By Jude Sagun
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Ikinalungkot ng ARMY Nation ang pahayag ng supergroup na BTS na magi-hiatus muna sila para sa kanilang “personal growth,” sa mismong ika-9 na anibersaryo nito bilang boyband.
Martes, sa “Festa Dinner with BTS,” inamin ng isa pinakasikat na K-Pop male group na nagbago ang kanilang grupo matapos ang pandemya, at anya’y nawalan na ito ng direksyon.
“For me, it was like the group BTS was within my grasp until ‘On’ and ‘Dynamite,’ but after ‘Butter’ and ‘Permission to Dance,’ I didn’t know what kind of group we were anymore.”
Ayon sa kanya, importante ang mensahe sa mga ginagawa niyang kanta, pero parang nawawala na anya ito “I don’t know what kind of story I should tell now,” saad nito.
“For me, it was a big deal that I didn’t know what we’re going to do as a group from now on. I don’t know what kind of direction our group has to take.”
“Right now, we’ve lost our direction, and I just want to take some time to think and then return, but that just feels rude to our fans.”
Nabanggit rin ni RM na sa tingin niya ay naiiba ang BTS kumpara sa iba pang mga boyband, pero hindi anya nakapagbibigay ng panahon sa kanila ang K-pop para sila ay mag-mature.
“You have to keep producing music and keep doing something.”
“So I need to think and have some alone time, and then those thoughts can mature into something uniquely mine… I can’t physically mature anymore.”
Nangako ang lider ng banda na magi-ensayo parin kasama ang grupo para paghandaan ang kanilang pagbabalik.
“But right now, we’ve lost our direction, and I just want to take some time to think,” Ani RM.
Saad naman ni Jimin, nais nilang maalala ng ARMYs kung anong klaseng ‘artists’ ang bawat isa sa kanila.
“I think now we’re starting to think about what kind of artists we each want to be remembered by our fans. I think that’s why we’re going through a rough patch right now, we’re trying to find our identity, and that’s an exhausting and long process. Our fans know us, and we know us.” Saad ni Jimin.
Ayon naman kay Suga, naging mahirap na anya ang pagsusulat ng kanta para sa BTS.
“We need something to say … you can’t force it. I have to talk about something I really feel, but right now I’m just squeezing it out because we have to satisfy people’s wants and the listeners … it’s so painful.” Ani Suga.
Aminado naman si J-Hope na tinatrabaho na niya ngayon ang kanyang solo material, pero siniguro niya sa fans na hindi pa tuluyang maghihiwalay ang banda.
“I think that change is what we need right now; It’s important for BTS to start our second chapter.”
Samantala, nilinaw ng spokesperson ng BTS’ na hindi magi-hiatus ang banda. “To be clear, they are not on hiatus, but will take time to explore some solo projects at this time and remain active in various formats.”
Nabuo ang BTS taong 2013 at namayagpag sa music industry ng siyam na taon, binubuo ang grupo ng pitong miyembro na sina RM, Jin, SUGA, J-Hope, Jimin, V at Jungkook.