Top News : BTS' Jungkook assures ARMY group isn't disbanding to focus on solo careers: 'BTS is forever'

• Jungkook has assured BTS ARMY that the band is forever and still has a lot to do. Reports of a hiatus had emerged after he and other BTS members spoke about focusing more on their solo careers.

After RM, BTS member Jungkook also reacted to reports that the band is going on a hiatus. It comes after the members spoke about focusing more on their individual careers at the live-streamed Festa dinner on Tuesday. It appears that the English subtitles had wrongly hinted at a hiatus, while the band meant they will balance both group and individual projects.

Jungkook took to VLive on Wednesday to clarify these reports and assure BTS ARMY that they have he and the other members - RM, Jin, Jimin, J-Hope, V, and Suga - have no plans of breaking up the band anytime soon.

While the English subtitles for the VLive video haven’t popped up yet, a representative told Billboard that Jungkook said in the livestream that the band isn't going to stop working together as a team and is not disbanding. He added in the livestream that they will continue to do projects as a group, one of which is the filming of their web series Run BTS.

As per a fan's translation of the VLive, Jungkook said, "Since there was all a mess saying we are disbanding and what not. We are not disbanding guys, there are still a lot of things we need to do as a group. BTS is forever."

Jungkook's clarification came soon after RM wrote a long letter addressing the reports of hiatus and disbanding. He said, "When I took a look at the screenshots and article titles (people sent to me), there were quite a lot of provocative and partially interpreted keywords in them such as disband, hiatus, big announcement, etc. It's not like we didn't know this will take place nor that we didn't prepare for this but indeed it feels bitter.”

Big Hit Entertainment which manages the group also clarified soon after reports emerged that the band is only shifting focus on their solo careers and not taking a hiatus. BTS recently marked the 9th anniversary of its debut.

The group’s fans say a break was long due for the members of the boy band. They have long faced a burnout and identity crisis and feel the need to focus on solo projects. Some speculate that South Korea’s military service requirement may be a factor behind the group’s sudden decision.

While speaking about their future plans, BTS announced that they would be taking some time off as a group and focusing on their solo projects. They, however, did assure fans that the band won't be disbanding.

Call it sabbatical or disbanding, K-pop group BTS has sent shockwaves among millions of its fans across the world. In India too, there was so much heartburn, especially because the band is scheduled to visit India later next year.

The seven members of the group made the “shocking” announcement through a YouTube video – The BTS Dinner Party. Seated at a long wooden table, with a wall decorated with purple balloons in the background, they started discussing their future plans. It was then that BTS member Suga, 29, dramatically announced: “We’re going off now”.

However, Hybe, the entertainment company behind the group, cleared the air later. The company revealed that the group isn’t going on a “hiatus”, but is in fact on a “temporary break”.

BTS’s long way to success

Started in 2013, the group, consisting of members Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, has since grown to fame. The band became the first K-pop group to be nominated for a Grammy Award. They also bagged the Artist of the Year award at last year’s American Music Awards. The group members were even invited to speak at the United Nations.

The group co-writes and co-produces much of their work. Their song lyrics often contain social messages on themes like mental health, loving oneself and individualism.

The group has sold over 32 million albums which makes it the best-selling artist in South Korean history.

RM, the group leader said: “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. It feels so wrong to even say that we’re exhausted.”

Another member, Suga said: “It’s not that we’re disbanding – we’re just living apart for a while.”

“We promise we will return someday even more mature than we are now,” said Jungkook, another member of the group.

South Korea’s National Assembly is still discussing revising the law to provide exemptions from military service to people who make huge contributions to South Korea’s international image. No revision is currently in place and Jin, the oldest member of the group, is almost due to begin the service.

The group’s members in the recently released YouTube video talked about their struggles and exhaustion.