The Age of the Young People: A Review of a New South Korea’s Military Service Arrangement with the Yoncheon Boot Camp
Jin, the oldest member of the group, hopes to begin his military service at the end of this month, according to the band’s record label.
Military service is mandatory in South Korea, where almost all able-bodied men are required to serve in the army for 18 months by the time they are 28 years old.
South Korea’s parliament passed a bill in 2020 allowing pop stars – namely those who “excel in popular culture and art” – to defer their service until the age of 30.
Jin turns 30 this year, a break in June from group musical activities to pursue solo projects is announced, and members of the band are making plans to serve.
The record label said it has been researching the timing of the military service of the band, to respect needs of the country and healthy young men.
Jin, who turned 30 earlier this month, entered the boot camp at Yeoncheon, a town near the tense border with North Korea, for five weeks of basic military training together with other new conscript soldiers, the Defense Ministry said. He would be assigned to military units across the country after the training involved rifle-shooting, grenade-throwing and marching practices.
Reports have come out against his will, but he wrote that they should not come to the training center. There are many people in the place and that could make it dangerous. I love you.
The BTS Army: The first grammy nominees and first recruits from the 5th Infantry Division from South Korea, Lee Hey-Kyoung
BTS have become worldwide superstars since debuting in 2013, earning No. 1 singles in more than 100 countries, more than 48 million followers on Twitter and their first Grammy nomination in 2020.
Their devoted fan base calls themselves the “BTS Army,” propelling their music and coming to their defense on social media in 2019 when the group was shut out from Grammy nominations. They will be competing in the grammy awards for three years.
Jin and the other recruits were welcomed to the base by several banners along the roadway, less than 10 miles from the Demilitarized Zone that separates South Korea from North Korea.
The conscripts joining the 5th Infantry Division Tuesday were all named Kim, and one of them was Kim, 20, who is from South Korea.
Waiting outside a restaurant across from the base with his parents, Kim showed off his new buzz haircut – the same style Jin had gotten a few days earlier – and said he was nervous as he waited to go inside.
Among the BTS fans outside the base Tuesday was Lee Hey-Kyoung, a 40-year-old from Seoul, who combined subway, bus and taxi rides to make the trip to the base Tuesday morning.
The fans are around about 30. Journalists gathered near the camp to hold Jin’s photos. But Jin didn’t meet them as a vehicle carrying him moved into the boot camp without getting him out.
The recruits must give up their mobile phones, so Jin’s initial contact will be through letters that fans can submit online that will then be printed out and given to him. Jin will have limited access to his cell phone over the weekend.
Park said that they were given a lot of snacks during the training and that Jin and the other recruits may like them.
BTS and Kpop – a problem for the South Korean people, arose in a conflict between military and local community?
They have also become an important part of the South Korean economy – a 2019 study showed BTS was responsible for 0.3% of the country’s gross domestic product with $4.9 billion in revenue.
Cha said K-pop’s global influence wouldn’t be hurt because of the fact that members of the band appear to represent K-pop but aren’t everything of K-pop. Chung agreed, saying that other K-pop groups like BLACKPINK, Stray Kids and aespa could rise further.
“I wish Jin good fortune in the military, I want to wait for him and see him go into it,’” said Lee before Jin entered the camp.
“Actually it’s complicated. I would like to be sad. I want to be happy for him. There are mixed feelings. He has to help his country. Angelina, like many Indonesians, uses only one name.
South Korea’s Halloween tragedy and the lack of military service: a response to a controversial campaign by the popular actor Jin Seok-jin
A couple dozen fans could be seen as a small turnout given Jin’s huge popularity. Jin and his agency told fans that there wouldn’t be any special event for him in order to prevent a crowding problem, which is what happened when they asked the fans not to visit.
Authorities still mobilized 300 police officers, soldiers, emergency workers and others to maintain order and guard against any accidents, according to the army. South Korea is still reeling from the Halloweencrush in October that killed 158 people.
Hours before entering the camp, Jin — whose real name is Kim Seok-jin — wrote on the on the online fan platform Weverse that “It’s time for a curtain call.” He wrote on his photo that “Ha ha ha” and added a military buzz cut. It’s cuter than I had expected.”
The military’s declining recruitment pool is a big problem in South Korea, according to a retired lieutenant general who commanded the special forces. He said the debate over military service was unnecessary as no one showed willingness to carry out their duties.
South Korea requires young men to suspend their studies or professional careers if they are not exempted from the draft. Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and Lee Ki Sik, head of South Korea’s enlistment office, previously said it would be “desirable” for BTS members to fulfill their military duties to ensure fairness in the country’s military service.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2022/12/13/1142420801/bts-jin-south-korea-military-duty
The Astronaut: BTS singer J-Hope is enlisting for mandatory military service in the BTS era of Hybe Corp
Hybe Corp., the parent company of Big Hit, said in October that each member of the band for the time being would focus on individual activities scheduled around their military service plans. In October, Jin released “The Astronaut,” a single co-written by Coldplay.
A member of the biggest boy band in the world is giving up music to join the military but will still release a solo track.
BTS singer and rapper J-Hope is beginning the process of enlisting for mandatory military service, his label announced Sunday, meaning he’ll become the second member of the K-pop sensations to enroll in the army.
BTS announced in 2022 it would take a break for members to pursue solo projects, though they are expected to reconvene as a group around 2025, according to Big Hit Music.