KPOP Meaning
A hiatus is a period when a group or singer stops their activities. The Cambridge Dictionary defines a hiatus as a short pause in which nothing happens. The Korean word 공백기 (blank period) is defined by Urimalsaem as a period spent without any particular activity or achievement. In K-pop, a group may pause its activities while members continue individually. On June 14, 2022, BTS announced it would pause group activities for a while and move into individual work, and the members and HYBE's CEO stressed it was not a disbandment (The Fact). The reverse also happens: one member stops while the group carries on. SEVENTEEN's S.COUPS stopped after an injury in August 2023 and returned to the stage at a concert eight months later, in March 2024 (The Fact). A hiatus pauses activities while membership stays in place, unlike a departure, when a member leaves, or a contract expiration with an agency.
Usage
Used when reporting announcements, as in "announces a hiatus" or "returns from hiatus." State whether the whole group is pausing or individual activities continue.
Examples
- BTS — Announced on June 14, 2022, that it would pause group activities for a while and focus on individual work; the members and HYBE's CEO said it was not a disbandment (The Fact).
- S.COUPS — Stopped activities after a knee injury in August 2023 and missed the group's Japan tour and other activities during surgery and rehab; he returned to the stage eight months later at a concert in Incheon in March 2024 (The Fact).
In context
Sources
- Cambridge Dictionary: hiatus
What we checked
Cambridge Dictionary: hiatus
- Urimalsaem (National Institute of Korean Language): 공백기
What we checked
Urimalsaem (National Institute of Korean Language): 공백기
- The Fact: BTS and HYBE stress "not a disbandment" (June 16, 2022)
What we checked
The Fact: BTS and HYBE stress "not a disbandment" (June 16, 2022)
- The Fact: S.COUPS returns at a SEVENTEEN concert eight months after his injury (March 31, 2024)
What we checked
The Fact: S.COUPS returns at a SEVENTEEN concert eight months after his injury (March 31, 2024)