Fans of the popular K-pop seven-men band have been heartbroken by the recent enrollment of the BTS in the Army.
The eldest member of the boy band, Jin, enrolled in a military training facility close to the North Korean border in December of last year, just after turning thirty.
This marked the start of the BTS recruitment process. A few months later, Suga and J-Hope joined, and on Monday, RM the group leader, and V joined as well.
Jimin and Jungkook, the final two members of BTS, enlisted in the military on Tuesday.
Why is BTS in Army?
All physically fit men in South Korea are required to enlist in the military by the age of thirty and serve for a period of 18 to 21 months.
Men who have made other contributions to their country, such as prominent athletes or classical musicians, were granted some exceptions.
The South Korean government discussed whether BTS members should enlist in the military prior to Jin’s enlistment because the group has significantly influenced the country’s cultural dissemination and economic growth.
However, in the end, it was determined that the group’s seven members should report for duty as scheduled.
Will the BTS Crew Ever Reunite?
BTS’s management said last year that the group would get back together “around 2025,” but in the meantime, the members might provide surprise performances for their fellow soldiers, as other K-pop celebrities have done before.
Meanwhile, RM shared a heartfelt message on his Instagram page before leaving.
He wrote “I’ve been so happy to have been a part of BTS for the past 10 years … Eighteen months can feel both long and short at the same time and I’m sure this period will be a strange and new time of inspiration and learning for all of us. See you in the future. I love you a lot.”
Before being assigned to particular units and responsibilities, RM and V will undergo five weeks of combat training.
