​BTS to Take an "Official and Extended" Break from Performing
K-pop phenomenon BTS have announced that they will be taking an "extended" break.
The young boy band have been working since they made their debut in 2013.
Their label Big Hit Entertainment announced that the members of BTS would be taking "an official and extended period of rest and relaxation."
In a statement, Big Hit explained that the time off is for the members to "recharge and prepare to present themselves anew as musicians and creators" and to "enjoy the ordinary lives of young people in their 20s."
The statement also asked fans to respect the group's time out of the spotlight by refraining from approaching them should they see a member in a "chance encounter" during the vacation period.
Read the full statement below.
[공지] 방탄소년단 공식 장기 휴가 알림 (+ENG) pic.twitter.com/fV4Aw5UNY4
— BigHit Entertainment (@BigHitEnt) August 11, 2019
It's unclear how long the group will be on hiatus, though they do have a performance scheduled in Saudi Arabia in October.
Some people are speculating that the break could be in conjunction with South Korea's requirements for men to serve two years of military service between the ages of 18 to 28.
As the BBC points out, exemptions are sometimes granted, like in the case of Tottenham Hotspur player Son Heung-Min, who recently helped South Korea win the Asian Games football final against Japan.
A gold medal at the Asian Games or a medal at the Olympics grant athletes automatic exemptions, though in the field of arts, exemptions have only ever been granted to violinists, pianists and ballet performers — never to actors, directors or K-pop stars.
Fans who can't bear to be without BTS for extended periods of time can look into acquiring their very own BTS Barbie dolls to fill the void.
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