"It was like the Beatles were here," this is how American comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres described the scenes at Los Angeles airport when the South Korean pop band BTS arrived in the U.S. to perform at the 2017 American Music Awards. According to a New York Times article, audience screams during a 2017 concert in Chile, "when the band was not even performing, reached an ear-splitting 127 decibels, well past the noise level at which permanent hearing loss becomes a serious concern." So if you are still oblivious to "Korean idols" BTS, perhaps it's time for you to surrender to the inevitable because these K-pop sensations are already ruling the world. The "conquerors" also boast of a committed fan community across the world, known as "Army."

"Behind those three letters are seven astounding young men who believe that music is stronger than the barriers of language. It's a universal dialect," wrote American singer Halsey when BTS was listed by Time among the 100 most influential people of 2019.

But there's a twist in the story! BigHit Entertainment, the music company that manages the seven-member all-boy band, announced last week that the group for the first time since their debut in 2013 would be taking "an official and extended period of rest and relaxation," adding that " this will also provide them with a chance to enjoy ordinary lives of young people in their 20s."

The news spread like wildfire, the fans flooded social media with support, rumors and fears. While some spoke about the possibility of a breakup, many others backed the multi-millionaire kids in their decision.

Over-worked 'Idols'

From creating tons of new music, attending album launches, promotional events, and world tours, the "idols" – Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, Jungkook and Jin – have performed over 120 shows in different parts of the world since 2015. In March, during a concert in Hong Kong, V nearly collapsed on stage. He was caught on camera struggling to even stand. According to reports, the superstar was "sick with cold that afflicted him with body aches and exhaustion."

Last year, the band, considered to be at the top of their game, was reported to have been running on little or no sleep at all as they rushed from one location to another; and the only time they could actually rest was when they were traveling between countries. Last year, the fans noticed V's hands trembling after a performance, raising questions about his health condition. 

The five-billion-U.S.-dollar K-pop industry works on creating "Idol Groups" through a very specific process. According to a Netflix documentary on K-pop, kids are first auditioned by music companies which "train them to sing, dance, and act, and carefully assemble them into incredibly polished and well-rounded groups." The studios not only hold a significant amount of control on what they sing and the way they are marketed but also over their day-to-day activities.

In December 2017, an apparent suicide note left by K-pop star Kim Jong-hyun, revealed his struggles in dealing with depression and the pressure of being in the spotlight for over a decade. "I am broken from the inside, the depression has finally consumed me, and I couldn't beat it." He was the lead singer of another Korean band SHINee.

According to a Bloomberg report, since BTS debuted, revenues at BigHit Entertainment have been doubling annually, so much so that the company has been considering an initial public offering.

Hip-hop single "No More Dreams" marked the advent of BTS in the world of K-pop on June 12, 2013. Their first single, which spoke about how overworked students were being cheated out of their dreams, reached No. 14 on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart in just two weeks of its release

The following year, the band visited Los Angeles to shoot a Korean reality show called "American Hustle Life," but winning South Korea's "The Show" in 2015 is seen as a turning point in their story, which earned them a wider reach and recognition.

In 2017, the band won the award for top social artist at the Billboard Music Awards. The same year, they appeared on popular American shows like "The Late Late Show with James Corden," "Jimmy Kimmel Live," "Good Morning America," and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." They also made their debut performance in the U.S. at the American Music Awards.

So, why are they as extremely popular in the West as they are in the East despite the fact their songs are mostly sung in Korean language? Experts say apart from their catchy music and well-choreographed videos, it's the group's presence on social media that has done wonders. BTS has over 20 million followers on Twitter and 13 million on Instagram. The band also has its own official YouTube channel called "Bangtan TV" with 21 million subscribers.

Group member Jin told Billboard Korea that he was not even pursuing music when he landed in the industry. "I might have turned out to be a farmer because I used to do farming when I was in middle school … My uncle talked me into this," he said.

Rapper RM revealed on NBC's "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" how he watched American sitcoms to improve his English. "Thanks to my mother, she bought all the season's DVDs … Firstly, I watched with the Korean subtitle. And then next time, I watched it with the English subtitle, and then I just removed it."

In 2018, BTS became the first K-pop group to perform at the Billboard Music Awards. In April this year, BTS with their album "Map of the Soul: Persona" became the first group since The Beatles to earn three No. 1 spots on the Billboard 200 album chart in less than a year. The band secured its first No. 1 spot with "Love Yourself: Tear" last June and then with "Love Yourself: Answer" in September.

Since their first release, BTS has collaborated with big artists like Halsey, Nicki Minaj, and The Chainsmokers. BTS also became the first K-pop band to address the United Nations in September 2018. 

So where does BTS go from here? The break is unlikely to last for more than two months since they have concerts scheduled for October. Fans of the biggest music band, since The Beatles, expect them to rule the global charts for years to come.