K-Pop Shocker! BTS Announce SPLIT - UPDATE!

UPDATE 6/15/22 2:46 P.M. PST: Good news, BTS fans! The band is apparently NOT breaking up after all!

According to the K-Pop singers’ Korean reps, Tuesday’s “hiatus” news was all just a bit of mistranslation. While they will be working on solo projects, they will still “remain active” as a group in “different formats.” The statement insisted via TMZ:

“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.”

Hmm. Wonder what that means?! Jung Kook teased that the group will continue shooting their web series, Run BTS, and would collaborate on music together in the future — but not until after their solo careers. Soo… it does seem like a bit of a hiatus to us. Just saying!

Proving just how devastated fans were to learn that the Butter vocalists were splitting up, HYBE, the music company that represents BTS, reportedly lost a mind-boggling $1.7 BILLION in market value during stock trading early Wednesday morning — all because the band members supposedly wanted a break! Damn!! No wonder they were so quick to clarify!

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After nine long years together, K-Pop sensation BTS is DONE!

During their annual FESTA dinner video celebrating their success together, the South Korean boy band announced on Tuesday they are taking a “temporary hiatus.” Breaking into tears, members Jung Kook, 24, Jin, 29, RM, 27, V, 26, Suga, 29, J-Hope, 28, and Jimin, 26, revealed it was time for them to “grow” on their own. Group leader RM explained to fans:

“I always thought that BTS was different from other groups, but the problem with K-pop and the whole idol system is that they don’t give you time to mature.”

A classic reason for a split…

He added:

“You have to keep producing music and keep doing something.”

Jimin acknowledged that the band is going through a “rough patch” at the moment, but remained hopeful that they would join forces in the future:

“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 artists we each want to be remembered by 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.”

V agreed, saying:

“Later when we gather again as a group that synergy will be like no other.”

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J-Hope then chimed in, hoping fans wouldn’t see this announcement as a “negative thing,” musing:

“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. I think BTS will become stronger that way.”

SUGA even insisted that they’re “not” “disbanding.” But… it definitely seems like that! Plenty of boy bands have taken a break in the past – but they don’t always stay as close over the years. Some of us still have PTSD after One Direction‘s “hiatus,” originally meant to to last one year — has yet to see the group reunite.

For now, the K-Pop stars are ready to figure out their careers as solo acts, and some of them are well on their way. Jung Kook just released a solo track over the weekend and J-Hope was tapped as a headliner for Chicago’s Lollapalooza festival in July. It’ll be interesting to see how well they perform alone! Check out their bittersweet announcement (below):