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Fans of the K-pop band BTS have known for years that a day would come when all seven of its members would do mandatory service in the South Korean military.
That day arrived on Tuesday. For many fans of BTS, who call themselves Army, seeing their favorite musicians in the army was as painful as they expected. Any reunion concert, after all members have completed their military service, is at least a year and six months away.
For those of you keeping track of time: That’s about 547 days, 13,128 hours or 47 million seconds.
BTS’s list began last December, when Jin, the group’s oldest member, entered a military training center near the North Korean border shortly after his 30 years. Members J-Hope and Suga joined a few months later, followed by RM, the leader of the group, and V on Monday. (Suga is doing another form of military service as a member of social services.) The last two members, Jimin and Jungkook, started their military service on Tuesday.
The standard lease in South Korea is 18 months. Band management said last year BTS will reunite “around 2025,” but until then, members of the group may secretly show up for their teammates, as other K-pop stars do. during their registration.
The band’s release ends a decades-long debate in South Korea over whether BTS members should have been exempted from conscription.
Although able-bodied men over the age of 18 are required to serve in the South Korean military, some exceptions are made, including for Olympic champions and some classical music competition winners. international. Pop stars, however, are not qualified, a fact that has caused debate as to whether BTS has earned one because of its contributions to South Korea’s economy and foreign culture.
In 2020, South Korea’s parliament amended a law to allow cultural and artistic films to extend their registration to 30 years, up from two years from 28. (Jin, born in (1992, would have been required to register in 2020 if not. for review.) But lawmakers stopped short of creating a new class of exemptions for entertainers.
The government is facing pressure not to expand the exemptions. For years, many young South Koreans have questioned the fairness of the draft system, wondering why the opportunity is open to high-profile athletes and not ordinary people. As the country grapples with a declining birthrate, the Ministry of Defense has announced its desire to eliminate all births.
This week, many members of BTS took to social media to introduce themselves to the private life.
RM, whose real name is Kim Namjun, was written on the social media website Weverse on Sunday that “the day has come.”
“Look at the future,” he added.
On Monday, V, whose real name is Kim Taehyung, released photos of his new short, a requirement for employees to begin their five-week basic training program.
“Actually, I’m fine with the fact that I won’t be able to make happy memories with ARMY for now,” he wrote, referring to the band’s happy slogan. The acronym stands for Adorable Representative MC for Youth.
BTS fans posted many tributes to the band’s members on social media this week, and the emotions ranged from sadness to hope.
Last week, the group’s music label, Big Hit Music, encouraged fans in a statement to avoid exposure to registration sites to “prevent accidents.” Newcomer sessions are reserved for family members. There are no special events scheduled for members, according to the award.
South Korea’s Ministry of Defense has not released any public information this week about the participation of BTS members.
However, there were signs that were not normal signs. On Monday, for example, a bus pulled up at the main gate of a military base in the South Korean city of Nonsan with its exterior displaying a V-shaped image next to a microphone.
“V Day,” it said.