BTS
All members of BTS will return next month after completing their military service.
The music industry, as well as the global music market, is focused on the schedule for the resumption of activities of the K-pop phenomenon and star BTS, as well as the songs and messages that will be released during this second act.
In addition to JIN and J-HOPE, who already discharged last year, RM and V (June 10), JUNGKOOK and JIMIN (June 11), and SUGA (June 21) will be discharged.
During the military hiatus, the members prepared solo albums to ease fans’ disappointment.
Absent but not inactive – Will the comeback be a long time coming?
Among these, JIMIN’s “WHO” was released during his military service, but remained on Billboard’s Hot 100 for 33 weeks, recording the longest stay in K-pop. RM’s music video for “Lost!”, also released during his service, won numerous international awards, including at the Shark Music Video Awards and the CICLOPE Festival.
The last time BTS released an album as a group was in June 2022 with its anthology album “PROOF.” Their most recent concert was “Yet to Come in Busan” in October 2022.
Hybe’s agency has repeatedly announced that it will prepare content for this comeback, stating, “When all the members are back, we will begin our activities and perform.“
However, the prevailing opinion is that it’s not easy for BTS to connect with its fans through performances or concerts, alongside its discharge from the military. Indeed, it takes time for fans around the world to wait.
CEO Lee Jae Sang stated at a general meeting last March:
“The BTS members need time to prepare and work on their activities after returning from military service. The company also prepares by discussing with renowned composers, but the artists (BTS members) need to reflect and prepare.”
The CEO explained, “Generally, the process goes like this: work on a song, release an album, and then go on tour. But since BTS has already joined forces with world-renowned artists, discussions about its vision and future are ongoing. So, it’s also necessary to reflect on the direction it’s going to take and adapt to it.”
Therefore, given the members’ preparation and work period after their discharge, it is being considered to postpone the release of the new album to the end of the year at the earliest, or even to the first half of next year if there is a delay. The fact that the older JIN is performing solo, starting in Goyang next month and holding fan concerts in Japan, the US, the UK, and the Netherlands until August, reinforces this prospect.
Meanwhile, RM stated on the fan platform Weverse, “I have many stories to tell you, through music and in various languages,” and JIMIN expressed his enthusiasm for his return: “We will offer you the best possible stage for those who have been waiting.“
Even before their official comeback, they could reveal their reunion, as they did during JIN’s demobilization last June, or show other members attending a solo concert and reuniting.
More maturity, a new message – A boost for the K-pop economy:
With the exception of the youngest member, JUNGKOOK (28), fans around the world are also paying attention to the new message that thirty-year-old BTS will be spreading during their “Second Act.“
They resonated both in South Korea and abroad with the “LOVE YOURSELF” series, which echoed the message of self-love between 2017 and 2018.
Lee Ji Young, a research professor at the Semiosys Research Center at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, said:
“The members have trained and achieved musical achievements through their solo activities. If all seven members reunite, they will be able to share music and stories of unparalleled maturity.”
He added, “I believe they will touch the hearts of many people with more mature messages after their military service.”
Some hope their comeback will revitalize the K-pop market, which has entered a “period of stagnation” after rapid growth during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to analysis by music data journalist Kim Jin Woo, K-pop album sales fell 17.7% and music consumption fell 7.6% last year compared to the previous year.
“We expect BTS to resume activities because they are unrivaled in terms of performance and have achieved good results as solo artists,” said Choi Kwang Ho, secretary-general of the Korea Music Content Association. “The K-pop market struggled from the second half of last year to the first half of this year due to various circumstances, including the global economic recession. If BTS resumes its activities, it will be a driving force for the expansion of the K-pop industry.”
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: SNS BTS
