BTS performing on the 2022 Grammy Awards.
Picture: Kevin Mazur/Getty Photos for The Recording Academy
All of it occurred so quick. Off the again of their anthology album’s launch in June 2022, BTS shared a prerecorded dinner with followers. Amid a delicious-looking show of shrimp and meat and facet dishes, the boys introduced that they had been taking a break from making music as a bunch to pursue solo tasks. Once we look again, the announcement wasn’t stunning — BTS spent the previous decade dwelling and making music collectively, so a break to seek out their very own private sounds and tales was maybe overdue. However within the speedy aftermath of the announcement, the information of BTS’s break elicited a sort of hysteria: Hybe’s shares tanked (this could be BTS’s administration firm), many observers speculated that the “hiatus” would appear like One Path’s (specifically, BTS would by no means return as a bunch), and followers started to plan for his or her lives with out fixed updates from the Tannies (some resolved to work on themselves).
After their October live performance to advertise Busan’s bid for the 2030 World Expo, the group introduced their intention to finish their obligatory navy service sequentially till a deliberate reunion in 2025, main many followers to self-identify as a navy spouse. (Korean males are required to start their 18-month service by the point they flip 28, although BTS was granted a two-year extension for his or her cultural achievements.) Jin, who turned the massive 3-0 in December 2022, was the primary member to enlist. The next December, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook formally enlisted, which means that your entire group had turn out to be energetic service members. Jin and J-Hope have now returned to civilian life, whereas the remainder of the group continues to be on responsibility.
The group’s hiatus is now in its remaining stretch, however that doesn’t imply that followers have been stored ready for 3 years. Their promise to proceed making music each as a bunch and as soloists wasn’t empty. BTS beforehand introduced that they might renew contracts with their label, Hybe’s Large Hit Music, agreeing to work with the corporate on their future releases from 2025 onwards. Large Hit Music handed a board decision to signal unique agreements with the members sequentially, a press launch acknowledged on September 20, 2023. These at present serving within the navy would start actions beneath the brand new contract after they return. “With the renewal of their contracts, we’re wanting ahead to supporting BTS’ group actions anticipated in 2025,” the corporate mentioned in a press release. “HYBE and BIGHIT MUSIC will present all help essential to proceed to develop and elevate BTS’ presence.” What has that appeared like? Beneath, a useful record of their current group and solo actions to this point, together with Jin’s upcoming album Echo, J-Hope’s solo tour and “Mona Lisa” music video, Jimin and Jungkook’s journey present, and V’s posthumous collab with Bing Crosby.
Jimin and Jungkook taped a journey present collectively in 2023, earlier than each boys enlisted for his or her obligatory navy service. They traveled to New York state, Jeju Island in South Korea, and Sapporo in Japan. The present, titled Are You Certain?!, premiered on Disney+ August 8, 2024. Episodes dropped on Thursdays till the finale in September, and BigHit dropped a trailer on X on July 2.
🤷”?!”🤷
2024. 08. 08.
Coming Quickly pic.twitter.com/V6hdZ77PLb
— BTS_official (@bts_bighit) July 2, 2024
Simply because he’s within the service, it doesn’t imply Jimin has stopped serving. On June 17, 2024, he introduced his second solo mission, Muse, which incorporates “Who” — which he later carried out by way of a pre-recording on The Tonight Present with Jimmy Fallon — and the Loco collaboration “Smeraldo Backyard Marching Band.” The seven-track album arrived on July 19, 2024, only a yr and 4 months after his debut album hit the ARMY streets onerous. In line with a press launch, Muse’s songs “doc his journey to seek out the supply of his inspiration” and showcase his “expanded musical spectrum.”
Prerelease single “Nearer Than This,” which dropped in December 2023 as a present to followers, was additionally included on the album. The lyrics are stuffed with references to BTS and ARMYs, and the music video contains outdated footage of the band from all through their profession. Finally, he asks followers to not fear, assuring them, “Child, I’ll come again to you.”
