing a timeline, confirmation from J-Hope of a new project details his upcoming performance as the first South Korean artist to take the main stage of a major US music festival, Lollapalooza.

During the course of the video, Jimin stated in depth that their decision was a difficult, and extremely arduous one to make. Expressing heartbreak over the potentially disappointed fans — whom they affectionately refer to as the 'ARMY' — Jimin stated,

"We can't help but think of our fans no matter what, we want to be the kind of artists that are remembered by our fans. I think now we're starting to think about what kind of artist we each want to be remembered by our fans. I think we're going through a rough patch right now, and we're trying to find our identity and that's an exhausting and long process."

Multiple members broke down in tears throughout discussing the news.

However, confusion soon erupted over whether BTS is actually taking a hiatus, as the band's label — HYBE — released a statement stating that the band is actually not going on a hiatus, 

"BTS are not taking a hiatus. Members will be focusing more on solo projects at this time."

According to the subtitles provided on YouTube, when band member Suga casually stated "We're going on a hiatus now," the English verbiage for the word 'hiatus', can also be translated as 'off season' or 'off period' instead, signifying that the members are in fact, already in this phase. 

That, coupled with the emotional presentation by the members when announcing the news, threw the entire ARMY into disarray over whether they should be saying goodbye to BTS momentarily, or not.

Here's the full video of BTS Festa 2022: