It was a shocking day on Tuesday, June 14th, when BTS tearfully announced they would be taking an open-ended hiatus to focus on solo projects. The group's label soon followed up with a statement explaining that while they were going to shift gears to solo music, BTS was taking a "break" and not a hiatus. Regardless of the wording, it's become clear that the K-pop sensations won't be releasing music as a group anytime soon. Especially after J-Hope has announced he officially has a solo album on the way.
In a statement from the group's reps about their "new chapter" the statement said that J-Hope will mark "the beginning of his upcoming solo album," per Billboard. They also acknowledged that the group "will allow themselves to express their individuality through the release of solo albums and collaborations with other artists.”
Earlier this month, it was announced that J-Hope will headline Chicago's Lollapalooza, making him the first South Korean artist ever to headline a major U.S. music festival. Hopefully, the singer will take the opportunity to perform songs off the highly-anticipated solo album.
J-Hope gave fans insight into BTS's decision to take a break during their hour-long FESTA dinner, which marked their 9th anniversary as a group. "I think that change is what we need right now,” he said in Korean. “It’s important for BTS to start our second chapter.”
The announcement caught the ARMY off guard especially since the group had just released their three-disc anthology album Proof and a new single "Yet to Come" several days before. However, this isn't the first time BTS has taken a much-deserved break. According to Billboard, the group took an "extended period of rest" to get "re-inspired and recharge with creative energy" back in 2021.