The members of BTS poured so much effort into their latest album that taking a break felt almost criminal to them.
In their candid Netflix documentary, “BTS: The Return,” the global sensations—Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook—offer a glimpse into the intense recording process behind their album “Arirang.” They reveal the demanding schedules and relentless work ethic that characterize their journey.
RM, now 31, reflects on the pressures of the K-pop industry, stating, “I began making music to voice my thoughts to the world, yet the K-pop system demands constant production, so we must keep pushing forward.”
He further admits, “I lost touch with our identity as a team. Acknowledging the need for a break feels like admitting guilt, as if I’m committing a crime.”
Jung Kook, 28, draws a parallel between their relentless work and the monotonous routines of factory workers.
“What does kind of stress me out a little bit is that I just want to have fun making music, but I feel like we’re kind of operating like a factory,” he said.
Jin, meanwhile, acknowledged how the seven-member South Korean boy band used to experience “a lot of suffering” through their creative process. But he also explained why that is no longer the case.
“Now, if a song doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out, and we just move on,” Jin, 33, shared. “We don’t feel the same desperation that we used to. At the end of the day, we never know if it will be a hit.”
Although the members of BTS have managed to balance the infamously high-pressure nature of the K-pop industry, other artists have tragically succumbed to the demanding workload that comes with it.
Kim Jonghyun, the lead singer of South Korean pop group SHINee, died from a suspected suicide in December 2017 at the age of 27.
K-pop star Goo Hara was found dead in South Korea at the age of 28 in November 2019. More recently, Astro member Moonbin was found dead from a suspected suicide in April 2023 at 25.
BTS, however, has become known for breaking traditional K-pop norms by tackling issues like mental health and social pressure while promoting more positive concepts like self-love and resilience.
“BTS: The Return” hit Netflix on Friday and follows BTS as they reunite in Los Angeles in August 2025 to work on “Arirang,” which was released on March 20.
The K-pop princes had announced their hiatus in June 2022 to complete South Korea’s mandatory military service, and “BTS: The Return” captured their first time working together as a group since their 2020 studio album, “Be.”
J-Hope, 32, addressed their time in the military and how the “Dynamite” singers “hauled ass” to record their first new album in nearly six years during the Netflix doc.
“We wanted to avoid taking a long break after getting discharged,” he explained. “So now we’re rushing and hauling ass on this album, when it’s a special project.”
RM, meanwhile, said he was “freaked out” returning to the world of K-pop after such a long time away and amid so many changes in the music industry.
“The idea of waking up every day freaks me out a bit,” the BTS leader said. “Not the actual waking, but I felt that a lot in the military, just living the same day over and over.”
He continued, “Nowadays, everything changes all the time. Trends shift every quarter. A bunch of talented new artists are breaking into the industry. We have to change, too.”
Suga also addressed the demands of being a K-pop star and how he is surprised the group is still on top more than a decade after they exploded onto the scene with their single album, “2 Cool 4 Skool,” in June 2013.
Since then, the group has become the first Korean act to top both the Billboard 200 and Hot 100, earned five Grammy nominations and launched three major world tours.
“I used to think it would end eventually,” the 33-year-old icon shared in the doc. “And occasionally I still think: I’ll probably have to stop if my body can’t keep up.”
Junk Kook shared a similar sentiment about the band’s “intense level of fame” and achievements while discussing the group’s massive ARMY fanbase.
“As much as we appreciate having a large global fan base, that intense level of fame can be a lot to carry,” he explained. “And when I look at myself, I really don’t think I’m that special.”
The “My Time” vocalist added, “There’s a part of me that just wants to be seen as a singer and nothing else.”
Unlike most manufactured acts in the K-pop industry, BTS retains significantly more creative and musical control over their songs and records.
But the global superstars are still forced to adhere to the grueling industry’s “comeback” cycle, which consists of intense periods of new music, big performances and seemingly never-ending promotions.
Although they have evolved from what the industry considers “trainees” to the most popular “idols” in K-pop history, the stars still struggle with the weight of their legendary status.
“I think that’s the essence of BTS,” RM reflected. “We get to wear this big, incredible crown. At times, the crown is heavy, almost unbearably, and it’s scary to wear.”
J-Hope went on to address the difficulties the band faces and how they grapple with staying relevant without any other K-pop group to compare themselves to.
“Normally, the life of a K-pop artist is really short, but luckily, our life has extended,” he explained. “The pressure is that we have to decide what to keep and what to change.”
The “Embarrassed” singer continued, “But for those kinds of questions, no one knows … there’s no references. So, we’re doing a lot of experiments to try to find out what makes us special and what makes us BTS.”
As for their newest studio album, the seven-member boy band acknowledged the trials and tribulations that came with composing and recording “Arirang” after almost six years away from the studio and nearly four years away from one another.
“Having the opportunity to grow and change makes [“Arirang”] stronger,” Jin explained in the new Netflix doc. “We’ve worked so hard to get everything ready for this album release. It’s a really exciting moment, I’m really happy.”
He added, “But honestly speaking, it is a lot of pressure. I don’t think I’m built to live this life of a superstar. I feel like I’ve become way more famous than I deserve.”
V, 30, worried that the “audience won’t like these lyrics because they only matter to” him and his BTS brothers, while RM said that he felt like the band kept “missing the forest” and started to “hack away at the trees.”
“It’s almost like we keep running in circles trying to finish these last two songs, but I feel lost now with what this album as a whole is about,” he lamented.
