<a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/music/2022/06/13/bts-celebrates-ninth-anniversary-as-jungkook-releases-new-single-my-you/" target="_blank">BTS</a>, arguably the biggest boy band in the world that spearheaded a global <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/music/2022/05/16/k-pop-band-astro-release-third-full-album-drive-to-the-starry-road/" target="_blank">K-pop</a> craze, announced on Tuesday that it is taking a hiatus as a group to work on solo projects. Speaking at the annual Festa dinner that celebrates the group's founding, band member RM said he had been feeling a need to explore his own work away from BTS's hectic recording and performance schedule. "The problem with K-pop and the whole idol system is that they don’t give you time to mature. You have to keep producing music and keep doing something," said RM, seated at a table with his six fellow band members. A video of the dinner was posted on the band's official Twitter handle. <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/music/2022/05/27/new-bts-show-on-apple-music-to-trace-the-bands-journey-to-global-superstardom/" target="_blank">BTS</a> made its debut in June 2013 and became a worldwide sensation with its upbeat hits and social campaigns aimed at empowering young people. Last year, the group became the<a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/music/2021/11/22/american-music-awards-turn-into-a-friendly-place-for-bts/" target="_blank"> first Asian band to win artist of the year at the American Music Awards</a>. The group met US President Joe Biden at the White House in May to <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/us-news/2022/05/31/bts-devastated-by-anti-asian-hate-crimes-in-us/" target="_blank">discuss hate crimes against Asians</a>.
