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K-PopBands

BTS in 2023: despite their enforced hiatus, the K-pop superstars felt like they were here, singing and dancing, all along

  • Military service? What military service? Despite their absence, K-pop supergroup BTS have not lost momentum and remain as popular as ever
  • The members’ solo songs and albums have all ranked high on weekly music charts throughout 2023, and interest in them is being kept high for their return

Reading Time:4 minutes
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BTS visiting the “Today” Show in 2020. The K-pop superstars may be on hiatus, but you would not know it – the group have been singing, dancing, realising songs and keeping interest high for their eventual return after members’ service in South Korea’s armed forces. Photo: Getty Images
Tribune News Service

For a band that is on a mandatory hiatus for their South Korean military service, BTS have had one of the best years of their career.

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In December 2022, group member RM released Indigo, his first solo LP since 2018, which rose to No 3 on the Billboard 200. In March, J-Hope’s single “On the Street”, with rapper J. Cole, reached the lower half of the Billboard Hot 100.
In April, Jimin’s neon-soaked synth pop single “Like Crazy” hit No 1 on the Hot 100 – the first solo act since Psy (“Gangnam Style”) to do so with a single in Korean.
The next month, Suga (under his Agust D alias) took No 2 on the Billboard 200 with his rap album D-Day and he sold out a nationwide arena tour in the United States.
RM released “Indigo” in December 2022. Photo: Big Hit Music
RM released “Indigo” in December 2022. Photo: Big Hit Music
Then in July, Jungkook landed his first Hot 100 No 1 single, “Seven” with rapper Latto, a centrepiece of his English-language pop LP Golden, which hit No 2. V later in September launched the album Layover, which reached No 2, charting behind pop singer Olivia Rodrigo.
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BTS and their label Big Hit Music clearly had a master plan to tide fans over as the seven members fulfil their 18 months of mandatory military service in South Korea, which all men there must serve by the time they hit 28, although some K-pop stars can defer until 30.
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