All seven members of K-pop super group, BTS have made the decision to serve their mandatory service with the South Korean military.
The announcement was made on Monday by the group’s record label ending speculation about the boy band avoiding the national duty. In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18-28 must serve in the military for about two years.
Jin, the group’s oldest member aims to start the process at the end of the month. The six other BTS members also plan to serve in the military and are “looking forward to reconvening as a group again around 2025 following their service commitment,” the statement from the label said.
Back in 2020, South Korea’s parliament passed a bill allowing the biggest K-pop stars to delay their military duties until the age of 30. Jin turns 30 this year, and the youngest member of the group is 24.
After enlisting, BTS will receive five weeks of combat training before being assigned to specific units and duties, according to officials at the Military Manpower Administration, who stressed that the singers would go under the same process as other South Korean men.
However, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup said in August that if BTS members join the military, they would likely be allowed to continue practicing and to join with the group for tours overseas.
