Members of South Korean band BTS have denied they are going to separate, two days after announcing in a video that its members are going to focus on individual projects and park their activities as a group.
RM, leader of the band, wrote a message on the Weverse social network on Thursday in which he said the media have used “sensationalist” terms such as “dissolution” or “cessation of activity'” and that he feels “very resentful”.
The 27-year-old rapper, whose real name is Kim Nam-joon, said in a video how difficult it was for the band to bring out the seven artists’ sense of weariness after nine years together.
Kim spoke of how difficult it is to explain his situation in “so few words” and signed off by saying, “We will try to do our best, either as a team or as soloists.”
Jungkook, the youngest of the band, was clearer, posting a video on Wednesday on the V platform.
“We said that we are going to dedicate ourselves to individual activities but we never said that we would stop working as BTS,” he said in the video, adding that “They have no intention of leaving and still have many group projects ahead of them. BTS will be forever”.
The confusion of the message published in Tuesday’s video forced the company that created and still represents the musical group, Hybe, to publish a brief statement in which it said “BTS are not taking a break. Its members will be focusing more on your personal projects.”
The statement has not served to clarify what this announcement means for BTS and South Korean media say that Hybe was forced Wednesday to send emails to its employees explaining the group is not going to disband.
Many believe that the seven members of BTS can take advantage of this future period more focused on their personal projects to fulfil military service, which lasts between 18 and 21 months and is mandatory for all able-bodied South Korean men.
Jin, the oldest member of the group, has a deadline to join the ranks at the latest in December, the month in which he turns 30.