Beforehand, after months of mendacity in look forward to Jimin’s album announcement, the label confirmed that his solo debut album, Face, would arrive on March 24, 2023. BTS’s Instagram account gave us a style of what was in retailer on February 21. “Reflection of susceptible minds and unexposed wounds,” the textual content, titled “Circle of Resonance,” learn. “Waves originated from the deepest invisible internal world, go by means of the face on the floor and attain others to resonate whereas transmitting the internal voice.” A video dropped an hour later, confirming the album’s title and launch date. We fall right into a darkish, watery abyss within the 35-second-clip, solely to seek out ourselves abruptly above a nonetheless pink pool as water droplets fall onto the floor.
FACE
2023. 3. 24.
1PM (KST) | 12AM (ET)#지민 #Jimin #Jimin_FACE pic.twitter.com/knSAq951C7
— BIGHIT MUSIC (@BIGHIT_MUSIC) February 21, 2023
He had studio classes with rattling close to each producer beneath the solar to make the report. Jimin has met with frequent Ye collaborator Hudson Mohawke, TBHits and Mr. Franks (the engineers behind Ariana Grande’s largest hits), and Taylor Hill, to call a number of. He was additionally pictured recording with a full choir overseen by musician Duane Benjamin days earlier than “WAP” mastermind Ayo the Producer adopted Jimin on Instagram (are we getting “Church Woman (Jimin’s Model)”?
In an interview with Weverse Journal in June 2022, Jimin mentioned his solo album can be “uncooked” and “express.” “I simply suppose I can present one thing just a little extra uncooked about me. Which may embrace a extra mature facet, too, however what I’m actually desirous about is exhibiting one thing nearer to my actual, private rawness straight in a format like music or music movies,” he says. “I wish to be higher and cooler.”
Within the run-up to Jimin’s solo studio debut, the “Serendipity” singer received to reside out his wildest goals. He featured on Taeyang’s R&B observe “Vibe,” making good use of his honey falsetto on the sleek observe that dropped January 13. “Taeyang is an idol to me,” he informed W Korea in a canopy story, which arrived in January, the identical month Dior made him its model ambassador and despatched him to its Paris Vogue Week present. “You possibly can say that working with him is among the objectives that I’ve been eager for. Ever since I used to be younger, I’ve adopted his profession and realized so much from him … Working with him made me notice that I wish to be an artist who’s an incredible singer in addition to a performer.”
Everybody, he’s a Renaissance man. J-Hope dropped a music video for his newest murals, his new single “Mona Lisa,” on March 21. The track expresses his desire for women who’re “fairly within the face,” and comes only a couple weeks after he dropped “Candy Goals,” that includes Miguel, on March 7. That marked his his first correct launch since his discharge from the navy, although he did characteristic alongside Pharrell Williams on Don Toliver’s “LV Bag” earlier in Hobiuary (on February 21, to be precise).
J-to-the-희망 beforehand kicked off 2025 in Paris because the opening performer on the charity occasion Le Gala des Pièces Jaunes on January 23. Then, throughout his birthday month, he kicked off his Hope on the Stage world tour on February 28 in Seoul. The tour is in help of his six-track “particular album,” Hope on the Road Vol. 1, which dropped on March 29, 2024. The total tracklist is stacked with options, together with bandmate Jungkook, and labelmate Yunjin from Le Sserafim, plus Benny Blanco, Nile Rodgers, Gaeko, Yoon Mirae, and Jinbo the SuperFreak.
Songs from the discharge had been additionally featured within the accompanying Prime Video docuseries Hope on the Road, which tracks his journey as a dancer and sees him assembly road dancers from world wide. The primary of six episodes dropped on March 28, 2024 with weekly releases on Thursdays and Fridays.
It’s not his first documentary mission. On February 17, 2023, J-Hope launched J-Hope within the Field on Disney+, which chronicled the making of his first studio album and the promotions that went together with it. (In July 2022, he jumped out the field with a brand new album, Jack within the Field.) The documentary’s launch might need signaled the tip of the rapper’s first solo period, however that didn’t imply he was going off the grid. J-Hope made his Paris Vogue Week debut at three separate F/W 2023 reveals — Louis Vuitton, Dior (with Jimin), and Hermès — maybe kicking off some fashion-related globe-trotting.
