BIGHIT Music: j-hope is next BTS member to enlist

MANILA, Philippines – Attention, ARMYs! BIGHIT Music confirmed on Sunday, February 26, that j-hope will be the second member of BTS to fulfill his mandatory military service. 

In a statement posted on Weverse, the label said that the 29-year-old rapper has “initiated military enlistment process by applying for the termination of his enlistment postponement.”

The agency did not specify when j-hope will officially begin his service, but assured fans that they will inform them of “further updates in due course.”

They ended the statement by asking fans for their “continued love and support” until j-hope finishes his military service. 

BIGHIT MUSIC confirms that BTS member J-Hope has “initiated his military enlistment process” by applying for the termination of his enlistment postponement. pic.twitter.com/HfSGqOZ8LB

— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) February 26, 2023

Jin, who turned 30 in December 2022, was the first BTS member to enlist. He started his mandatory service a week after his birthday. 

Born Jung Ho-seok, j-hope is the third oldest member of BTS. He turned 29 in February 2023. He released his first solo album Jack in the Box in July 2022 and made history as the first South Korean act to headline the Lollapalooza music festival. 

In South Korea, all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28 are required to do military service of about two years, but the law was revised in 2019 to let globally recognized K-pop stars delay their enlistment until the age of 30.

It was in October when BIGHIT Music first confirmed that BTS will fulfill their mandatory military service – ending a months-long exemption debate. The group is expected to reunite in 2025 after pursuing individual projects. – Rappler.com