THE BEST IS YET TO COME: BTS and the Art of pausing

Many acclaimed artists throughout history have discovered that the key to lasting greatness lies in sustaining momentum — being at the top of their game for as long as time allows them to. For a while, that held true for K-pop sensation BTS, whose dynamite artistry captivated the world. Marking their 12th year anniversary, the band has dazzled South Korea and, gradually, the international stage with their outstanding performances and achievements: they delivered two speeches at the United Nations on self-empowerment, became the first Korean act to receive a Grammy nomination, and even made chart-topping collaborations with numerous Western pop artists.

However, life goes on, even for BTS. In October 2022, HYBE, the group’s agency, announced that all band-related activities would be put on hold until 2025 to make way for what many K-celeb fans dreaded — mandatory military service. This month, as the septet is expected to be reunited post-military discharge, BTS and their loyal fanbase, ARMY, have reflected on how the iconic band transformed their nearly three-year hiatus into a creative metamorphosis.  

All able-bodied South Korean men are bound by the Republic of South Korea’s Constitution to serve in the military starting at 18 years of age, due to the demilitarized zone between the border of North and South Korea and the high tensions that continue to exist between the neighboring nations to this day. That said, military enlistment was always viewed as a hindrance to the professional growth of adult South Korean men — especially Korean celebrities at the height of their fame — as all profit-making activities are prohibited during their period of service, spanning from 18 to 21 months on average. Thus, most Korean men choose to delay their conscription until their early 20s.

Objecting to military service beyond the age of 28 is punishable by law, with the exception of individuals with serious health issues, or those who have represented the nation with flying colors, such as football athlete Son Heung Min, who was granted exemption from active duty after clinching South Korea’s gold win in the 2018 Asian Games.

In 2020, soon after the eldest member of BTS, Jin (Kim Seok-jin) turned 28, the pressuring question was incessantly tossed around South Korea’s parliament, among ARMYs, and around the world — when will the superstars of BTS finally enlist? Luckily, the South Korean National Assembly came just in time to revise the country’s military service act, which now stipulates Korean entertainers who have received government recognition for expanding Korean cultural influence may opt to defer their enlistment until they reach 30 years of age. This legal amendment, popularly referred to as the “BTS Law,” received widespread support. Moreover, BTS’ continued time in the limelight has even generated more income for the South Korean economy, as the K-pop industry contributes an estimated $10 billion in annual GDP. Though, as some fans support this amendment, others had contested the enlistment law itself, claiming that to stall the success of BTS and other rising K-pop groups’ careers for over two years meant that the country’s economic losses may outweigh the gains.

However, the South Korean defense minister argued that it would be “difficult” to provide a military exemption to BTS, as the declared amendment is viewed by Korean military leaders as vague, leading to further confusion and unfairness for individuals who have already fulfilled their mandatory service. The band was now caught between a rock and a hard place — a crucial choice between putting their celebrity life on pause or risking government and public scrutiny. A year before their hiatus, BTS went all-out on the global scene, now with five Grammy nominations to their name, and ten bestselling digital hits in the USA alone.

In June 2022, marking their 9th band anniversary, the group released a compilation entitled “Proof,” featuring hit tracks “Yet to Come” and “Born Singer,” a track that was once-unofficially released in 2013. The revelation of the group’s indefinite hiatus came days later, initially for the purpose of allowing each member to work on their solo ventures. 

As the members discussed the reasons for their extended break during a June dinner livestream, they reminisced about their glory days as a band, and how their music style transitioned from angsty, hard-hitting hip-hop tracks into the genre-fluid, mainstream releases at the height of the pandemic. The group’s lead rapper, Suga (Min Yoon-gi), thought it was best for them to talk about the “direction they were taking” to their fans. In turn, RM (Kim Nam-joon), set the reflective mood: “we have to accept that we’ve changed,” he stated.

The group’s leader grew unsure of how the band should maintain the visceral storytelling of their music in the coming years. 