Previous to the documentary’s debut, J-Hope capped off 2022 with a number of musical appearances. He carried out a medley of songs for Ryan Seacrest’s New 12 months’s Rockin’ Eve in Instances Sq.: “Equal Signal,” “Hen Noodle Soup,” and “Butter (Vacation Remix).” He additionally did his rounds at Korean awards reveals, performing an intricately staged, large-scale rendition of “Extra,” “Arson,” and “Future” on the MAMA Awards on November 30.
The rapper featured on Crush’s “Rush Hour,” a fab hip-hop observe dropped on September 24. Together with the track got here a ’90s-inspired music video with exuberant choreography (clearly, the dance aficionado expertly hit each step). The virtuoso made his solo stage debut at Lollapalooza Hobipalooza on July 31, 2022 an hour-long showcase of his expertise as a seasoned entertainer, performing tracks from Jack within the Field, his mixtape Hope World, and numerous BTS albums.
J-Hope then introduced his official enlistment for obligatory navy service, per his report label. Whereas he was within the technique of enrollment, music was nonetheless a precedence; his single “on the road” dropped on March 3, 2023, simply over a month earlier than he enlisted on April 18.
In case you didn’t catch Suga and his alter ego Agust D on tour, did you see them at a theater close to you? On March 5, 2024, Hybe introduced the worldwide launch of SUGA | Agust D Tour “D-Day” the Film on April 10 and 13, 2024. The live performance movie chronicled Suga’s previous yr of performances, together with three encore reveals in Seoul. His solo tour was beforehand introduced on February 14, 2023 as a Valentine’s Day present to me. He made historical past as the primary BTS member to embark on a tour alone, however extra importantly, as the primary member to hit the stage, in Hannah Montana style, as two individuals without delay. Did he have a wig to distinguish between Suga and Agust D? Sadly not!
SUGA | Agust D TOUR 공연 개최#SUGA #AgustD #슈가 #SUGA_AgustD_TOUR pic.twitter.com/wbbMd3Ezzl
— BIGHIT MUSIC (@BIGHIT_MUSIC) February 14, 2023
After his tour, Suga turned the third BTS member to enlist. BIGHIT introduced on August 7 that Suga has begun the method of enlisting, by terminating his postponement. He enlisted September 22, 2023, per Billboard.
Earlier than the tour announcement, the “Daechwita” rapper additionally made his Paris Vogue Week debut at Valentino’s couture present final month after being named a model ambassador. His different ambassadorship? An unofficial partnership with the NBA. The league invited him to Japan for a sport final yr, the place he received to kick it with the Golden State Warriors and look tiny.
In April 2023, we lastly received an replace on his musical output. Suga’s first solo report, D-Day, got here out April 21. It’s technically not Suga’s album, since D-Day is credited to Agust D.
Within the meantime, he hosted a chat present the place he supplies the meals and environment whereas the visitor supplies the alcohol. Suchwita airs on their YouTube channel, BangtanTV. Company to this point embrace Hoshi from the Ok-pop boy group Seventeen, Large Bang member Taeyang, bandmate RM, and extra.
Megjoon nation, rise. On September 1, 2024, Megan Thee Stallion introduced that RM would characteristic on her track “Neva Play.” “That is one among my favourite RM verses I’ve heard! I’ve by no means heard him rap on this fashion earlier than 😎,” she teased in a submit sharing the only’s paintings. Within the music video for the collab, which dropped September 6, an animated model of RM raps, “For Asia, man, we paved the way in which.” Judging by the response to his deep voice alone, perhaps a 3-D look would’ve been an excessive amount of.
RM was additionally the topic of a solo documentary titled RM: Proper Individuals, Improper Place, which had its world premiere through the “open cinema” a part of the twenty ninth Busan Worldwide Movie Competition in October 2024. It launched in theaters globally that December. The movie delves into the making of RM’s second studio album Proper Place, Improper Particular person, which was launched on Could 24, a number of months after he formally started his navy service. He kicked off the album cycle with a music video for the ultimate track on the album, “Come Again to Me.”
Together with the album, he dropped a “LOST!” music video that was very a lot giving Severance vibes. Possibly he’s additionally ready for season two.
