According to their management organization, members of the K-pop band BTS will complete their necessary military service under South Korean law, essentially ending a discussion over exempting them due to their creative achievements.
Jin, the band’s eldest member, will retract his request to defer his enlistment at the end of the month and begin the compulsory conscription procedures, according to Big Hit Music.
According to the company’s warning to financial regulators, the six other members also want to serve in the military, defined as management-related information that might potentially impact investment decisions.
Big Hit released another statement on Twitter, claiming that the company and BTS members “looking forward to reconvening as a group again around 2025 following their service commitment.”
There was no more information provided on the timing of their service. According to their label, the band members played together in Busan over the weekend to support the city’s EXPO bid, which will be their final concert as a group until they finish serving in the military.
“Each BTS member for the time being will focus on their individual activities based on their plans to serve in the military,” Hybe Corp., the parent company of Big Hit, said.
The declaration came after Lee Ki Sik, the Military Manpower Administration’s commissioner, told legislators earlier this month that it would be “desirable” for BTS members to fulfil their military responsibilities to guarantee justice in the country’s military duty.
According to authorities at the Military Manpower Administration, after joining, Jin and other BTS members will complete five weeks of military training before being assigned to particular units and assignments. The vocalists will go through the same process as other South Korean males.
While South Korea’s military has assigned enlisted artists to responsibilities connected to creating radio and television material supporting the military for years, the “entertainment soldier” system was phased out in 2013 due to complaints about fairness.
In August, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup stated that if BTS members join the military, they will most likely be permitted to continue practicing and return to the group for abroad tours.
Whether BTS members must serve in the army was a fiercely contested topic in South Korea as Jin prepared to enrol early next year. Jin will reach 30 in December when men can no longer avoid military service.
Most able-bodied males in South Korea are obligated to serve 18-21 months in the military. However, special exemptions have been provided for sportsmen and artists who achieve in particular international events linked to national prestige.
Because South Korea’s draft disrupts young guys’ professional pursuits or education, evading military service or obtaining exemptions is a very contentious topic. Opinion polls in recent weeks revealed that the public was divided on whether BTS members should serve in the military.