Jin, (full name Kim Seok-jin) the oldest member of K-pop super group, BTS has begun his mandatory military service in South Korea.
The 30-year-old will spend the next 18 months in uniform after crossing into the Yeoncheon army base in northern Gyeonggi province.
Military service is compulsory in South Korea, where all able-bodied men are required to serve in the army for 18 months by the time they are 28 years old.
South Korea’s parliament passed a bill in 2020 allowing pop stars – namely those who “excel in popular culture and art” – to delay their service until the age of 30.
In October, BTS’ record label said that all seven members of the group were planning to undertake military service and are expected to reconvene as a group around 2025.
Jin’s service will begin with a five-week basic training course before being assigned to a unit, based on standard practice.
Since their debut in 2013, BTS have become worldwide superstars earning No. 1 singles in more than 100 countries, more than 46 million followers on Twitter and awarded Time magazine’s Entertainer of the Year in 2020.
