K-pop band BTS announces a ‘temporary break’
It’s unclear how long the break will last, but the manager reiterated it is only temporary
BTS – the most popular band in the world –are taking a “temporary break.” The band announced the break during a live-streamed anniversary dinner party for fans. They spent over 40 minutes explaining the reasoning behind the break, and you can tell it was an emotional moment for the band. Plus, learn “loom over.”
Also in Today's Lesson
Transcript
A shocking dinner party for fans of BTS
Lesson summary
Hi there everyone, I’m Jeff, JR is the producer, and you are listening to Plain English, the best place to upgrade your English with current events and trending topics. This is lesson number 484, so that means JR has uploaded the full lesson content to PlainEnglish.com/484.
Coming up today: BTS is a South Korean pop band with worldwide hits in both Korean and English. They’ve won accolades around the world, performed at the Grammy Awards, addressed the United Nations General Assembly, and visited the White House. Every year, the seven band members have an anniversary dinner, streamed live online to all their fans. And this year, they shocked their fans with talk of a “temporary break.”
In the second half of today’s lesson, I’ll show you how to use the term “loom over.” And we have a quote of the week. Let’s get started.
BTS ‘taking a break’ to make room for individual projects
BTS, the most popular band in the world, shocked its fans with some big news at the group’s anniversary dinner celebration. You might be thinking of a big gala dinner, with lots of fans and other celebrities in attendance, everyone dressed in tuxedos. This dinner was just the seven of them, dressed casually. What made it special is that it was live streamed on YouTube, like previous annual dinners that came before.
The seven members were seated at a long, wooden dining table, all more or less facing the cameras. Behind them was a constellation of purple, pink and white balloons. They start the dinner by pouring champagne and other drinks; then, they begin to serve themselves and, yes, eat on camera. They dig into steaming noodles, crab meat, and clams.
If you didn’t know what was coming next, the first few minutes of dinner table conversation would have seemed innocent enough. They chat about their interests, their busy schedules, their preferred drinks; one even mentions English lessons. But if you were paying attention, you would have noticed the occasional worrying comment: one band member says he doesn’t have enough time to eat or sleep. Another says he is working on a song.
After some more friendly banter, the band member Suga, seated on the far left as you look at the table, turns half-serious. He mentions it is the band’s ninth anniversary and that there is something they wanted to say. He talks about how the band had to cancel its world tour due to the outbreak of COVID-19. There is some nervous talk about their work during COVID. Several minutes of inside jokes follow.
But then Suga gets serious again, and says, “We’re going into a hiatus now.” Then, one unthinkable line after another comes across the stream: “The group has definitely changed.” Then, “We have to accept that we’ve changed.” Then, “I didn’t know what kind of group we were anymore.”
To fans watching the stream, this must have sounded like a breakup conversation. “I don’t know what kind of story I should tell now,” Suga says. “I always thought BTS was different from other groups.” The blows keep coming. “There’s no time for growth.” Then: “I’ve changed as a human over the past ten years.” Then something nobody wants to hear from someone they love, band or otherwise: “I need to think and have some alone time.”
The speech goes on like this for 40 minutes. Suga discloses that the band will be working on individual projects. In his words, the band will be “showing off our individual colors.” He says that the whole worlds knows BTS, but so few people know individual members.
Then, the band decides to do individual toasts to end the dinner. And some sad lines come out during the toasts too. One member said, “I was happy most of the time, but I’ve had a lot of painful moments, too.” Another said he hopes the fans would give them their blessing.
On social media, they did. BTS fans call themselves the Army and they were broadly supportive. One fan said he wanted to just give them a hug. Another said that the name BTS will stay with the Army “like a tattoo that doesn’t disappear.”
The traditional media, however, were quick to pounce on the word “hiatus.” There appeared to be a misunderstanding, possibly based on the translation of the live stream. The Western media interpreted “hiatus” as a breakup, where the band would not do anything together. However, the group intended to communicate that they probably will still work on group projects, but that they would have time to pursue individual projects, too.
The band’s manager clarified that they would be taking a temporary break. They changed the English translation on the video from the word “hiatus” to “temporary break.”
As if that’s not enough, there’s another question looming over the band. In South Korea, all men have to serve two years in the military; they have to enter by the time they’re 30. The oldest member of the band is turning 30 this year.
Doing things their own way
I didn’t watch the whole dinner party, but it was interesting. You can definitely see that they do things their own way. One criticism of K-Pop is that it seems very formulaic, very scripted. And to a certain extent BTS has followed the script. But they also have a much more personal connection with their fans and you can tell in the dinner that they are very authentic, even as they’ve become the most popular band in the world.
For more on how South Korea has influenced culture, check out Lesson 261 .
¿Hablas español?
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into Spanish. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .
How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
你说中国话？
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Parlez-vous français?
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Você fala português?
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
日本語は話せますか？
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Parli italiano?
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Sen Türkçe konuşmayı biliyor musun?
The transcripts of Plain English lessons are available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation. Turkish translations are available starting at Lesson 278.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Mówisz po polsku?
The transcript of Plain English lessons are available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation. Polish translations are available starting at Lesson 278.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you don’t understand, you don’t have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Audio
The fast version of this lesson is available for subscribers of Plain English Plus+.
Download PDF