BTS - Hiatus to fulfill military service.

[no1novice]

BTS presses pause to join military with plans to reunite in 2025

BTS attends the 2022 Grammy Awards in Las Vegas.
(Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic)
By Christi CarrasStaff Writer
Oct. 17, 2022 9:14 AM PT

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The members of BTS are officially “moving forward with plans to fulfill their military service,” the band’s record label announced Monday.

According to Bighit Music, Jin will be the first member of the group to join the South Korean military following the release of his solo project at the end of this month. Jin, V, Suga, Jungkook, RM, Jimin and J-Hope will continue to pursue individual endeavors as they stagger their military commitments and “are looking forward to reconvening as a group again around 2025.”

In South Korea, eligible men between the ages of 18 and 35 are required to complete at least 18 months of military service. The members of BTS range in age from 25 to 29. Jin is the oldest.


“BIGHIT MUSIC has focused to the milestone moment when it would be possible to respect the needs of the country and for these healthy young men to serve with their countrymen, and that’s now,” the label said in a statement.

“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.”
A group of men line up on a diagonal



The announcement comes days after the vocalists performed together in Busan and months after the septet released its three-disc anthology album, “Proof,” comprising greatest hits, remastered tracks, unreleased demos and new songs — including the single “Yet to Come.”

In June, the K-pop stars said they planned to “spend some time apart” and work on solo projects to show fans who they are as individual artists. However, a representative for the band quickly clarified that BTS is “not on hiatus” and would “remain active in various formats.”

www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2022-10-17/bts-military-service-requirement-jin-bighit-music

[dolem]

During the beginning of the pandemic I started listening to Blackpink and then got full into K-Pop. I like it and it's easy to listen to at work when I don't know what half the lyrics mean so it's not distracting. I love some BTS songs. Their voices are gorgeous and their live shows are something else.


From what I read on reddit fans are saying that BTS was frustrated at the S.Korean Gov't for pushing/pulling them around in a will they/won't they be exempt as cultural ambassadors, so they just went for it on their own. I guess the Gov't is now in damage control mode - not entirely sure if that's just a Army opinion or not.

[trixie]

If they have until age 35 to fulfill their duty, why wouldn't they wait instead of taking the break now at the height of their fame?

[mel]

From what I know, it's actually 18 to 28 but a bill passed in 2020 specifically for BTS, basically, lets some delay until they are 30. All of the Korean actors and singers have been waiting until they are 28 to enlist for years.

The Korean Gov't has been dicking around over this issue for years. I think they really wanted to give BTS an exemption because they bring billions to the economy but didn't have enough support from the public. BTS really had to go if they didn't want it to be an issue for the rest of their lives, and they knew it. There are celebs who had legitimate health issues and had to do public service instead of active duty, and they still got crap about it.