Fans celebrate BTS star Jimin, Jung Kook's ultimate mandatory Korean military campaign
Hundreds of fans gathered in the early morning to catch a glimpse of K-Pop superstars Jimin and Jung Kook, the latest and last member of BTS, who will retire from South Korea's mandatory military service.
The two men wore military uniforms on Wednesday, saluting them and paying tribute to their fans, who gathered to see the couple after being discharged from the hospital.
Jung Kook thanked journalists and fans for going to meet him and Jimin fans after they were discharged from the hospital and admitted how different it was to be back in the spotlight.
“Actually, it's been a long time since I've been on the camera, and I don't even wear makeup, so I'm a little embarrassed,” he said. “I don't know what to say.”
The two in December 2023, the day after RM and V did the same day.
The latter was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday.
Supporters travel from around the world to meet and green public stadiums. It moves from the gate of the military base for security reasons.
Buses with color-packed faces of BTS members line up on the streets, while red and yellow balloons float on them. A decorated food truck provides free coffee and water for added festive atmosphere.
Many supporters wore masks and realized the potential rebound after the band’s record label refused to attend, citing safety concerns.
The star is the oldest member of K-Pop Mega-Group, serving for 18 months. Kim is the first member of BTS to complete South Korea's mandatory state services.
Despite the challenges, fans like Anaesi of Portugal say that Yeoncheon's 20-hour journey is a small town near the tense border with North Korea, which is worth it.
“Portugal is a small country, but within Portugal, BTS is the king,” she said. Anaesi, who found BTS on YouTube, said the group “saves” her from depression.
“For me, BTS is my angel,” she said. She showed off a colorful upper arm tattoo with a golden shield engraved with “army” and an eagle, and was supplemented by Korean text listing the names of BTS members and those of her friends.
V thanked fans on Tuesday for their patience waiting for his and RM to return and teased the band’s reunion.
“If you can wait longer, we will return with a very good performance.”
Seven singers from the popular K-Pop band are planning to reunite their service sometime in 2025.
Six of the seven members of the group served in the military, while Suga was performing the duties of a social service agent, an alternative form of military service. He will be discharged later this month.
Jin, the oldest BTS member, was discharged from the hospital in June 2024.
J-Hope was discharged from the hospital in October. In South Korea, the law requires all sound men aged 18 to 28 to serve 18-21 months under the conscription system to prevent hostile North Korea.
The law provides special exemptions for athletes, classical and traditional musicians as well as ballerinas and other dancers if they receive the highest award in certain competitions and are evaluated as enhancing the national prestige.
K-Pop stars and other artists are not subject to such privileges. However, in 2020, BTS delayed its service until the South Korean National Assembly amended its military service laws by the age of 30, allowing K-Pop stars to postpone their enlistment to the age of 30.
In 2022, a special exemption on whether to provide mandatory military service to BTS members is until the organization's governing body announced in October 2022 that all seven members will perform their duties.
Nothing is a foreigner27:24From Stars to Service: BTS’s Military Dilemma
In many ways, the Korean boy band BTS is excellent. The group sold out stadiums around the world, adding about $3.6 billion to their family economy each year. But in one key aspect, each of its seven members is completely ordinary. Just like every young man in South Korea: they must enlist before they are 30 years old. Last week, Kim Seok Jin, the group’s oldest member (renamed Jin), began his deployment in Eunjo County near the North Korean border. What has nothing on Monday is the foreigners, and we will all the different arguments in the debate about BTS, South Korean recruitment and the use of K-Pop idols as the ultimate diplomatic messenger. Features: Michelle Cho, professor of East Asian Studies at the University of Toronto, BTS fan.
