With the BTS behemoth grounding to a halt temporarily, all seven members of the K-pop boy band will dedicate the foreseeable future to developing their solo careers.
While pop music history is home to many examples of such career transitions not working out, the members have been studiously building their own sounds throughout the years.
Such an approach has placed each member in a strong position to launch their respective careers, while taking BTS fans along for the ride.
Here is what we can expect from each member.
RM will become a hip-hop star
His dexterous baritone rapping has given BTS an extra X factor to their songs.
However, with six other members sharing vocals and the various pop styles traversed by the group, RM has rarely managed to fully express his hip-hop credentials as part of BTS.
RM provided a preview of what a solo career may sound like with the mixtape, Mono, cracking the US Billboard 200 charts and peaking at No 26.
His assured collaborations with rappers Warren G, Wale and Lil Nas X as part of the release only shows that he is more than comfortable working in the US hip-hop scene.
A solo career could lead to him doubling down on that approach and, in turn, becoming the first artiste to bring K-pop flair to mainstream US hip-hop.
Suga to produce more adventurous K-pop tracks
He has plenty of options when it comes to life apart from BTS.
As a singer, rapper and producer, Suga can spend his time successfully perfecting his craft as a solo artist or producing the next batch of K-pop stars.
A listen to his two mixtapes, particularly 2016's D-2, shows that he is an undeniable talent.
The songs are autobiographical tracks laced with interesting production that includes rhythms inspired by South Korean military tracks.
A fully-fledged solo career could have Suga move away from the sugar-coated sounds of BTS towards deeper and esoteric territory.
Jin to go full Ed Sheeran
With Jin's soaring falsetto and tender crooning responsible for the emotional heft of BTS tracks, such as Spring Day and Fake Love, a career as a singer-songwriter in the Ed Sheeran mode is a strong possibility.
Fans already got a taste of what's to come with the solo single Super Tuna trending on YouTube, from South Korea to Peru.
J-Hope to release more club bangers
The rapper and dancer is already deep into his solo career, with a performance planned at next month’s Lollapalooza festival in the US.
J-Hope has been working on his own sound since 2018 with the mixtape Hope World.
Blending K-pop's cutting-edge production with hip-hop and Latin pop, J-Hope has great potential to do well in various territories.
The 2019 single Chicken Noodle Soup, featuring US popstar Becky G, and 2019's A Brand New Day with Swedish singer Zara Larsson shows his penchant for releasing catchy high energy pop that resonates internationally.
Jimin to take the pop charts by storm
It is Jimin that, perhaps, has given fellow BTS members the idea that solo success is attainable.
In 2019, he was the first member to have his solo track Serendipity get more than 100 million views on YouTube.
The singer and dancer found further success with follow-up solo songs Lie and Filter, also released under BTS albums, charting well internationally.
With such momentum and an eager fan base, Jimin's transition to a solo career should be smooth.
Expect more English songs from V
It's a case of better late than never when V released his first full solo track, Intro: Singularity, on the BTS album Love Yourself: Tear in 2018.
The next year, he had another solo song come out called Scenery. The sumptuous ballad made an immediate impact and reportedly gained 100 million streams on music sharing platform SoundCloud.
Under his own name, V has gone on to release English material in various genres, a standout of which is the indie-pop stylings of Sweet Night, as part of the soundtrack for K-drama Itaewon Class.
V's latest single Christmas Tree, for the Korean romantic comedy series Our Beloved Summer, cracked the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 2021.
With such a pedigree, V should be relishing the prospect of a full-time solo career.
Could Jungkook be the next Jimmy Fallon?
He got the looks and the moves.
The youngest member of BTS, at only 24, he seemingly has the world at his feet when it comes to plotting a solo career.
While he could go on and release solo music, considering the success of the 2018 hit Euphoria and 2020's My Time (released under BTS), Jungkook can also have a solid career on South Korean television. He's already hosted episodes of variety programmes such as Music Bank, Show! Music Core and Show Champion.
Scroll the gallery below to see images from BTS Permission to Dance on Stage concert in Las Vegas.
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
How to vote in the UAE
1) Download your ballot https://www.fvap.gov/
2) Take it to the US Embassy
3) Deadline is October 15
4) The embassy will ensure all ballots reach the US in time for the November 3 poll
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Ovo's tips to find extra heat
- Open your curtains when it’s sunny
- Keep your oven open after cooking
- Have a cuddle with pets and loved ones to help stay cosy
- Eat ginger but avoid chilli as it makes you sweat
- Put on extra layers
- Do a few star jumps
- Avoid alcohol
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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Stats at a glance:
Cost: 1.05 billion pounds (Dh 4.8 billion)
Number in service: 6
Complement 191 (space for up to 285)
Top speed: over 32 knots
Range: Over 7,000 nautical miles
Length 152.4 m
Displacement: 8,700 tonnes
Beam: 21.2 m
Draught: 7.4 m
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
From Conquest to Deportation
Jeronim Perovic, Hurst
Brief scores:
Day 2
England: 277 & 19-0
West Indies: 154
Concrete and Gold
Foo Fighters
RCA records
WHEN TO GO:
September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.
AT%20A%20GLANCE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWindfall%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAn%20%E2%80%9Cenergy%20profits%20levy%E2%80%9D%20to%20raise%20about%20%C2%A35%20billion%20in%20a%20year.%20The%20temporary%20one-off%20tax%20will%20hit%20oil%20and%20gas%20firms%20by%2025%20per%20cent%20on%20extraordinary%20profits.%20An%2080%20per%20cent%20investment%20allowance%20should%20calm%20Conservative%20nerves%20that%20the%20move%20will%20dent%20North%20Sea%20firms%E2%80%99%20investment%20to%20save%20them%2091p%20for%20every%20%C2%A31%20they%20spend.%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EA%20universal%20grant%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EEnergy%20bills%20discount%2C%20which%20was%20effectively%20a%20%C2%A3200%20loan%2C%20has%20doubled%20to%20a%20%C2%A3400%20discount%20on%20bills%20for%20all%20households%20from%20October%20that%20will%20not%20need%20to%20be%20paid%20back.%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETargeted%20measures%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMore%20than%20eight%20million%20of%20the%20lowest%20income%20households%20will%20receive%20a%20%C2%A3650%20one-off%20payment.%20It%20will%20apply%20to%20households%20on%20Universal%20Credit%2C%20Tax%20Credits%2C%20Pension%20Credit%20and%20legacy%20benefits.%3Cbr%3ESeparate%20one-off%20payments%20of%20%C2%A3300%20will%20go%20to%20pensioners%20and%20%C2%A3150%20for%20those%20receiving%20disability%20benefits.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Uefa Nations League: How it works
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
The years Ramadan fell in May
INDIA SQUADS
India squad for third Test against Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Vijay Shankar
India squad for ODI series against Sri Lanka
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