Two years in the past, after months of teasing new music with unsubtle pics of album information and Logic Professional screenshots, RM launched his ten-track debut solo album, Indigo, on December 2, 2022. “Indigo recounts the tales and experiences RM has gone by means of, like a diary,” a press launch states. He kicked off his colourful new period with a music video for “Wild Flower,” which options youjeen (often known as Cherry filter vocalist Jo Yujin). NPR additionally booked him for a Tiny Desk live performance, which premiered the identical day the album dropped.
“I’ve labored onerous on it for 4 years,” RM mentioned of the album on November 10, 2022 per a fan translation. “It’s very totally different from my earlier works, and enjoyable persons are included in it.” The total tracklist options Erykah Badu, Anderson .Paak, Tablo, Paul Blanco, Mahalia, Kim Sawol, youjeen, Colde, and Park Jiyoon. Regardless of fan predictions, Pharrell was not one of many enjoyable individuals in query. Pharrell beforehand mentioned he wished to make a track for RM’s album within the duo’s Rolling Stone “Musicians on Musicians” interview (the producer already reduce a distinct observe with the group for his personal upcoming album, Phriends). Others had speculated that Jungkook and J-Hope would additionally make an look, alongside Korean R&B singer BIBI, however none of them confirmed.
One other RM solo launch arrived in September of that yr, when he featured on different Ok-pop group Balming Tiger’s hip-hop observe “Horny Nukim.” (“Nukim” means “feeling” in Korean … We propose you watch the numerous angles of RM’s first reside efficiency of the track, the place he embodies the observe’s ethos to a terrifying diploma.) He beforehand launched two solo mixtapes — mono in 2018 and RM in 2015. In the meantime, he’s slated to host the Korean selection present The Dictionary of Ineffective Human Data, the place the present’s skilled panelists focus on literature, physics, forensics, and astronomy. It aired weekly starting December 2, 2022.
Oh, and other than all that, he’s nonetheless doing artwork issues.
The artwork philanthropist–slash–influencer was named one among 35 innovators within the artwork scene by Artnet in 2022. “RM, the chief of world Ok-pop sensation BTS, has made no secret of his love for artwork,” reads his introduction. “He’s an avid collector, shopping for works by Korean artists […] He’s additionally a savvy artwork patron with an unlimited attain on social media, inspiring droves of BTS followers to hunt out exhibitions starting from the Museum of Tremendous Arts, Boston’s Philip Guston present to shows of conventional Korean white porcelain moon jars in Hong Kong and Korea.”
Jungkook hasn’t precisely been staying nonetheless. Along with that journey actuality present he did with Jimin, he made time to shoot the documentary movie I Am Nonetheless, which chronicled his journey as a solo artist and premiered in theaters on September 18, 2024. An prolonged “celebration” model of the doc with a sing-along element additionally debuted in choose theaters on October 11 of that yr.
Beforehand, in honor of BTS’s Eleventh-anniversary celebration, Jungkook launched “By no means Let Go,” the house-inspired ode to followers, on June 7, 2024. “And when the times gеt longer / You fill my world with surprise,” he sings within the pre-chorus over vibrant synth beats, asking ARMY to stay by his facet. “All people wants anyone / You been that anyone / So stick with me and hold holding on.”
Jungkook introduced Golden, his first studio album, on October 3, 2023, making him the fourth member to launch a full mission in that yr alone. Golden takes its title from his nickname, golden maknae, or “golden youngest” in English. It options 11 tracks, together with prerelease singles “SEVEN” and “3D,” and dropped on November 3, 2023.
The youngest was the primary to launch a observe within the post-BTS-break world, and the primary member and first Korean to carry out on the World Cup’s opening ceremony on November 20, 2022 debuting a brand new single, “Dreamers.” “Proud to announce that Jungkook is a part of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Soundtrack & will carry out on the World Cup opening ceremony. Keep tuned!” BTS mentioned on Twitter. Whereas followers expressed their delight for the 25-year-old pop star, some on-line discovered the choice to take part within the occasion controversial as a result of Qatar’s human-rights report, which incorporates criminalizing homosexuality. Days after Jungkook was added to the slate, Dua Lipa mentioned she refused to carry out on the occasion and appears “ahead to visiting Qatar when it has fulfilled all of the human rights pledges.”
