Lee Ja Yeon, president of the Korea Singers Association, begs BTS to 'reconsider' their group hiatus

On June 22, The Korea Singers Association released an official press statement by president Lee Ja Yeon, sending out a message to BTS and HYBE Labels.

Lee Ja Yeon stated, "I'm overcome by my fear and concern that the 'BTS Hallyu Wave', a movement possessing the greatest cultural soft power that the world has ever witnessed, will vanish soon. In the years leading up to the birth of this movement, it was believed that finding the 'Next Beatles' would be a very difficult achievement, and now, we have arrived at a point where it is difficult to hope for the 'Next BTS' to emerge any time soon. Thus, there is great concern that the heartbeat of Hallyu will cease."

Lee Ja Yeon then pleaded, "The decision to publish this statement was not an easy one. Please, will you reconsider the decision to go on a group hiatus, for the future of South Korea's music industry?"

Lee Ja Yeon also added on, "If BTS goes away, the missionaries of Hallyu and Korean culture, ARMYs, also go away. South Korea's tourism industry will suffer, and it will be difficult to hope for a future for South Korea as a hub of culture in Asia. The special laws allotted to the sports and the classical music and arts industries for mandatory military service must be extended to popular culture as well. The need for attention and action regarding this existing issue is pressing. The government and the national assembly of South Korea must pay mind to this matter so that the Hallyu boom can continue to spread, and BTS can continue to promote actively as a group. Please pursue a revision of existing military service laws."

Earlier this month, shortly after the release of BTS's anthology album 'Proof', Big Hit Music announced that BTS would "begin a new chapter in which the group focuses on individual promotions for the time being." The agency emphasized that the "new chapter" would provide the members of BTS with opportunities for growth as artists, and would also serve as a vital element in the longevity of BTS as a group.