Tag: BTS

Another BTS member is taking the first steps to complete his mandatory military service obligation:

BTS artist j-hope began the enlistment process for his stint with the South Korean military, his record label announced, making him the second member of the Korean-pop group to do so.

The rapper-singer, whose real name is Jung Ho-seok, applied to end his postponement of the mandatory 18-month service.

“We will inform you of further updates in due course,” BIGHIT Music wrote on Weverse. “We ask you for your continued love and support for j-hope until he completes his military service and safely returns. Our company will spare no effort in providing support for our artist.”

The 29-year-old follows fellow BTS star Jin, 30, who began his mandatory service in December. South Korea requires most men to enlist in its military by age 28, but entertainers can push back their stints until they’re 30.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

Add this to the list of things you can’t do in South Korea, sell a K-Pop star’s lost hat:

Prosecutors have summarily indicted a former foreign ministry employee on charges of attempting to sell BTS member Jungkook‘s lost hat online for 10 million won (US$7,950), legal sources said Tuesday.

The former government employee, whose identity has been withheld, allegedly shared a photo of the bucket hat on an online flea market, claiming the K-pop superstar had left it at the ministry building in Seoul when he visited to apply for a passport.

The seller further said he had acquired the ownership of the hat since no one came to claim it for six months after it was reported as lost property. Following controversies, he deleted the post and surrendered voluntarily to police.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office investigating the case has summarily indicted him, seeking a punishment of fines for embezzlement charges.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

It sounds like BTS is going to have easier mandatory military service than even most KATUSAs have, but at least they are doing their service unlike others who have found ways out of it:

Members of K-pop super group BTS will be able to participate in “national” events for the “public good” even while serving in the military, the defense ministry said Tuesday.

Col. Moon Hong-sik, the ministry’s acting spokesperson, made the remarks a day after Big Hit Music, the band’s agency, said all BTS members will fulfill their military service, starting with the eldest member, Jin.

“Our position is that we will provide an opportunity if they wish to participate when there is a national-level event for the public good or an event designed in light of the national interest,” Moon told a regular press briefing.

He added that such an opportunity can be granted to other service members under current regulations. 

Earlier this month, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup told a parliamentary audit that BTS members will be able to join even overseas performances during their military service.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Considering how many other celebrities have completed their mandatory military service it is only fair that BTS completes their service obligations as well:

All members of K-pop supergroup BTS will go to the military to fulfill mandatory service, starting with the oldest member Jin, the band’s agency said Monday.

“Jin will revoke his request to delay his conscription at the end of this month and will follow conscription procedures required by the Military Manpower Administration,” Big Hit Music said in a public notice to the local bourse. “Other members will fulfill their military duty in turn according to their individual plans.”

Jin, born in 1992, had his conscription delayed till the end of this year under the Military Service Act revised in 2020.

In South Korea, all able-bodied men are required to serve in the military for about two years. But the current law allows global award-winning athletes and classical musicians recommended by the minister of culture, sports and tourism to do alternative services in their respective fields instead of serving in active military duty.

Bills that would include globally recognized male pop culture artists, like BTS, in the program are still pending at the National Assembly amid a lingering debate over whether the K-pop giant should get exemptions in recognition of its contribution to improving the country’s brand image.

With Monday’s decision, the septet will pause working together as a group for the time being.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but BTS is expected to rejoin as a musical group in 2025 when everyone should have their mandatory military service completed.

My opinion has always been that there has been plenty of Korean celebrities that have completed their mandatory military service. BTS should be expected to do the same thing:

South Korea may conduct a public survey to help determine whether to grant exemptions to mandatory military service to members of the K-pop boyband BTS, officials said Wednesday.

The issue of active military service for the band’s seven members has been a hot-button topic in South Korea because its oldest member, Jin, faces enlistment in December, when he turns 30.

Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup told lawmakers that he ordered officials to implement a survey quickly. He said his ministry will also look into various other factors such as BTS’s economic impact, the importance of military service and overall national interest.

After his comments created a stir, his ministry clarified in a statement that Lee ordered officials to examine whether such a survey is needed, rather than launch it immediately.

Associated Press

You can read more at the link.

I don’t like the alternative military service for celebrities especially since a number of celebrities went and completed their military service and successfully restarted their careers afterwards:

Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon has proposed allowing the members of K-pop superband BTS to replace their military duties with alternative service as public relations ambassadors for the city’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo, officials said Thursday.

The government formally appointed the septet last month as a PR ambassador in charge of promoting the Expo bid, for which Busan is competing with cities in Italy and Saudi Arabia. 

Mayor Park recently made the proposal asking the presidential office to grant BTS the alternative military service benefit currently available to athletes and artists who helped elevate national prestige or cultural advancement, according to officials.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

It seems to me that BTS is just leaving the door open to reunite if their attempt at pursuing solo projects doesn’t work out. I guess we will see what happens:

K-pop supergroup BTS flatly rejected rumors Thursday that the band is taking steps to disband itself following its recent announcement of a pause in group activities.

“We’ll try to show good performances either as a team or individuals,” RM, the band leader, said in a post to Weverse, a K-pop fan community platform.

He said he has received the most phone calls in his nine-year career since the band unveiled its plan to take a break from group activities in order to focus more on solo projects in a YouTube video Tuesday.

The abrupt announcement sent a shock wave through fans and news media, both inside and outside the country.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.