Global K-pop stars, BTS, have announced that they're taking a musical hiatus in order to carry out enforced military service over the next few years, starting with band member Jin, who is the oldest of the group at 29 (he will turn 30 in December).
The group have been aware that this day was coming for a while, as they had previously asked to delay their mandatory service in order to continue focussing on their pop careers. In South Korea, laws dictate that all fit and healthy young men (between the ages of 18 and 28) must complete a minimum of 18 months in the army, a rule put in place by the government so that there is ample defence ready should North Korea deploy any nuclear weapons.
In the past, some South Koreans have been allowed to serve shorter stints, such as high-level athletes (e.g. Olympians), something decided by the authorities. Previous campaigns have petitioned for BTS to be exempt too, and were met with a mixed response.
In a statement, the band's management team (BIGHIT MUSIC) said, according to Reuters: "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. 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.
"Jin will cancel his request to delay enlistment in late October 2022 and follow the Military Manpower Administration's relevant procedures for enlistment."
The other six members of the group - V, Suga, Jungkook, RM, Jimin and J-Hope - will also serve the required military stint, although not immediately, and share hopes that they will reunite in 2025.
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A separate statement from the band's management team said, "Both the company and the members of BTS are looking forward to reconvening as a group again around 2025 following their service commitment."
This break won't come as a huge surprise to fans on the band, who announced a pause back in June in order to focus on individual passion projects.
Two BTS albums have reached number one in the UK charts, according to Official Charts. The group were also the first ever K-pop band to land a Top 40 hit single on the UK's Official Singles Chart.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
