Korean pop group BTS announced on Tuesday that it was taking an indefinite “hiatus” so its members can focus on their solo activities.

The seven members of the K-pop group, which generates billions of dollars for the South Korean economy, announced it during their annual dinner called FESTA, which was broadcast via streaming.

RM, one of the members, 27, said that after BTS’s latest Grammy-nominated singles, the group members were “exhausted”.

“The problem with K-pop and the whole idol system is that they don’t give you time to mature (…) You have to keep making music and keep doing something,” he explained, stating that he needs “some time alone.” .

Jimin, 26, said for his part that we are all “starting to think about what kind of artists we each want to be to be remembered by our fans.”

“I think that’s why we’re going through a rough patch right now, we’re trying to find our identity and that’s an exhausting and long process,” he added.

At the end of the dinner, several of the members burst into tears as they thanked their fans, known as ARMYs.