BTS took a break and still stayed unstoppable: Chapter 2 solo success stories that became a love letter to ARMY

Gulf News

19-04-2025

June 2022, BTS Festa.
You just had to be there. The BTS Live that is often considered the real 'horror film' by ARMYs—was filled with bittersweet and tearful confessions, mixed with the band's taste of fun and hilarity. Yet the essence was: They were going to take a break as a band. They were tired, fearful of being mechanical and losing the meaning of what it meant to be BTS, as an overwrought RM said. Instantly, social media broke apart—the band was breaking up. They were on indefinite hiatus. We won't ever see all seven of them on stage. It's all over, and fans penned emotional letters, thanking them for everything.
The members were stunned. This wasn't what they expected. So, individually, they penned letters comforting ARMY—they weren't breaking up. They were just on a break. For a while. And they would continue to deliver RUN BTS episodes, as part of their variety show projects. And, there would be solo projects.
Some fans were sceptical. Solo eras? Would that even work? After all, it's BTS—yes everyone know they were established artists who had also pursued individual projects, but a solo era for each? Not sure.
Well, BTS set that thought straight with their 'Chapter 2', where each member continued paving the way for the band.
J-Hope
The solo era kicked off with J-Hope 's Jack in The Box, where he was determined to burn down the 'old' polished image of himself as his song Arson showed—and prove the different facets of himself. But that was just the beginning—from 2022, and even while he was in mandatory enlistment—his awards just kept stacking up.
Achievements:
Jack in the Box debuted at No. 17 in July 2022.
Re-entered at No. 6 in August 2023 with the HOPE Edition, marking his first solo top 10 entry.
Hope on the Street Vol.1 debuted at No. 5 in April 2024, setting a new personal best.
First South Korean artist to headline Chicago's Lollapalooza in 2022.
Embarked on his first solo tour, Hope on the Stage, in 2025, with performances across major cities including Seoul, Brooklyn, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Antonio.
RM
From releasing the thoughtful album Indigo, 'the last archive of his twenties' to the emotional unravelling in Right Place, Wrong Person, and everything in between, the leader of the band kept himself busy. He released a distinct range of songs too, some like Smoke Sprite, and the sassy Never Play.
1. Indigo (Released: December 2, 2022)
RM's debut solo studio album featured collaborations with Erykah Badu, Anderson .Paak, Tablo, and more.
The album debuted at No. 15 and later peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, making RM the first Korean soloist to achieve a Top 3 spot on the chart.
Indigo became the longest-charting album by a Korean soloist on the Billboard 200, with seven non-consecutive weeks.
The title track, 'Wild Flower''featuring Youjeen, debuted at No. 83 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking RM's first solo entry on the chart.
2. Right Place, Wrong Person (Released: 2024)
RM's second solo album leaned into experimental and genre-blending soundscapes, drawing from funk, alt-rock, and avant-garde influences.
The album includes collaborations with international artists such as Little Simz and Moses Sumney.
Critics praised the album's philosophical themes and boundary-pushing sound.
Chart achievements
Following its vinyl release, Indigo re-entered the Billboard 200 at No. 53, and topped the Vinyl Albums chart at No. 2—the highest for any Korean soloist.
Indigo debuted at No. 45 on the UK's Official Albums Chart, making RM the third Korean soloist to do so after PSY and Agust D (SUGA).
Collaborations and notable Projects
In September 2024, RM collaborated with Megan Thee Stallion on the single 'Neva Play,' their second joint effort after the 2021 Butter remix.
He released the documentary RM: Right People, Wrong Place in late 2024, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process for his second solo album, as well as personal reflections during BTS's group hiatus.
Jin
He might have been the first to leave for military service, but even in the short span of time since he returned in 2024—the vocalist has already made up for the last two years, with variety shows, fashion endorsements, variety shows and collaborations.
Achievements
The Astronaut (October 28, 2022)
Jin's solo debut single, co-written with Coldplay, sold over 1 million copies within 16 days, setting a record for the fastest-selling Korean solo album at the time.
Happy (November 15, 2024)
Jin's debut solo album, featuring six tracks including 'Running Wild' and I'll Be There, debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, making BTS the first K-pop group with all members achieving solo Top 10 albums.
The album sold over 953,000 units in its first week in South Korea, becoming the country's best-selling solo album of 2024.
Echo (Scheduled for May 2025)
Jin's second solo album, Echo, is set to release in May 2025.
Notable performances and appearances
Olympic torchbearer (July 14, 2024): Jin carried the Olympic Flame through the Louvre Pyramid in Paris as part of the 2024 Summer Olympics torch relay, symbolizing peace and harmony.
Solo Concert Tour – RunSeokjin Ep. Tour (June–August 2025): Jin's first solo world tour, supporting his albums Happy and Echo, includes performances across North America, Asia, and Europe.
Media and Brand Engagements
Variety Shows: Jin launched his own web variety show, Run Jin, and appeared in other programs like The Half-Star Hotel in Lost Island and I Love Everyone's Zoo.
