As K-pop groups have been gaining more and more global recognition, there have been many debates on the topic of boy bands’ military service. Though many fans have been asking the government to waive the boys’ service, it has come to the conclusion that they will have to serve – including our beloved BTS.
In a press conference with reporters at UNESCO in Paris on November 19th, the culture minister of Korea (Park Yang Soo) stated that he knew very well of BTS’s current standards and that though he personally wished he could allow them to be exempt from their services, the Military Manpower Administration and the Ministry of National Defense were determined to downsize the overall scope of exemption. He also continued to say that the military service in Korea differs from that of the arts or sports, and is quite difficult to institutionalize a waiver system.
Given this current conclusion that the culture minister stated in his press conference, BTS’s Jin, who is soon about to turn 28, will need to enlist in the military next year due to the age deadline.
Until it’s time to say a temporary farewell to the members of BTS as they serve in the military, you can catch more of BTS here: https://www.ondemandkorea.com/k-pop/artists/bts
