As the boy band BTS continues its hiatus, four more members will begin their compulsory military service. The boys are from South Korea.
This indicates that every one of BTS’s seven members is currently enlisting in the South Korean military or has already joined.
According to a statement released by the band’s record firm BIGHIT Music, “We would like to inform our fans that RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook have initiated the military enlistment process.”
“The artists are preparing to fulfill their military service duties. We will inform you of further updates in due course,” it added.
Nearly all physically capable men in South Korea are obligated to serve in the army for 18 months by the time they are 28.
In 2020, a bill was enacted by the South Korean parliament that let pop stars, or those who “excel in popular culture and art,” to postpone serving until they are thirty years old.
The band’s label declared in October 2022 that all members would enlist in the military, with Jin, the oldest, being the first to do so.
In June of 2022, Jin reached thirty years old, and the band said that they would be taking a hiatus from group musical endeavours to focus on solo endeavours.
Suga and J-Hope, two members, enlisted earlier this year.
Around 2025, BTS is expected to reunite as a group, per BIGHIT Music.
According to the record company, the band has been considering when to enlist in the military “to respect the needs of the country and for these healthy young men,” and the moment was “now.”
Seven people made up BTS when it was founded in 2013: RM, Jin, V, J-Hope, Suga, Jimin, and Jungkook.
With number one hits in over 100 countries, the band went on to become internationally famous.
BTS was the most played K-pop artist and the fifth most streamed musician globally on Spotify in 2022.