BTS is back after military service with a new album and world tour, reflecting on growth and their bond with fans in a GQ interview.

BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) will appear on the special cover version of the April issue of "GQ JAPAN" released on February 28 (Saturday). After about four years of activity suspension due to military service obligations in Korea, BTS is returning as a group with their fifth studio album and a world tour. The April issue delves into their individual successes in solo activities and their growth as artists and humans. Raymond Ang from "GQ" visited Korea to closely interview RM, Jin, SUGA, J-HOPE, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, who are on the brink of restarting. The members candidly shared their thoughts on the growth of the group, what they want to convey to fans in the future, and whether they will still be dancing together in their 60s. The full interview is available on the "GQ JAPAN" official website article "BTS, Restarting." - BTS may see up to 260,000 attendees at a free concert... Korean police are fully mobilizing to respond - Jungkook of BTS appointed as the new ambassador for watch brand "HUBLOT"! Visuals also revealed ◆ Interview Excerpts - Is the Grammy still the peak for them, or is winning a trophy the goal? RM: I don't know. Time has passed. There are many K-POP related nominations in the general category, and I want to give them a big round of applause. Well, we will challenge it. We might enter the album for the Grammy again. But, I don't know, I don't want to take the attitude of wanting it desperately... I don't want to say, "Oh, I want the Grammy." It's not that I don't want it... We will challenge it. But if it doesn't work out, that's fine. - How has BTS changed, and what about the latest album? SUGA: I think we should express both the positive and negative aspects of life as artists and individuals. This album contains a lot of introspection and thought, so I think we are gradually moving in that direction... The world is changing, and we are continuing to change as well. We are incorporating various genres. What I can say now is that this will be quite different from previous BTS albums and sounds. This time, you will see a more mature side of BTS. - About the future of BTS SUGA: If we can continue this relationship, maybe we can still be dancing together in our 60s... As long as we want, we should be able to stay together as a group even in our 50s and 60s. - About group identity V: We all value BTS more than each individual member. Since we debuted as a group, I think that is the core of our identity. - About the songwriting camp they worked on for the latest album Jungkook: The process itself was very liberating and free, so it was really fun. - About reuniting as a group Jimin: Being here together is because we are a team. We started as a team, and we are very aware of that. Plus, it's really fun to be together. - About the relationship between BTS and ARMY (the name of their fans) Jimin: It's really difficult to measure the size of that love. It's so immeasurably large. It's mutual. While we influence ARMY, ARMY also influences us. When we feel that this is happening, we think more deeply about what we should convey as a team. The words we say resonate and hold great meaning for ARMY. We want to ensure that it has a positive impact. - About military service obligations J-HOPE: Humans are interesting, and they adapt surprisingly quickly. I feel healthier than before, and I've learned a lot about various aspects of life and society. Plus, getting to know many new people has been a big plus. Also, fulfilling military service is something every Korean man experiences. - About discovering new music J-HOPE: When we have music we like, we recommend it to each other. So, we often end up liking the same music at the same time. Of course, everyone has different preferences, but there are overlapping parts. - About collaborating with Coldplay's frontman Chris Martin, who worked with BTS Chris Martin: Regarding the seven members of BTS, what I feel after getting to know them to some extent is that they seem to have developed a closer relationship through the very intense process of becoming stars. It was really nice to see the members supporting each other. They are very united and work closely together. They hardly pull each other down, and each role is clear. The affection between the members is genuine. That was the most impressive part. It's a camaraderie born in tough situations. Just as there are times when we don't know what brings a magical charm to music, I think the same can be said about bands. The reason we are drawn to bands is similar. We don't really know why. Why does this group of seven become something much larger than the sum of its parts, a magical existence? There is something inexplicable beyond the fact that they put in extraordinary effort, care for each other, and enjoy their activities. - Halsey, who collaborated with BTS on the hit song "Boy With Luv (feat. Halsey)" in 2019, speaks about BTS Halsey: They are just sincere people. That's all. They respect each other and have an attitude of accepting each other's opinions and ideas. They have a very clear vision of what BTS is, and everyone shares the same goals. Each member's strengths support that core vision beautifully, creating harmony. It is not an environment where egos clash. As long as everyone is dedicated to representing BTS and rewarding the fans, it shouldn't be otherwise.