Well..I personally do not believe in the theories of them being "inside" the cult, as to taking part in rituals, or sacrifices, or under MK Ultra. I have expressed my opinion as to why I don't believe it, so I can only offer my opinion from a more pragmatic point of view, or at least something which does not involve rituals, or sacrifices.
What sells is the maknae. I barely see or remember Yoongi, Namjoon or Hoseok in general, even though they had solo mixtapes out which were NOT AT ALL promoted, so BigHit is clearly out there only to sell them all together as much and as long as possible and is using solo project for his benefits and damaging actually the rappers.
Doing too much in order to promote a solo project will damage the group and the perception of it in general - to that a little bit later.
I've listen to all their mixtapes, it was a bad decision to use those 3 people somehow as an "appetizer" to boost BTS's appeal while their solo projects came and went away with even less exposure than a new photoshoot.
You have military enlisting coming up slowly for all the rappers. Which means solo maknae it's a joker card that Bang is holding into his pockets for the time when losses are going to be even bigger than now.
Without knowing much at the beginning about kpop and their entire history in general, when I have discovered BTS and heard about the rapper's each solo mixtapes, I've already thought back then, that solo projects for the "maknae" will only happen if the others either enlist, or, if the band disbands he will go with Jungkook because he screwed Taehyung for good.
When it comes to maknae - Jimin is God forbidden that guy opens his mouth to sing. And he's weird on camera. But the gay factor undeniable, so he will sell with that, when time comes.
To me it was obviously that Bang Si-Hyuk put all his solo hopes in Jungkook and has been grooming him for later, as well as preparing the fans for his solo career after BTS. He already is considered to be the "soloist" of the band, that was cleverly done as manipulation. By preparing the fans for years now with Jungkook as the main attraction, he made sure that Jungkook won't receive the usual backlash of someone as a former member of the band going solo, which happened everytime a band member went solo. First of all it was their fans fury over a member quitting the band, so breaking their fantasies.
He cannot promote Jungkook and Taehyung AND the band (I have mentioned earlier that promoting one solo project more, will take away people's focus on the band). He also can't have them both with solo tapes, especially not at the same time because they will cancel each other. And not to forget - he put Jungkook in the front and Taehyung in the back for the past years.
He's only using Taehyung as a promotion dumbtool. Nobody else in the band has more fans than Taehyung. I'm almost scared to see what kind of crazy things people are doing to "celebrate" Taehyung's birthday.
So the situation with Jungkook and Taehyung's solo mixtapes it's a bit shaky as a business decision and unfortunately it will be one based on Bang Si-Hyuk's and the company's needs and not what's good for the members. Well, as always.
Since they had this big slap on the face with Corona, I wouldn't be surprised if Jungkook and/or Taehyung do release mixtapes this year, in the end Bang Si-Hyuk is making hundreds of millions of losses, that were obviously planned as income, he must have a lot of creditors that he owes money to.
I've spoken about it in my posting regarding their new building costing I believe around 15 millions per year only to rent (or something around it). Obviously they were estimating double the amount from what they've made from their touring last year to pay many of their runnings costs and now they DON'T have any income, instead huge running costs. They have to pay everyone and keep the company going. But how do you keep a company going, which only exists because of BTS?
With no income, how do you pay at least 2 mil monthly plus staff plus your own living costs? ////
Let's not forget - as for now, BigHit instead of already 100 - 200 millions on their bank account from only a few weeks of touring, if it wouldn't have been for corona, have NOTHING. ZERO.
If he releases anything solo related, it will be because of money. But then again, it will affect the band's image as a hole.
If he's giving out solos of Jungkook and Taehyung too early, it might have a backlash once you will see one or the other member enlisting for military. Maybe fans will say - Nah, I'd rather pay to see Jungkook solo, than BTS without Namjoon, or Taehyung. Or Hoseok.
Also...pardon me...but...What is Jin supposed to do with a solo mixtape? Who would listen to that? Jimin?
Whoever goes into acting, he won't have a chance in a serious movie. That person will always be one of BTS's singers, it will affect the output of the movie. None of them have any acting experiencing, Taehyung might have been all cute and actually not bad at all in Hwarang, but that was years ago and especially it was during a time where Taehyung wasn't so obsessed about how he looks and desperate for attention. I believe Taehyung now would have issues doing a simple role.
Any director taking any of them for a movie, would discredit himself.
I would like to point out to another aspect of the issue - what they are doing is unprofessional.
If you want to be a rapper, BE a rapper. Assume the responsibility of going on stage and performing for one hour. NOT in front of children obsessed with you. In front of fellow rappers. How many rappers do you think would come to listen to shorty Yoongi who never had one concert in his life... none of them have any history as rappers or musicians. They all hide behind the 100+ staff deciding about what they're about to do.
I looked over Yoongi's mixtape credits. He doesn't have one song that was fully written and produced by him.
At the same time it must be frustrating for at least Yoongi to know he cannot have a solo career not just because of BTS, but because of his own fault, it must be frustrating for Namjoon to know that noone will look at him without BTS and as far as Jungkook and Taehyung goes - like both of them said - without BTS they are nothing.
Obviously they don't have what it takes to go solo (long term). Look at Justin Bieber - he was equally the typical cute young guy who had massive success because girls went crazy over him. But dude knew how to perform and had 1000+ concerts on his own.
Those boys don't know what it actually means to go on stage and perform the music. They never had one concert on their own without obsessed fans.
My conclusion is that it's simply a business decision. Everything Bang Si-Hyuk does with BTS is business decision and what's good for him and not what's good for the members. He kept Jungkook and Taehyung for the time when he will need the most a boost. And he will do whatever it takes to promote Jungkook and less Taehyung.
p.s. 1. Hoseok's video looked equally, if not much more expensive. The visual aspect of the band it's what sells the most. Girls fanning over their look, this is why they all invest so much into how they look, how their video looks, how their booklet looks,etc. How EVERYTHING looks.
p.s. 2. Either I am missing something, but isn't like all their mixtapes have been released only as digital?? and Not physical? Like BTS are doing? With promotion, and photoshooting, and and and different versions? And you wanna tell me that this doesn't smell fishy..
