BTS Members’ Creative Paths During Hiatus

In June 2022, global K-pop phenomenon BTS announced a temporary pause in group activities, shortly after releasing their first anthology album, Proof. The decision marked a pivotal moment in the band’s career, allowing the seven members—RM, Jin, J-Hope, Suga, Jimin, V and Jungkook—to explore individual artistic identities while also fulfilling South Korea’s mandatory military service. Nearly four years later, in early 2026, BTS confirmed their long-awaited return as a group, with a new full-length album scheduled for release on 20 March.

Rather than signalling inactivity, the hiatus proved to be one of the most prolific periods in BTS’s history. Each member released solo music that reflected distinct genres, themes and personal narratives, significantly broadening the group’s collective artistic range.

The first major solo statement came in July 2022, when J-Hope unveiled Jack in the Box, his debut full-length album. The project showcased a darker, more experimental sound and was followed by a historic performance at Lollapalooza, making him the first Korean artist to headline the festival’s main stage. In October that year, Jin released The Astronaut, a reflective single that resonated deeply with fans ahead of his military enlistment in December 2022—the first among BTS to do so.

At the same time, RM launched Indigo, an introspective album rooted in art, philosophy and personal growth. In 2023, momentum continued with Jimin’s emotionally candid EP Face, Suga’s D-Day—released under his Agust D persona—and V’s jazz- and soul-inflected album Layover. Jungkook closed the year with Golden, a polished pop record that highlighted his global crossover appeal.

Military enlistments continued throughout late 2023, with Suga, RM, V, Jimin and Jungkook joining the armed forces. Despite this, pre-recorded releases sustained BTS’s presence. In 2024, J-Hope shared Hope on the Street Vol. 1, RM followed with Right Place, Wrong Person, and Jimin released his second EP, Muse. Jin and J-Hope completed their service in mid and late 2024 respectively, with Jin returning to music soon after through his EP Happy.

By 2025, solo world tours and new releases—including J-Hope’s Mona Lisa and Jin’s Echo—kept global attention firmly on BTS. All members completed military service by June 2025, paving the way for group recording sessions later that year.

Selected Solo Activities During the Hiatus :

With recording completed by November 2025 and a formal comeback announced in January 2026, BTS’s return represents not merely a reunion, but the convergence of seven evolved artists whose individual journeys have reshaped the group’s future sound and vision.