It's difficult to believe, but in 2018, during the most successful year of BTS, the group has almost disbanded.
At MAMA 2018 in Hong Kong, Jin announced that the members were considering going their separate ways due to the challenges they experienced at the time.
"In the early part of this year, we had a rough time emotionally. We also talked about the possibility of disbanding with each other," Jin stated.
Despite these obstacles, the band members agreed to move forward as a group and work hard together to be successful.
"But we're having our heart and soul back and I'm happy that at least we've been able to deliver such a great outcome. I'm grateful to my co-members who wanted to keep the band and continue making good music to fans. I would like to thank my bandmates who always appreciate me, and the ARMYs for loving and supporting us all the time. Thank you very much," he continued.
Fast forward to 2020, BTS started opening about their struggles and victories in the opening scene of BTS' latest documentary series, Break The Silence.
Jungkook recalls 2018 as a year of reassessment that made him worry about what his life will be like in the coming years.
"A lot of things have happened in 2018. There have been times that everything was just very challenging but a lot of positive things have also started to happen. I think year after year we re-evaluate our status, our acts, and similar stuff. And, reflecting back into what transpired in 2018, I thought, 'What kind of direction I'm going to take in 2019?' In the same year I thought long and hard about it and my worries almost multiplied."
Suga claims that the uncertainties and expectations of a career "roller coaster" is a portion of why BTS got over to a rough beginning in 2018. This has been a year in which they focused on themselves.
"I guess that's because things started getting rough at the beginning of that year. At the time, there had been a lot of stuff to worry about and that there were a lot of skepticisms about our job. That was for all of us. It was only after that when we realized that this work constantly requires you to be on a rollercoaster ride. It ended up becoming the year wherein we could focus on ourselves and learn from our experiences. That is what I believe."
"I believe that in 2018, a lot of unforeseen stuff happened," J-Hope stated. "Personally speaking, it felt a little frightening as we never anticipated so many things that have come our way."
Although 2018 generated a lot of concerns and uncertainties, J-Hope remembers all of it vividly. The launching of his mixtape, Hope World, has been a rewarding experience for him.
"This was one of our peak years," he said for BTS.
BTS is not BTS without any of the seven members. The members have decided to remain together after enduring struggles and achievements as a group, but what would actually happen if one of them wishes to go his own way?
Although RM clarified why BTS wants to remain united, Suga sheds some light on what might occur if a member made the decision to leave BTS amid "looking in various directions."
Suga said that other members will indeed try to convince the member to remain and sort things out as a band if a member decided to go off in a completely new direction.
"We love each other as well," he added. "And if somebody decided they can't take this anymore for several reasons, we would just, of course, try to convince the individual, think it through together and resolve the issue as a group, like we always do."
Ultimately, if that individual would perhaps quit, everyone else would honor his choice.
"However if that's not enough, then we should say, 'We understand. It's your career, and this is something we respect.'"
