In 10 years time, BTS has taken the world by storm with 5 Grammy nominations and immeasurable cultural impact. Beyond their musical prowess and impeccable dance moves, they have been lauded for speaking up about current issues including mental health and the development of future generations.
Since BTS announced their hiatus from group activities to enlist in the military in 2022, all 7 members have endeavoured in solo careers that have received resounding support from ARMY. But now that they’ve all completed their services, the group announced they will be making a comeback in Spring 2026. So while we wait for their highly anticipated return, let’s refresh what every member has cooked up so far, from Jin’s latest album Echo to j-hope’s headlining gig at Lollapalooza Berlin.
RM
The leader of BTS (who famously self-taught English through watching the TV show Friends) has always been praised for his introspective lyrics and rapping skills. Lil Nas X, Honne and TxT only make up the tip of the iceberg of artists RM has lent his writing or producing talent to.
On May 24, 2024, RM released his second solo album titled Right Place, Wrong Person. Consisting of 11 tracks, the album explores “relatable sensations and moments of feeling like a stranger, out of place” according to the press release. Ahead of the album’s release, the artist dropped the single “Come Back To Me”, along with its music video which was directed by Beef’s creator Lee Sung Jin. Keen fans will know that RM first revealed the track at Suga’s encore performance in Seoul last summer. He also made an accompanying documentary directed by Lee Seok-jun, which premiered at the Busan International Film Festival in October. The documentary followed an eight-month long period before RM’s enlistment, including the creative process behind his sophomore. We can’t wait to hear what RM has in store for this comeback.
V
Soulful and charismatic, V is known for his husky voice that pairs perfectly with his love for jazz music. On Instagram, that love translates into covers of classics like Frank Sinatra’s “Cheek to Cheek” and smooth trumpet renditions of Eric Clapton’s “Autumn Leaves”.
V’s highly-anticipated solo album Layover debuted on September 8, 2023. In true global sensation fashion, V kicked off his return with two music videos released within 48 hours. The first being “Love Me Again” which offers a glimpse into the soulful R&B vibe weaving through the full collection.
V has also flexed his aptitude for acting, being the only member who has made an acting debut by starring as Hang Sung in the Korean period drama Hwarang: The Poet Warrior in 2016. Along with his Hwarang co-star Park Hyung-sik and 3 other long-time friends in the industry, V also stars in In the Soop: Friendcation where the squad embarks on a 4-day friendship trip to the Goseong area. The highly-anticipated last episode of the heartfelt series aired last August on Disney+.
Jung Kook
The youngest member of the group has come into his own as the all-rounded “Golden Maknae” (golden youngest brother) with a knack for easily grasping the skills of anything he tries. In 2023, the star blazed a path of his own by making history as the first Korean artist to perform at the FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony and the first Korean artist to release a song with the football association.
Taking 2023 summer by storm with his solo album Golden, Jungkook dropped the hot single “Seven” along with its music video, garnering more than 1 million views in less than 10 minutes. Not only did Jungkook show off his perfect English but also his acting skills as he played a smitten lover alongside Korean actress Han So-hee in the music video. Safe to say the youngest BTS member has grown up from the 15-year-old boy that graced the stage 10 years ago.
But 2024 was still an exciting year for Jung Kook. He released “Never Let Go” in June, his first single after his enlistment. Jung Kook also filmed a Disney+ travel series Are You Sure? with fellow member Jimin before their services commenced, where they travelled to New York, Jeju Island and Sapporo, Japan and got up to their funny antics. Jung Kook even released I Am Still in September, a documentary chronicling his journey as a solo artist while making Golden. We can’t wait to see what he does next, with BTS or solo.
Jin
Mr. Worldwide Handsome is the first of the group to enlist into South Korea’s mandatory military service, parting with his boyband brothers in a tear-filled entrance ceremony in December 2022.
But before departing, Jin prepared a single with British rock band Coldplay to “say goodbye to everybody for a little while, and tell them that I love them…” The song named “Astronaut” was performed live for a 65,000 crowd at Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour stop at Buenos Aires’ on October 28, which Jin had specifically flown out from South Korea to perform for. Although Jin shared that it was “nerve-racking” without his team, he absolutely showed the crowd why he’s at the top of his industry.
But since completing his military service in June 2024, Jin has been gearing up to be a global superstar again. Besides becoming an ambassador for multiple brands like Gucci, Laneige, Alo Yoga, and most recently (and fittingly), Jin Ramen, he has released two albums – Happy in November 2024, and Echo in May 2025. The albums were supported by singles like “I’ll Be There”, “Running Wild” and “Don’t Say You Love Me”. Right now, Jin is having fun reuniting with fans at his first solo tour, RunSeokjin Ep. Tour, where he will fill up arenas from Osaka to Amsterdam.
SUGA
SUGA, also known by his solo moniker Agust D, has produced songs for artists worldwide including IU, PSY, Epik High and Coldplay to name a few. In June 2023, the rapper-producer reworked one of Halsey’s old songs “Lilith” for the newest installment of video game Diablo, showcasing the rapper’s gothic vibe.
In April 2023, Suga embarked on the SUGA | August D Tour, making him the first of the group to take on a tour of his own. He dazzled fans from New York to Los Angeles and wrapped up the journey back home in Seoul. Doubling down on excitement, his documentary SUGA: Road To D-DAY was released on Disney+ alongside the start of the tour. Tune in to the documentary to watch how one of the world’s biggest musicians draws inspiration from around the world.
j-hope
Offering a slice of hope with his unparalleled stage presence, j-hope has set the bar high for performers worldwide. What’s more, he has built his credentials as songwriter and composer for the group and performed 4 solo tracks over the years: “Intro: Boy Meets Evil” and “Mama” in 2016, “Trivia 起: Just Dance” in 2018, and “Outro: Ego” in 2020.
Jack in the Box is the artist’s first solo album which came out in July 2023. Not only did it introduce listeners to j-hope’s hip-hop and emo punk sound, he also became the first member to release projects since the band’s hiatus announcement. Shortly after the album release, the mega star became the first South Korean artist to headline Lollapalooza.
But during his mandatory military service, j-hope found ways to connect with ARMY while he’s away. He dropped a special single featuring J.Cole titled “on the street” in March 2023. Shortly afterwards, he released a six-part docuseries titled Hope on the Street and an accompanying album exploring his artistic roots and street dance background. Now, fresh off his first solo tour, Hope on the Stage, which concluded in June 2025, j-hope headlined Lollapalooza Berlin in July.
Jimin
Jimin, or endearingly known as “Mochi”, was trained as a ballet dancer specialising in modern dance. With his background, you can imagine the graceful yet dynamic interpretations he brings to each choreography.
It goes without saying that his vocals are just as impactful, mastering a falsetto that is unmistakable in songs like “Serendipity” and “Let Me Know”. In 2023, Jimin showcased his impressive vocal range with a solo debut album, FACE. He shares that it “tracks the emotions he felt chronologically throughout the pandemic” and hopes that listeners are able to relate to his honest songs. The reception was unprecedented with his breakout single “Like Crazy” reaching No. 1 in the Billboard 100 chart and the six-track album reaching No.2 on the Billboard 200.
But Jimin remained unstoppable even during his military service. He released his second solo album Muse in July 2024, which included the single “Who”. The track became the longest-charting song by a Korean artist on the Billboard Hot 100, surpassing BTS’ own “Dynamite”.
