BTS’ comeback as a group in 2025 not final 'but will try our best', says HYBE chairman

HYBE's Bang Si-hyuk told BTS ARMY that the group won't ‘resume in 2025'. He also asked people not to ‘think of this as target year'.

BigHit founder and HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk has shared details about BTS resuming activities as a group. Last year, BigHit announced that BTS will start their military service and reconvene as a 'group again around 2025 following their service commitment'. BTS members are RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook. (Also Read | 'BTS and I were talking about this since 2018,' says Bang Si-hyuk on group's military service)

BTS poses on the red carpet at Grammy Awards 2020.

Now, as per a report, Si-hyuk recently attended the Kwanhun Forum and asked people not to think of 2025 'as the target year'. He also said that he couldn't assure a 'promised year' as both BTS and HYBE will need time to prepare for their comeback after they return from the military.

As quoted by Soompi, Si-hyuk said, “We shared that both [HYBE] and the members hope to be able to resume [group activities] around 2025, not ‘they will resume’ in 2025. On that note, I hope you will not think of this as the target year. But [HYBE] and BTS will try our best. The issue of the military is not something that gets resolved as planned, and since we also need time to prepare for their return once they come back [from the military], I want to say that we cannot continue with a ‘promised year.’ But this is not just false hope as both parties have agreed to really actively do our best.”

He also responded to the debate, which went on for several years, on if BTS should be exempt from their military services. Bang Si Hyuk said, “When looking at an individual’s career and national assets, I can’t say that [enlistment] is without loss. I believe it’s the truth that the continuity of one’s career or the value of national assets gets cut off or begins declining. However, it is a completely different matter for an individual to happily accept their military duty as a citizen of a country. The country has made this decision and for nearly three years, [BTS] has continued to say of this matter, ‘we will go once we are called.”

A part of BigHit's statement on Weverse last year read, "Group member Jin will initiate the process as soon as his schedule for his solo release is concluded at the end of October. He will then follow the enlistment procedure of the Korean government. Other members of the group plan to carry out their military service based on their own individual plans. Both the company and the members of BTS are looking forward to reconvening as a group again around 2025 following their service commitment."

Speaking about the enlistment dates for the rest of the BTS members, he said that he could not reveal them as the timelines are personal information. All male citizens in South Korea aged 18 to 28 are required to serve for about two years to guard against North Korea. Jin aka Kim Seok-jin joined the army in December last year. J-Hope earlier this year started the process for his military enlistment.