On Monday the management team of globally sensational K-pop group BTS announced all seven members have been deployed to serve their mandatory military duties in the South Korean Military.
South Korean law requires, male citizens between the ages of 18 and 35 to perform their mandatory military services to their country.
However, in December 2020, a Korean law was passed which enabled globally recognized Korean pop stars the choice to defer their military duties for a few more years. This allowed BTS to continue with their successful music career for a couple more years, but their time has now come to complete their service.
Eldest band member, Jin, will be the first to embark on his deployment, “as soon as his schedule for his solo release is concluded at the end of October,” management company, BigHit, announced in the statement via Twitter. The other members of the group plan to carry out their service “based on their own individual plans.”
The band members plan to reconvene around 2025 once their required service is complete.
“Since the creation of BTS over ten years ago, the band has risen to international success, broken records, and catapulted K-Pop into the global stratosphere,” BigHit stated.
Unfortunately for BTS fans worldwide, their deployment will put a damper in their music career for a few years.
BTS fan and third-year liberal studies major, Shelley Asuncion, is one of the many fans across the world who are disappointed to hear about the band’s interruption.
“I’m sad they’re not coming back until 2025. I’ve been wanting to see them perform in concert, and now I have to wait a few more years until they return,” said Asuncion. “But I also see how it would be unfair if they didn’t serve in the army because all men have to serve in it.”
As BTS commences on their military journeys, their management company reiterates their focus on respecting, “the needs of the country and for these healthy young men to serve with their countrymen, and that’s now.”