BTS has announced its decision to take a break as a group and explore various projects as individuals as they celebrated the ninth anniversary of their debut.

The seven-member group revealed the decision in a YouTube clip posted on Tuesday, saying they will stop for a while to have more time as BTS in the future and move forward.

In the video uploaded to their official YouTube channel, in which members conversed over dinner, group leader RM said the current K-pop idol system has prevented them from maturing, confessing the group has lost a sense of direction even in its heyday.

He said they want to stay as BTS for a long time and need to be true to themselves.

Amid confusion over the meaning “hiatus” as they put it, their management company, HYBE, articulated, saying that BTS will pursue some solo projects during the period and remain active in a different format.