The second chapter in BTS’ journey is in full swing, and the members are exploring their personas as solo artists. Last June, BTS announced that they would be taking a break from group activities to focus on themselves, and then a mere four months later, they announced that the oldest member, Jin, would begin preparations for military enlistment. The news was soul-crushing. I couldn’t imagine a world without BTS, but it was becoming a reality. I went into a state of denial and pretended it wasn’t happening. The other members talked about launching solo activities, but I was unhappy because I knew that it could never be the same.
Although some of the members had released solo works in the past, I didn’t really know how what type of music they would release as solo artists, but I knew it was going to be completely different from their music as BTS, and I was afraid I wouldn’t like it. Just three months into 2023 and 4 out of the 7 members have released new tracks, both as singles and full albums. After listening to all the new content, I can now confidently say that I misjudged the situation.
While it is extremely upsetting that BTS won’t be complete for some time, this is the perfect opportunity for each member to develop their artistic identity outside their group image. It has been so fun to see how passionate the members are about their own projects and how supportive they are of each other’s work. And they’re not just releasing music. Members have made talk show appearances, become brand ambassadors, performed at Lollapalooza, and announced a world tour. Although they announced a break from group activities, it seems that they were just getting started as solo artists. Each member is thriving in their independent ventures and achieving great success.
Suga announced he was going on tour in February, and ARMY was ecstatic. He has previously released two solo mixtapes under his alias “Agust D” and has just recently announced his first official album set to be released on April 21st. When I first became a fan of BTS, Suga didn’t catch my attention as much as the other members. He seemed more reserved, and it was hard to tell what his personality was like. But the more I learned about him, the more I realized that he has so many endearing qualities. You only have to pay attention to him to see his softer sides poke through his tough exterior, and he has become one of my favorite members. When he announced his tour, I knew I wanted to go but was worried about the logistics.
Tickets were going on sale through Ticketmaster presale, and I knew it would be an absolute bloodbath to secure seats, but I would not be deterred. My friend and I bought memberships to the official BTS fan club so our names could be entered in a Ticketmaster raffle for presale codes. Luckily our names were picked, and I was clinging to hope that it would miraculously work out. We logged into the queue way earlier than necessary, but we didn’t want to take any chances. I knew the minute that we saw the seating map, there could be no hesitation.
My friend was farther ahead of me in the queue and got a chance to get the tickets before I could. She clicked on the best one’s that she could find within our budget and purchased them. Within minutes the prices skyrocketed, and after half an hour, all of the seats were sold out. Somehow, we had secured tickets to see Suga on May 5 when so many others could not. Ever since, I have been anxiously anticipating the day that I will see him in person, the fact that this is happening is so surreal, and I never thought I’d be lucky enough to go.
When BTS first spoke about their hiatus, I thought that BTS would be a thing of the past and I would only have my memories to fuel my obsession. Although their solo activities are divergent from their collaborative sound, I am enjoying every minute of it. The members are such wonderful artists; seeing how creative they can be in their solo projects is amazing. And even though their group activities have slowed significantly, the members are still frequently together and support each other constantly. Although they are currently performing as solo artists, their unwavering connection as BTS members is evident, especially as they make their mark in the music industry and I will always admire them for that. I now realize that their hiatus wasn’t an ending but a new beginning. This second chapter has only just begun, and I can’t wait to see what else BTS has in store for us.