Military service no longer seen as end of K-pop star's career

Members of K-pop titan BTS pose with Jin, center, before he enters boot camp at Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, to start his mandatory military service, Dec. 13. Captured from BTS' Twitter

SNS, military musicals become tools for stars to communicate with fans during military service

By Dong Sun-hwa

Will K-pop titan BTS be able to continue its winning streak?

With the group's oldest member Jin, 30, starting his compulsory military service on Dec. 13, the first BTS member to do so, many people now wonder how his temporary absence ― as well as the enlistment of other members over the next few years ― will affect the Grammy-nominated group's future prospects.

Under Korean law, all able-bodied men should join the armed forces and serve for about 18 months. International award-winning classical musicians and athletes are exempted from service for “elevating the national prestige,” but there is no exemption for K-pop singers.

In the past, many stars felt they might be forgotten if they stayed out of the public eye for too long due to their military service. Therefore, some of them even attempted to dodge the draft, which resulted in criminal punishment and the ruining of their careers.

Nonetheless, this is a thing of the past now. Thanks to the diversification of platforms and the global popularity of K-pop, singers can now keep their luster regardless of their absence. This is the reason that experts, including music critic Han Dong-yoon, paint a rosy picture of BTS' future.

“It seems the septet's popularity will remain unfazed,” Han told The Korea Times. “Male celebrities were required to serve for about two years in the past, and they were mostly out of the public's radar during that period because TV was the sole platform for their exposure.”

Until 2011, Korean men had to fulfill their duty for 30 months, but the term was shortened to 18 months in 2020.

“Today, however, there are various platforms like YouTube where their management companies can upload some pre-made content or photos and videos showing their lives in the military,” Han added. “K-pop singers can also use their cellphones when they are off-duty and communicate with their global fans on social network channels.”

Baekhyun of K-pop boy group EXO / Courtesy of SM Entertainment

Beginning in July 2020, the Ministry of National Defense permitted soldiers to use their phones inside the barracks when not on duty. Hence, many stars ― including Baekhyun of K-pop boy group EXO who started his service last May ― have been actively interacting with their followers on social media platforms during their free time.

“I came here as soon as I woke up today because I missed you all too much,” reads one of Baekhyun's latest Twitter posts shared in October.

Military musicals have also played a pivotal role in connecting K-pop stars with their fans, giving devotees the rare opportunity to meet the stars while they are in the military. In a bid to enhance the public image of the military and promote patriotism, Korea's Army has been staging original musicals featuring enlisted celebrities since 2008, such as “Shinheung Military Academy” (2018-19).

One of its biggest hits was “Return: The Promise of the Day” (2020), which starred some of the most celebrated K-pop icons like EXO's Xiumin and D.O. and SHINee's Onew. It was a story about those who excavate the remains of soldiers who died protecting their country during the 1950-53 Korean War. The musical was livestreamed online due to the COVID-19 pandemic and attracted some 2.5 million viewers, according to the Army.

The poster for the musical, “Return: The Promise of the Day” (2020) / Courtesy of Insight Entertainment

K-pop fans can still catch a glimpse of their much-missed idols through the military's promotional activities, Han added.

“Many singers are part of the military band and they frequently take part in the military's promotional activities,” he commented. “This is another way they can meet their fans in person while they are on their military hiatus.”

While one member is in the military, his bandmates who have been discharged from duty or have not yet started their service, can also help the groups keep their momentum by forming sub-units or going solo. In the case of the boy band BTOB, four members ― Eunkwang, Changsub, Minhyuk and Peniel ― created a sub-unit called BTOB 4U when two members ― Hyunsik and Sungjae ― were in the military, putting out new releases and even joining Mnet's survival show, “Kingdom: Legendary War” (2021). EXO members have been actively forging their solo careers as well, with Kai unleashing his solo EP, “Peaches,” last year.

However, all of these efforts might have been futile, had it not been for the support of ardent K-pop fans.

“K-pop's international popularity has led K-pop acts to build solid fandoms, thereby extending their life spans,” Han pointed out. “Now, time spent in the military no longer means the end of the singer-fan relationship, but rather a time for refreshment and improvement … Being faithful to their duty can even enhance the image of singers, as the public sees them as being more responsible.”