It appears BTS’s years-long hiatus could be coming to an end.
The South Korean boy band formed in 2010 and rocketed to K-pop and ultimately global stardom with their hits including Dynamite, My Universe, and Boy With Luv.
But due to the country’s military service law – where all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 must serve for up to two years – members Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook were forced on hiatus in 2022 following their meteoric rise to fame.
In the UK, BTS – one of the best-selling bands of all time – have had two number one albums with Map of the Soul: Persona and Map of the Soul: 7 hitting the top spot in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
Given their global superstar status and contribution to South Korea’s global recognition, the group were allowed to defer their service until they turned 30.
Now, as Chicken Noodle Soup hitmaker J-Hope has completed his mandatory 18-month stint of military service, he’s given fans fresh hope of a reunion at long last.
J-Hope, who is the second of two members of the band to have finished his service after Jin, told Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe: ‘We will quickly get together and talk about what BTS can do in the future. I think it’s going to be a massive energy…
‘I look forward to June when our members will have completed their service.’
While members have repeatedly warned fans not to turn up to their military bases, many have defied the band’s wishes and flocked to catch a glimpse of the famous members.
However, K-pop-crazed fans won’t have to bother officials for much longer, as Suga, RM, V, Jungkook and Jimin are expected to all be discharged from service in June.
All seven members of the group have released solo projects during the band’s two-year hiatus and J-Hope thinks it has helped them all establish their own identities.
He said: ‘I think that over time, we each refined our unique identities as each of us work on their own music, come out with their solo projects and do their own thing.
‘The funny thing for me is when our identities, which have taken shape in various ways, come together as BTS.
‘I’m curious to see how [the reunion] will look like.’
The On the Street singer felt proud of his time in the military and learned a lot from it.
He said: ‘I think it’s only natural for young people in South Korea to take on this responsibility. I thought it was a very important part of J-Hope’s, or Jung Ho Seok’s, life.
‘It’s a different experience, also, in reality, I’ve learned a different life. And in many ways, I got to meet people from all walks of life and I received a lot of good energy. And I heard a lot of good things.
‘But also, you know, a year and a half is actually not a very short time. That bit made me feel a lot of things. In the end, I think the most important thing was I realised how important the work I’ve been doing for all these years is incredibly meaningful to me.’
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