BIGHIT MUSIC Directly Responds To BTS Disbandment Rumors

Disbandment rumors have been swirling around BTS since they went on hiatus in 2021. Now, with the group back and breaking records, BIGHIT MUSIC vice president Kim Hyun Jung is setting the story straight.

Kim, who oversees everything from BTS’s music to brand management, rejoined BIGHIT MUSIC last July after a stint as the first Korean executive at a major US record label. She was brought back by HYBE Chairman Bang Si Hyuk and the members themselves.

During a recent interview with The JoongAng, the BIGHIT MUSIC VP revealed how the members coming back after such a long time was the hardest part of preparing for the new album. When asked about the viral rumors surrounding their military enlistment, she instantly shot them down.

Q: What was the hardest part of preparing this album?

Kim: The members felt a great deal of pressure about standing before their fans again after such a long time away.

Q: There were even rumours that the group had disbanded.

Kim: If the members heard that, they’d find it absolutely baffling. That’s just how tight-knit they are.

BTS made their comeback on April 20 after a three-year, nine-month hiatus. The album, Arirang, hit number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 — the latter for three consecutive weeks. Their world tour is also the largest ever by a Korean artist, and it’s sold out.

The groundwork for Arirang was laid during a two-month songwriting session in Los Angeles last summer, where the members and composers wrote and reviewed tracks together. Part of that process is documented in the Netflix series BTS: The Return.

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