“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.”

RM went on to express his sentiments regarding the unrealistic expectations of the K-industry, opening up about the external pressure placed on idols to produce and perform in a relentless cycle, leaving little room for personal time and the luxury of breaks. 

“And it’s not just about music and work… 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,” he said.

In agreement, the rest of the members touched on their needed time for rest and refinement of their artistic identity, appreciating their fanbase for their endless support. Five months after the livestream aired, HYBE’s public announcement on Weverse indicated that the band had made their decision to commit to their national obligations, and were “honored to serve [in the military].” Jin began his military duty in December 2022, followed by J-Hope (Jung Ho-seok) in April 2023, while the other five members enlisted on the dates they had personally selected in the same year.

The Korean wave (Hallyu) helped popularize K-pop in media, which many fans and non-fans alike associate with synchronized choreography, flexible vocal ranges, and stunning visuals. But beneath this coruscating spectacle lies a merciless factory machine in the form of entertainment agencies, on a collective mission to churn out the “perfect idol.”

Before a K-artist officially makes their debut, they must undergo months, or even years, of rigorous training, often beginning their early teenage years, filled with dreams of shooting for the stars. Only when trainees have surpassed this stage would an agency recruit them to formally begin their musical careers while they adhere to a legal framework, or in the worst case, a “slave contract.”

Certain clauses in these contracts take an immense toll on the physical and emotional well-being of artists, including but not limited to exhaustive work schedules with back-to-back engagements, no dating policies, and strict diet and exercise regimens. In other words, it becomes the norm for a K-artist to be reduced to their market value for public consumption — to be seen as a product rather than a person.

Unfortunately, agencies place little to no priority on the idols’ mental health, as fanbases critique agency leaders on their profiteering demands. In 2017, the world received devastating news of SHINee’s Jonghyun, who, having battled with severe depression, took his own life, unable to bear his overwhelming work lifestyle. Popular artists like TWICE’s Mina and Stray Kids’ Han also went on hiatus during the past years due to anxiety affecting their work performance.  

Not many artists have been vocal about this social stigma plaguing the K-industry, but the members of BTS actively made it their advocacy to uplift the topic of mental health. In a 2019 Interview with Entertainment Weekly, Suga shared his thoughts on celebrities opening up vulnerable conversations. 

"If they [celebrities] talk about depression, for example, like it's the common cold, then it becomes more and more accepted if it's a common disorder like the cold. More and more, I think artists or celebrities who have a voice should talk about these problems and bring it up to the surface,” he said.

Even amid skyrocketing success, choosing to enlist in mandatory military service as a holistic reset was a bold yet respectable decision on the part of the band. But even in their temporary dormancy, the world has not forgotten BTS’ trailblazing impact on the music industry. RM, who completed his military service with the rank of private, revealed it was the first time he had spent a year and a half without creative activities, and that it “must have recharged him in some ways.” He and fellow group member V (Kim Tae-hyung) were discharged on the same date, expressed excitement to interact with the fanbase, and claimed to have plans of releasing new music soon.

Prior to enlistment, each member devoted their own time to work on solo music projects, channeling their individualistic talent. All releases saw millions of streams on multiple platforms, from Jung Kook’s debut album “Golden” to Jimin’s first EP, “Face.” J-hope’s single, “Mona Lisa,” also placed No. 65 on the Hot 100 chart in March. While the five other members were busy completing their time in service, the earlier discharged members in 2024, Jin and J-hope, spent time together on variety shows, with the latter even embarking on the Hope on the Stage Tour, which concluded on June 14. 

For 12 years in the making, BTS has fulfilled every trainee’s dream of being among the stars, but still kept themselves grounded in values of shared responsibility, prioritizing their human needs, and keeping an open mind to artistic discovery. 

As their multifaceted musical narrative is bound to unravel yet another chapter, the band unceasingly conveys a common message: defy the odds and speak yourself.