Earlier that summer season, Jungkook featured on Charlie Puth’s summer season earworm “Left and Proper,” singing about how he can’t get a imprecise lover out of his head as a result of they “did issues to me that I simply can’t overlook.” The track is cute and really enjoyable to drive to. The music video is the second to depict Jungkook each getting hit by a automotive and maybe having a homosexual lover.
[공지] 정국 솔로 앨범 ‘GOLDEN’ 발매 안내 (+ENG/JPN/CHN)https://t.co/k27ACINjVO#정국 #JungKook #JungKook_GOLDEN pic.twitter.com/GRZLFT0myH
— BTS_official (@bts_bighit) October 3, 2023
He’s ba-ack! As the primary to enlist, Jin was naturally the primary to be discharged from navy service. He celebrated his June 2024 return by hugging 1,000 followers in Seoul. Mr. Worldwide Good-looking then went on to signify South Korea as a torchbearer for the Summer season Olympics in Paris.
When it comes to music, Jin is ready to drop his second solo album, Echo, forward of BTS’s return as a bunch. Per a musical-note themed promo schedule, the album will drop on Could 16. “Constructed on dynamic band sounds, the album showcases his versatile vocals throughout a spectrum of moods and types,” a press release asserting the mission mentioned. “It displays a deeper layer of vocal maturity and private storytelling that underscores Jin’s evolving artistry.”
He beforehand launched the wistful observe “Near You” for When the Stars Gossip’s unique soundtrack on January 26, 2025. (The Ok-drama follows a love story that takes place in house, so in fact the present recruited an “Astronaut” to sing.) Earlier than that, he dropped his first mini album, Glad, on November 15, 2024. The six-track mission included the pre-release observe “I’ll Be There” and the only “Working Wild”; he promoted the latter with a efficiency on The Tonight Present with Jimmy Fallon. And naturally we are able to’t focus on his 2024 musical endeavors with out mentioning the prolonged model of 2021’s “Tremendous Tuna.” The brand new tackle the track arrived in October, together with a music video during which Jin [checks notes] proposes to a fish.
Jin’s first solo single, “The Astronaut,” dropped on October 28, 2022 and earned him his first solo Sizzling 100 hit, debuting at No. 51, together with a prime spot on Billboard’s Digital Music Gross sales chart. Recent off the discharge, the eldest began working the variety-show circuit. He made appearances on Working Man, Halmyungsoo, and rapper Younger-ji’s speak present Nothing A lot Ready (the latter will get chaotic and actual about the price of fame … plus, the host passes out drunk within the lavatory, so Jin has to shut the present alone). He additionally turned the spokesperson for the ramen model Jin Ramen in November 2022. You’d suppose he would have already earned that gig, however, yeah, his dream collab solely simply got here true.
Jin additionally hosted a brand new selection present with well-known Korean chef Baek Jong-won. The sequence is centered on two issues: making alcohol and consuming meals, with particular friends and random actions sprinkled in to maintain it spicy. Jin’s Conventional Alcohol Journey premiered November 12, 2022 on BTS’s YouTube channel.
Earlier than leaving for the navy on December 13, 2022 to finish his obligatory service, Jin received the ball rolling on plans to distribute the alcohol he realized the best way to make within the selection present with the well-known chef. “Jin is making ready a brewery beneath his identify,” Baek mentioned in an interview with OSEN. “He’s been filling oak casts with alcohol, which needs to be able to drink by the point he’s discharged from the navy. I wish to add oak scents and flavors to soju, just like whisky. There’s no official identify of this drink we’re creating simply but.”
The cool shade stunner dropped maybe his most sudden collab but in December 6, 2024: BigHit introduced in November that V was releasing a brand new tackle “White Christmas” with Bing Crosby, in partnership with the late singer’s property. The animated music video for the vacation observe doubled as a tribute to V’s beloved canine Yeontan. V introduced the information of Yeontan’s demise on December 2, simply days previous to the discharge.
