BTS broke the news during their annual FESTA dinner earlier this week and explained it was time to work on their own.
RM was quoted as saying: "I always thought that BTS was different from other groups, but the problem with K-pop and the whole idol system is that they don't give you time to mature.
"You have to keep producing music and keep doing something."
J-Hope added: "I think we should spend some time apart to learn how to be one again. I hope you don't see this as a negative thing, and see it as a healthy plan. I think BTS will become stronger that way."
Suga exclaimed: "It's not like we're disbanding!"
Jimin said: "We can't help but think of our fans no matter what, we want to be the kind of artists that are remembered by our fans.
"I think now we're starting to think about what kind of artists we each want to be remembered by our fans.
"I think that's why we're going through a rough patch right now, we're trying to find our identity and that's an exhausting and long process."
V insisted they were not splitting and vowed the band's "synergy will be like no other" when they regroup.
Jung Kook released a solo single on June 12 called My You, while J-Hope has been announced as a headliner of Chicago's Lollapalooza festival in July.