Brand Ambassadorships: He became the global ambassador for several brands, including Fred, Gucci, Laneige, and Alo Yoga, highlighting his influence in fashion and lifestyle sectors.
Suga
We might not have heard from him since 2023—but Suga, the rapper of the band, has managed to continue creating discussion and buzz even in his absence.
Achievements
D-DAY (April 21, 2023)
Suga released his first official solo studio album under his alter ego Agust D.
D-DAY debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200, tying with Jimin's FACE as the highest-charting album by a South Korean soloist at the time.
The album re-entered the Billboard 200 following the release of its vinyl edition, marking a sixth week on the chart.
Solo world tour
Suga became the first BTS member to hold a solo world tour.
The tour visited cities in the US, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan.
It grossed over $57.2 million from 28 sold-out shows.
He broke records at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, earning over $3 million per night—one of the highest grosses for a Korean soloist.
Awards and recognition
Golden Disc Awards 2023: Won Digital Bonsang for "That That" with PSY.
MAMA Awards 2023: Won Best Rap & Hip Hop Performance for "People Pt. 2" with IU.
Brand endorsements
Valentino: Appointed global ambassador and face of the Maison Valentino Essentials campaign in January 2023.
NBA: Named an ambassador in April 2023, with appearances at official events and cross-promotional content.
Jimin
Inspired by his hyungs raw and vulnerable style of music, Jimin decided to take a different route for himself in terms of music, and that, set new records too.
FACE (March 2023)
Jimin's debut solo album, FACE, featured the hit single Like Crazy, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making him the first South Korean solo artist to achieve this feat.
Like Crazy became the fastest song by a K-pop male soloist to surpass 200 million streams on Spotify.
MUSE (2024)
His second solo album, MUSE, included the single "Who," which broke BTS's "Dynamite" record as the longest-charting K-pop song in Billboard Hot 100 history.
Who also became the longest-running No. 1 by a K-pop soloist on the Billboard Global 200 chart and surpassed 900 million streams on Spotify within 106 days of release.
Awards and recognitions
Jimin earned multiple No. 1 positions on Billboard's Digital Song Sales chart in 2023, with Like Crazy and other tracks.
As of early 2025, Jimin has accumulated an estimated total of over 115 awards in his solo career.
V
BTS' V, while keeping up with his music and releasing a woozy album, also became an important fashion symbol.
Layover (September 8, 2023)
V's debut solo album, Layover, showcased a blend of pop, R&B, and jazz, receiving critical acclaim for its sophisticated sound.
The album sold over 1.67 million copies on its opening day, setting a new record for the highest first-day sales by any solo K-pop artist in Hanteo Chart history.
It debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200, with 100,000 equivalent album units earned in its first week, making V one of the highest-charting Korean solo artists in Billboard chart history.
Layover became the first Korean solo album to chart for eight non-consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200, breaking the previous record held by RM's Indigo'.
The pre-release track "Love Me Again" surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify within 30 days of its release, tying as the fastest solo song by a South Korean soloist to reach this milestone.
Fri(end)s (March 15, 2024)
V released the digital single "Fri(end)s," an English-language pop soul R&B track, accompanied by a short film ahead of the music video release.
"Winter Ahead" with Park Hyo Shin
In December 2024, V collaborated with Park Hyo Shin on the single Winter Ahead, which debuted at No. 99 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking his fifth solo entry onto the chart.
Awards and recognitions
At the 2024 Korea Grand Music Awards, V received the Trend of the Year – K-pop Solo award, making him the only BTS member to win at the event that year.
He won the Best Music – Fall award at The Fact Music Awards in 2023 for "Slow Dancing" and the "Best Music – Spring" award in 2024 for "Fri(end)s."
V's Layover won Favorite Debut Album at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
Jungkook
Last, but definitely not the least, the youngest member carved his own path and released albums, collaborations, all of which, broke different records.
Left and Right (2022):
Chart performance: The song achieved significant commercial success, peaking at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and charting in multiple countries, including South Korea, the United States, and several European markets.
Billboard Global 200: The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart, becoming one of the most popular K-pop songs of 2022.
Award Recognition: It earned a nomination at the 2 022 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) for "Best Collaboration" and was well-received by fans and critics alike for its catchy melody and memorable collaboration.
Golden, 2023
Seven (feat. Latto) (2023): Jungkook's debut solo single topped the Billboard Hot 100, making him the second BTS member to achieve this feat. It also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 and remained there for seven consecutive weeks.
Golden(2023): His debut solo album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making Jungkook the first BTS member to lead the chart with a solo project.
Awards and recognitions