On June 25, BigHit introduced that he would launch the 224-page Sort 1 photobook on July 9, noting that it will showcase V in “moments of full relaxation, revealing his snug and pure self as he takes a break from his busy schedule to take pleasure in a while alone.” Earlier that yr, mentioned busy schedule additionally included the discharge of the brand new digital single “Fri(finish)s” on March 15, 2024. It’s described as a pop soul R&B observe with all-English lyrics, and V dropped a brief movie forward of the music video launch.
In his first music video look of 2024, V starred in IU’s newest music video, “Love Wins All,” to tug at our heartstrings. They play a pair who’s surviving in a post-apocalyptic world collectively whereas nonetheless making an attempt to create completely happy reminiscences of their creativeness.
V beforehand collaborated with UMI on “wherever u r,” dropped as a present to us on his twenty eighth birthday on December 30, 2023. That yr, he additionally launched a vibey solo album simply in time for the autumn. Layover dropped on September 8, 2023. A music video accompanied every track on the six-track album, beginning with lead single “Love Me Once more.”
V additionally had a starring function in a brand new selection sequence. Jinny’s Kitchen takes Taehyung and his well-known pals, Park Website positioning-joon (Itaewon Class), Choi Woo-shik (Parasite), and Jung Yu-mi (Kim Ji-young: Born 1982), to Mexico, the place they open up a Korean eatery run by widespread actor Lee Website positioning-jin. Everybody besides the BTS member has participated in present’s earlier iterations — Minari’s Youn Yuh-Jung used to run retailers in Spain and Bali for Youn’s Kitchen and a conventional resort for Youn’s Keep — so naturally, the inexperienced pop star is the intern-slash-dishwasher for Lee’s institution. It hit Amazon Prime Video weekly beginning February 24, 2023.
Earlier than Jinny’s Kitchen, V landed on the duvet of Vogue Korea in September 2022, teasing music that may present a brand new facet of the artist. “I wish to current a sort of music that I’ve by no means tried earlier than, one thing that units aside from the fashion BTS’s V has proven,” he informed the journal. “Having the ability to pursue one’s personal music fashion lights the eagerness and enthusiasm in us. That’s what retains us in love with what we do.” Although nothing has been confirmed, shops report his debut solo album will arrive someday subsequent yr (Tae’s been teasing his solo stuff for some time, however has admittedly deleted every thing that doesn’t make the reduce).
Over the summer season, he featured in Disney +’s Within the Soop: Friendcation, a range present that follows a four-day friendcation to a seaside city with Choi Woo-shik, Park Website positioning-joon, Park Hyung-sik (Sturdy Lady Do Bong Quickly), and musician Peakboy. The present premiered on July 22, 2022.
The rumor mill additionally teases a return to performing — he had a component within the Ok-drama Hwarang: The Warrior Poet in 2016 — although there’s actually been no confirmations in that division. Individuals actually wished to see him in Squid Sport 2.
BTS is again! Via archival footage and interviews, anyway. The group launched an eight-part documentary on Disney + monitoring their ten yr journey on December 20, 2023. In line with Disney, BTS Monument: Past the Star contains “an unlimited library of music and photographs over the previous 9 years,” in addition to “the each day lives, ideas, and plans of BTS members, as they put together for his or her second chapter.” Within the months prior, the seven-piece added creator to their résumé by releasing a ebook titled Past The Story: 10-12 months Document of BTS on July 9. Written by the band and journalist Myeongseok Kang, it’s an oral historical past of the making of the group over the ten years they’ve been collectively. Nonetheless, in the event you’re not a reader, as a part of a deal between Hybe and Disney, BTS launched a 4K live performance movie, BTS: Permission to Dance on Stage — LA, tied to their November 2021 present in Los Angeles.
Regardless of asserting a hiatus, BTS continues to launch music as a bunch. Most just lately, they commemorated their tenth anniversary in June 2023 by gifting followers with the only “Take Two.” The month prior, the band additionally created the theme track for the Korean animated movie Bastions titled “The Planet,” marking their first official track since 2022.
In August 2022, the band’s vocal line (Jungkook, V, Jimin, and Jin) launched a observe with Snoop Dogg and Benny Blanco, “Dangerous Selections.”
This can be a growing story.
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