BTS members take to social media to dismiss hiatus rumors

BTS [TWITTER]

BTS members took to social media to dismiss rumors that the band is going on a break.

Fans have been in a frenzy after the boy band posted a 60-minute video on its YouTube channel on Tuesday in which the seven members — J-Hope, RM, Jin, Suga, Jimin, V and Jungkook — discussed the past nine years together and announced that they will be pursuing solo ventures while putting a pause on group activities.

“As a team and as a solo artist, we will do our best,” said RM through fan community platform Weverse on Thursday.

“Since the band’s debut, I received the most calls and messages [due to the video],” he said. “There were many fragmentary, provocative keywords like ‘disbandment’ and ‘hiatus.’

“It’s not like we didn’t completely anticipate or were oblivious that this would happen, but nevertheless, I do feel bitter,” he continued. “This video is dedicated to all ARMYs who has been with us for nine years. It was our confession to all of the fans who’ve been together with us no matter what happened.”

RM went on to say that the band has always been forward with discussing its long-term future, and that, despite their differences, he believed it was “a trial-and-error process to which we mature into adults, having started working so early from our teens and early 20s.”

RM also expressed fears that his post would lead to another controversy, but wrapped up by expressing his gratitude for the fans.

Jungkook also flatly denied the rumors through Naver’s V Live on Wednesday night.

“Everybody is saying that we are taking a hiatus or disbanding, but let me just straighten something out,” he said. “We still have a lot to do as a group.

“The fact that we are pursuing our solo activities does not ever mean that we won’t be active as BTS,” he said. “We have no thoughts on disbandment and we still have a lot of schedules left [as a group]. [Schedules will] continue to come up in the future as well, BTS is forever.”

Jungkook communicated with the fans via livestream for a little over an hour and sung songs for them such as “My You.”

The band’s web variety show “Run BTS” will continue to be uploaded on its YouTube channel, although not on a regular basis. J-Hope will be the group’s first member to release solo music, HYBE had announced Wednesday.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]