BTS members says they are making time for solo projects

From left, Jungkook, V, Jimin, Jin, RM, J-Hope and Suga of BTS perform during the 64th Annual Grammy Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, in this file April 3 photo. AFP-Yonhap

Global superstars BTS said it is taking time to focus on solo projects, but the company behind the groundbreaking K-pop group said the members are not going on a hiatus.

The seven-member group with hits such as ''Butter'' and ''Dynamite'' talked about their future in a video posted Tuesday celebrating the ninth anniversary of their debut release. BTS just released a three-disc anthology album, ''Proof,'' last week.

Band member Suga asked the group if they should talk about why they were going on a hiatus as they sat down for a group dinner. They discussed having to deal with COVID-19 interrupting their touring plans and music releases, as well as what each one thought about their individual artistic goals.

The group spoke in Korean, but the word ''hiatus'' was used in English subtitles included on the video.

Boy band BTS poses in the press room with their awards during the 2019 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, in this May 1, 2019, file photo. AFP-Yonhap

But a statement from Hybe, the South Korean entertainment company behind BTS, said the group will still be working on projects as a group, as well as individually. ''BTS are not taking a hiatus. Members will be focusing more on solo projects at this time,'' the statement said.

No details about future BTS collaborations or the solo projects were announced. BTS has a global fanbase that follows the group and members online and in recent years the group's profile has risen overseas. The group recently addressed the UN General Assembly and went to the White House to discuss with President Joe Biden ways to curb violence against Asian Americans.

The band members ― J-Hope, RM, Suga, Jungkook, V, Jin and Jimin ― opened up about their struggle to develop as individual artists within the K-pop genre.

''The problem with K-pop and the whole idol system is that don't give you time to mature,'' said RM. Some of the group members appeared to be crying during the conversation.

Band member V recalled a conversation he had with J-Hope in which they discussed how working on solo projects would improve their ''synergy'' as a band. Suga described an interest in trying out new genres.

''We're each going to take some time to have fun and experience a lot of things,'' said Jung Kook to their fans. ''We promise we will return someday even more mature than we are now.'' (AP)

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