BTS Has Been a Global K-Pop Phenomenon for Years — What's Each Member up to Now?

For the past several years, South Korean pop culture has made a splash all over the world. Squid Game was a massive streaming success on Netflix back in 2021. In 2019, Parasite became the first South Korean film to receive accolades from the Academy Awards and would even go on to become the first non-English film to win the Oscar for Best Picture.

International audiences have received increasing exposure to Korean media, and much of their path to get to this status was paved by BTS.

The popular Korean boy band first debuted in Seoul back in 2013 and achieved great success in their home country. However, they reached international popularity around 2017 when their music was released in America. Since then, they've become a cultural pillar in the music industry and have shattered album sales records both in South Korea and beyond.

After being active for 10 years, the members of the band are going through changes amidst their scheduled separation. Here's what each member is up to now.

Jin is one of the most prominent vocalists of the band while also being the oldest at 29. He is currently the first among the band to comply with South Korea's mandatory military enlistment for able-bodied men of a certain age. He is required to complete 18 to 21 months of military service, as will the other members when they come of age.

The band is set to resume activity in 2025.

Suga is one of four rappers in the group. He began some solo side work back in 2016 when he released a self-titled mixtape independently of his band work. He would go on to write, produce, and perform several singles and albums on his own.

Earlier this past February, Rolling Stone reported that Suga will go on his first solo tour and will even arrive in the United States in the spring.

Aside from rapping as part of BTS, J-Hope has also released solo mixtapes in the past. In fact, he was the first member of BTS to enter the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo act back in 2019. In that same year, he graduated from Global Cyber University with a degree in Broadcasting and Entertainment along with many of his fellow bandmates.

He's also made plenty of moves in 2023. A documentary about his debut album began streaming on Disney Plus last month. He also released a new single on March 3 in collaboration with American rapper J. Cole.

Being the leader of one of the most popular boy bands of all time is a heavy burden, but RM shoulders it well for BTS. He's also collabed with several prominent US artists.

He recently debuted as a solo act in June 2022 as part of the band's individual efforts to create solo careers. His studio album, Indigo, was released later that December and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard 200. Even outside the band, RM made history as the highest-charting Korean soloist in Billboard history.

Jimin is the other vocalist of the group and has previously worked on professional covers of songs by Justin Bieber and Charlie Puth.

He recently co-wrote and was featured on a single with fellow K-Pop star Taeyang. He's also a global ambassador for Dior and a brand ambassador for Tiffany & Co.

He will soon release his debut solo album on March 24.

Aside from being a member of BTS, singer V has also appeared on television as an actor. In 2016, he appeared in a supporting role for the South Korean historical drama, Hwarang: The Poet Warrior. He also starred in In the Soop: Friendcation, a reality series on Disney Plus. He also appears in Jinny's Kitchen, a cooking-travel series streaming exclusively on Prime Video.

Lastly, there's Jungkook, another vocalist. Amidst his prominent solo career, he recently released a song for the FIFA World Cup soundtrack. He also performed the song, entitled "Dreamers," at the 2022 FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony.