BTS CEO says it was a process to gain fans' understanding

SEOUL announcement in June that the South Korean boy band BTS would shift its activities to solo-oriented activities was a necessary process to gain fans' understanding, said the CEO of Bighit Music, The Asahi Shimbun.

It was Shin Young-jae's first interview with a Japanese media outlet. The South Korean record label Bighit Music manages the group.

BTS is an internationally successful seven-member pop music group, and their announcement about a video-sharing platform became global news.

Shin said he and the members had thought long and hard about the group's direction until they made the video on June 14th.

Shin said that many people can identify with the group's songs, which are frankly the members' feelings, on what drives BTS success.

He said that the social media usage of the members has created a fantastic environment that allows more fans to identify with the group.

The video was a huge use of social media by BTS.

The members spoke their minds, with one saying they had no time to grow while they were busy with the group.

Shin said the novel coronaviruses had hit the members hard, as it had restricted their work until they released the video.

On October 15th, BTS will hold a concert in Busan, South Korea.

As the deadline for mandatory military enlistment for the oldest group member of the Jin nears the end of the year, many fans are curious about the future of the group.

Although young South Korean men are required to join the military, there have been discussions about whether or not global pop music artists such as BTS should be allowed to undertake less burdensome roles.

Shin said that finding an answer to the issue is very difficult. It has been said that the concert in Busan could be the last before the member s enlistment.

The members are talking about the future of the group after the concert, Shin said. He said that they had been planning something new.

Shin, who was born in 1983, joined Big Hit Entertainment Co. in 2019 after working for a gaming company. He was head of the record label department at Big Hit Entertainment.

He is now CEO of Bighit Music, an independent label under Hybe Co., the successor of Big Hit Entertainment.

He was named one of the 2022 Indie Power Players, a list that honors leaders of independent labels who make achievements in the global music market.