Today, a second member of K-pop boy band BTS was discharged from mandatory military service and his eldest bandmate was there to greet him as he took his first steps off-base. J-Hope, the group’s rapper and third-oldest member, completed his 18-month enlistment as of today, October 17, and met up with a flower-bearing Jin, who had recently completed his own service, as well as around a hundred fans, according to Reuters. While the entire band had reunited for Jin’s discharge, it looks like duties kept the rest of the Bulletproof Boy Scouts from being able to put on a similar show for J-Hope.
While the group is reportedly aiming for a 2025 reunion (although that’s not guaranteed, according to their agency’s CEO), they’ve got a slew of other projects on the table during their ongoing hiatus. For J-Hope, that could include a follow-up to his March 2024 EP, Hope On The Street, Vol. 1, and the J. Cole-featuring single, “On The Street.” With bandmate RM teaming up with Megan Thee Stallion for “Neva Play,” there’s a wide-open opportunity for more collaborations alongside American rappers to ensure BTS’ name remains buzzing as they wait for the rest of the band to complete their mandatory enlistments.
You can check out a video of J-Hope leaving his base here.