My assessment that BTS would lose half of its popularity by now and another half by end of 2024 seems to be correct as BlackPink was named the top KPop act and NewJeans named the biggest act in Korea.
Jungkook's efforts kept the fire of BTS going but it is now extinguished and there would be no BTS going around for the first half of 2024, giving Min Heejin an exclusive control over Hybe.
I have not seen someone who turned into solo at the age of 31 and became a super star.
Justin Timberlake turned solo at the age of 21, Bad Bunny also at 21, Harry Styles at 23.
BTS' archenemy debuted as a soloist at the age of 15.
Jungkook's first solo album came out when he was 26.
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Given Bang was trying to use Jungkook to push singers Bang felt like pushing, it is likely that Bang wanted to push JK's solo career till at least well into next year.
So it is likely that RM, who is said to have a lot of influence over JK, who convinced JK to finish the military services earlier so BTS could operate as a whole in 2025 , primarily to thwart Min Heejin's plans to order BTS around.
It seems Taehyung working with Min Heejin, showing her influence over in Hybe, alarmed RM who knows her ambitions and her desire to order BTS around.
And I think this was the last straw.
This battle is a battle between RM and Min Heejin for the control of Hybe's future, with Bang pushing whoever is bringing more profit to him. Basically it is Bang's fault to allow this kind of situation to arise.
So Jungkook is sacrifice like a pawn in this game of chess between RM, smart but less experienced, and Min Heejin, shrewd and very experienced in corporate politics. The Japanese, who excels making corporate dramas, might make a show about this , transformed into some japanese entertainment company, in the future.
However, JK will be the greatest victim of this corporate drama. The fans he gained in this round of promotion will be lost by 2028, the first year he can really resume his solo activities. Bang gave JK a carrot to allow his own brand merchandise, but it seems Hybe will get a cut.
JK's enlistment makes BTS' archenemy, who did contribute to the downfall of BTS to some significant degree,albeit indirect, the greatest soloist in Korean history of all time.
At age 31, will he realize even half of the potentials he is giving up now? I seriously doubt it. In 2028 he will realize that things are not as good as he had expected in 2023. It would not matter whether he overdoes BTS' archenemy by then - the archenemy will be 35 (1,349) and won't really care too much by that point of time.
Corporate politics consuming a great solo careeer.