BTS CEO Shin Young-jae's first interview with Japanese media

SEOUL - The shock announcement in June that the South Korean boy band BTS would shift its activities to solo-oriented was a necessary process to gain fans understanding, said Bighit Music CEO, 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. Their announcement on 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 frankly convey 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 major use of social media by BTS.

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

Shin said that 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 Jin approaches the end of the year, many fans are curious about the future of the group.

Although young South Korean men are required to enlist in the military, there have been discussions about whether global pop music artists such as BTS should instead be allowed to take 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.

After the concert, the members are talking about the group's future, Shin said. He said they had been planning something new.

Born in 1983, Shin joined Big Hit Entertainment Co. in 2019 after working for a gaming company. His roles at Big Hit Entertainment included head of the record label department.

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

He was named on Billboard's 2022 Indie Power Players list, which recognizes leaders of independent labels who make achievements in the global music market.