BTS Global Superstars Will Perform Mandatory Military Service In South Korea On representatives of the group said on Mondayconfirming a move long feared by their army of fans.
The seven band members will all fulfill their obligation to serve and will not request any further delays or special exemptions, BigHit Music said in a statement. He said the eldest member, Jin, would be the first to serve, with the stars expected to reunite as a group again around 2025 after fulfilling their service pledge.
Jin, 29, had faced potential enlistment from early next year after turning 30 in December, with BTS members already granted a two-year extension. It had left a cloud over the band’s future and divided the country on whether to let the beloved band delay further or skip the project altogether.
According to South Korean law, all able-bodied men must serve 18 to 21 months in the military to defend themselves against the threat from the country’s nuclear neighbor, North Korea. But the law allows special exemptions for some, including athletes, musicians and others who enhance the country’s prestige.
BigHit Music said in the statement that the K-pop stars are “honoured to serve” their country.
The music agency said it was the “perfect time” for the announcement after a “phenomenal concert to support Busan’s bid for the 2030 World Expo”.
Jin is expected to start the process to join the military as soon as his solo release schedule ends at the end of October, the group’s agency said.
Other band members plan to do their military service based on their own individual plans, BigHit Music said.
“Since BTS’s inception over a decade ago, the group has achieved international success, broken records, and catapulted K-pop into the global stratosphere,” the agency said.
The agency said it was waiting for “the decisive moment when it would be possible to meet the needs of the country and for these healthy young men to serve with their compatriots, and that is now.”
The decision comes after South Korea’s military signaled in recent weeks that it wanted to draft members of the K-pop supergroup for compulsory service.
Lee Ki Sik, commissioner of military personnel administration, told lawmakers earlier this month that it was “desirable” for BTS members to perform their military duties to ensure fairness. Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup made similar comments during a parliamentary committee meeting.
The plan forcing young men to suspend their professional careers or studies, the avoidance of military duties or the creation of exemptions is a very sensitive issue.
BTS announced a hiatus from the group’s musical activities to pursue solo projects in June, raising questions about their future.
Associated press contributed.
