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Korean Pop Superstar Boy Band Takes A Break From Performing

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

All right. Some bittersweet news from the world of K-pop this week.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BOY WITH LUV")

BTS: (Singing in Korean).

GREENE: That's the sound of Korean pop supergroup BTS.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Last weekend, the seven-member boy band announced that they're taking a break from releasing music and performing.

IMELDA IBARRA: There are fans that are sad because we don't know how long this break is going to be.

GREENE: That's one fan, Imelda Ibarra. She's founder of the fan group US BTS Army. Now, BTS rose to stardom in 2013 and became the first K-pop group to top the U.S. Billboard charts three times.

MARTIN: They're hoping to come back from this break stronger. A press release from their label says BTS says the hiatus will give them a chance to, quote, "recharge and prepare to present themselves anew." Ibarra said she thinks the break is a good thing.

IBARRA: Just to think that they get to take a long time off to really just do what they want, be with their families, hang out with their friends. For me, it's very exciting.

GREENE: Yeah, who doesn't want a long time off if you can get it? So there's no set end date for this break, but US BTS Army leader Jackie Rojas is not worried.

JACKIE ROJAS: They'll be back. It's just a little vacation.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SAVE ME")

BTS: (Singing in Korean). Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.