Why Does BTS Have To Serve In The South Korean Military?

BTS announced in June that they were going on hiatus as a K-pop supergroup to focus on their individual solo careers. Their hiatus took on a different tone yesterday (October 17), as Big Hit Music confirmed BTS’s hiatus will last until “around 2025” because “the members of BTS are currently moving forward with plans to fulfill their military service.” The reaction from BTS Army was predictably immense and mostly supportive, but why does BTS have to serve in the South Korean military?

According to BBC News, “In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18-28 must serve about two years. The seven BTS members had been allowed to put off starting their military service until they turned 30.” The term for any country that requires military service is conscription.

Big Hit Music’s statement included that 29-year-old Jin, the oldest BTS member, “will initiate the process as soon as his schedule for his solo release is concluded at the end of October. He will then follow the enlistment procedure of the Korean government. Other members of the group plan to carry out their military service based on their own individual plans.” Jin will turn 30 this December.

Read Big Hit’s full statement below.

BIGHIT MUSIC CONFIRMS BTS TO FULFILL MANDATORY MILITARY SERVICE

BIGHIT MUSIC is proud to announce today that the members of BTS are currently moving forward with plans to fulfill their military service. After the phenomenal concert to support Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030, and as each individual embarks on solo endeavors, it’s the perfect time and the members of BTS are honored to serve.

Since the creation of BTS over ten years ago, the band has risen to international success, broken records, and catapulted K-Pop into the global stratosphere. BIGHIT MUSIC has focused to the milestone moment when it would be possible to respect the needs of the country and for these healthy young men to serve with their countrymen, and that’s now. Group member Jin will initiate the process as soon as his schedule for his solo release is concluded at the end of October. He will then follow the enlistment procedure of the Korean government. Other members of the group plan to carry out their military service based on their own individual plans. Both the company and the members of BTS are looking forward to reconvening as a group again around 2025 following their service commitment.
With the release of their first anthology album earlier this year it opened the path to allow the members to take some time to explore individual projects. As part of the HYBE family, we support and encourage our artists and are beyond proud that they will each now have time to explore their unique interests and do their duty by being of service to the country they call home.

‘Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)’ is more than a track from their latest album, it is a promise, there’s much more yet to come in the years ahead from BTS.”