BTS‘ team has released a statement confirming the seven band members will go through with South Korea’s mandatory military service, after years of speculation. The group say they are “honored to serve.”
In South Korea, every able-bodied man between the ages of 18 and 28 must complete 18-21 months of military service. In 2020, the law was revised to allow those who have excelled in the field of popular art to defer their enlistment until turning 30. Up until recently, the Korean government was still debating on possible alternatives for the band, including swapping military service for ambassador work.
In the end, BTS have decided to enlist like all their fellow countrymen. Oldest member, Jin, will be the first to join up after completing the promotion schedule for his solo music later this month. Although the exact release date for the 29-year-old’s new music is still unknown, he announced on Saturday he would be releasing a single soon.
All other members are expected to follow Jin’s lead after completing their own individual projects. According to BIGHIT MUSIC’s statement, the band will only resume group activities “around 2025 following their service commitment.”
BTS are just fresh from throwing a massive concert in Busan on Saturday, in support of the city’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo. The concert was attended by over 50,000 fans, and watched on a live stream worldwide by around 50 million others. Throughout, the band members reassured their supporters this would not be their last time performing together, and vehemently asked them to “trust them.”
In the statement, BIGHIT doubles down on this sentiment by referring to BTS’ most recent single “Yet To Come”, saying “it is a promise,” and that “there’s much more yet to come in the years ahead from BTS.”