Big Hit Music has revealed on Oct. 17 that all members of Grammy-nominated group BTS will enlist in the military as part of the mandatory duty of all Korean male citizens.
“BIGHIT MUSIC is proud to announce today that the members of BTS are currently moving forward with plans to fulfill their military service,” the agency said.
It added, “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,” it said.
During BTS' concert in Busan, South Korea on Oct. 15, Jin said, "I feel very lucky to have met all of you."
The military service decision by BTS came as agencies of the Korean government are currently debating on whether or not to exempt the group from military service.
Jin, born in 1992, is currently 29 years old and is the oldest member of BTS. He will turn 30 on Dec. 4. Korea has different computations when it comes to age.
Last year, a new law took effect that allowed all BTS members to delay their military service until age 30. All members applied.
BTS announced last June that they were going to take a break from group activities and focus on individual projects.
According to the website of the Military Manpower Administration (MMA), which supervises the military service in Korea, those who will serve in the active duty in Army and Marines will have a duty for 18 months, Navy for 20 months and Air Force for 21 months.
Here is the full statement from Big Hit Music:
"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."
