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MANILA, Philippines – BIGHIT MUSIC confirmed on Monday, October 17, that members of iconic K-pop group BTS will fulfill their military service in South Korea.
“After the phenomenal concert to support Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030, and as each individual embarks on solo endeavors, it’s the perfect time and the members of BTS are honored to serve,” they said in a statement.
The group’s oldest member Jin will be the first to enlist in the military, after he finishes the schedule for his solo release, which is set for the end of October. Jin first teased about his still unnamed solo project during the Yet to Come concert on Sunday, October 16, but additional details have yet to be announced.
“[Jin] will then follow the enlistment procedure of the Korean government. Other members of the group plan to carry out their military service based on their own individual plans,” the label continued.
BIGHIT MUSIC added that the members of the BTS are looking forward to reconvene as a full group again “around 2025.”
In the meantime, the agency said the members will “take some time to explore individual projects.”
“As part of the HYBE family, we support and encourage our artists and are beyond proud that they will each now have time to explore their unique interests and do their duty by being of service to the country they call home.”
In recent months, the topic of BTS’ mandatory military service has been put into the spotlight especially with Jin turning 30 next year. Under a 2019 revision of the law, all able-bodied South Korean men are required to serve in the military for 18 months before they turn 30, with few exceptions.
In July, Yoon Sang-hyun, a lawmaker who proposed the amendment to include three-week training for K-pop stars, said that the extent to which BTS had raised South Korea’s profile through “soft power” should be taken into account when considering their military service.
In August, South Korea’s defense minister Lee Jong-sup said that BTS might still be allowed to continue performing while they’re in the military.
Ostensibly the biggest K-pop group in the world, BTS made their debut in June 2013. The seven-member group announced in June that they’re taking a break. – Rappler.com
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