Kim Rahn is the managing editor of The Korea Times. Since joining the company in 2003, she has covered various beats including the presidential office, Seoul city government, the Bank of Korea and the tourism industry. In 2014, she won the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) award for her coverage of the ordeals of migrant women in Korea.
Jin of BTS to fulfill mandatory military service from end of this year
Jin of K-pop group BTS / Courtesy of HYBE
By Kim Rahn
Other members to follow suit, hope to resume group activity in 2025
By Kim Rahn
Jin, the oldest member of K-pop juggernaut BTS, will begin his compulsory military duty soon, the group's agency, Big Hit Music, said, Monday.
The announcement comes amid ongoing discussions at the National Assembly on revising the Military Service Act to exempt the seven members of the boy band from military service to recognize their contribution to the country's culture industry, or at least to partially allow their group activities during the service.
Big Hit Music made a public announcement: “Jin will apply to cancel the delay of his military service at the end of this month and follow the Military Manpower Administration's (MMA) conscription procedure afterward.”
The agency said the other members will fulfill their duty one by one according to their individual plans, adding they thought it is the right time to make the announcement after finishing a concert in Busan on Saturday to support the city's bid to host World Expo 2030.
“The agency and the members hope they will be able to resume group activities in 2025 (after all of them finish the service), but for now it is not easy to specify exactly when it will be. So each member will focus on individual activities for the time being according to their military service schedule.”
BTS performs during the “Yet to Come in Busan” concert, held to support the port city's bid to host World Expo 2030, at Asiad Main Stadium in Busan, Saturday. Courtesy of Big Hit Music
The agency and Jin, who is 30 years old, have delayed his conscription until the end of this year according to a 2020 revision to the Military Service Act, which allows a person in the entertainment industry to postpone the draft until the age of 30 if the person has received state medals and the culture minister recommends him for the postponement for his contribution to elevating national prestige. The revision at the time in 2020 was practically made for BTS, as it became a global sensation by conquering the Billboard chart ― the first Koreans to do so.
Even after the 2020 revision, debate has continued on whether to allow the boy band members to be exempt from conscription entirely ― the current law allows exemptions for top-performing athletes and artists, mostly medalists at the Asian Games or Olympics and award recipients at designated national or international classical music and art competitions.
As a result, calls have grown to include those in the entertainment sector to be included on the military service exemption list if they have significantly contributed to the promotion of the country's image abroad.
But there have also been calls not to allow this, citing “fairness” with other young men.
BTS members pose during the 64th Grammy Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, April 3. Courtesy of Big Hit Music
Amid divided public opinion, the culture ministry, the MMA and the National Assembly have been discussing the controversial issue in recent months ahead of Jin's forthcoming enlistment. This situation has also left BTS members and their agency uncertain about their future plan.
But the members have continuously said they would fulfill their duty when the time comes.
“Military service is a duty and I'll comply with it when the state calls me,” Jin said in a press conference in February 2020.