Jin, a member of the K-Pop super group, begins military service at the dawn of a new era
The ARMYs “I Love You” should not be attending the training center for a young musician in South Korea, as reported by the SingAP News Agency
In August, the country’s defense minister said the military might allow them to perform overseas while in uniform, according to the news agency.
By law, all able-bodied South Korean men must serve in the military for 18-21 months under a conscription system established to deal with threats from North Korea. Athletes, classical and traditional musicians and ballet dancers can be granted exemptions from the law if they have won top prizes in a competition that enhances national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers aren’t given such benefits even if they gain worldwide fame and win big international awards.
Pop stars who excel in popular culture and art can be deferred their service until they reach 30 under a bill passed by the parliament in 2020.
Jin is turning 30 this year and the band will be taking a break in June to pursue solo projects, but members are making plans to serve.
The record label said that it wanted to respect the needs of the country and the healthy young men who were joining the military and that the time was now.
A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed that Jin will serve in the South Korean army next month and that he will ask fans to stay away from his training center.
“Reports have come out against my will, but our ARMYs (BTS fans), should not come to the training center,” he wrote. “It could be dangerous because the place will be crowded with many people besides me who are coming. ARMY, I love you.”
The BTS Army: The First Grammy Nomination in 2023 and First Grama Award Winner Kim Seok-jin & Lee Hey-Kyoung
Since their debut, they have become worldwide superstars, earning a No. 1 ranking in more than 100 countries, with more than 48 million followers on micro-blogging website, and their first grammy nomination in 2020.
When the group was shut out from a grammy nomination last year, their devoted fan base called themselves the “BTS Army” and went on to defend their music on social media. They have been nominated for three Grammy Awards in 2023.
Numerous banners along the roadway welcomed Jin and the other recruits to the base, which is less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the Demilitarized Zone that separates South Korea from North Korea.
Among the conscripts joining the 5th Infantry Division Tuesday was Kim Seok-jin, 20, from Daejon – who shares the same full name as the superstar recruit.
Kim showed off his new buzz haircut while waiting outside of a restaurant with his parents, and was nervous as he waited to go inside.
Lee Hey-Kyoung, a 40-year-old from the Republic of Korea, combined multiple modes of transportation to get to the base Tuesday morning.
Park Si-woo, 23, who underwent training at the base in 2021, told CNN that Jin will likely find himself in barracks with about 40 other recruits sharing bunk beds.
Jin will get in touch with fans through letters that fans can send online, which will be printed out and given to him. Military officials said Jin would get limited access to his cell phone at the weekend.
One thing Jin and the other recruits may appreciate is the food, Park said, adding: “We were given a lot of snacks during the training – beef jerky, butter waffle snacks, and drinks.”
“Army”: a global organization that helps people find their way in life. And why does Mandy Lee want to go into the military?
A study in the year of 2019, showed that they were an important part of the South Korean economy and brought in $4.9 billion in revenue.
A legion of global supporters who call themselves the “Army” support a creation of this name. There are six members of the group, two of which are younger than 25. The group expanded its popularity in the West with its 2020 megahit “Dynamite,” the band’s first all-English song that made BTS the first K-pop act to top Billboard’s Hot 100. The band has performed in sold-out arenas around the world and was even invited to speak at United Nations meetings.
“I want to wait for Jin and watch him leave and go into the military and wish him good luck,” said Mandy Lee, who lives in Hong Kong.
It’s complicated. I wanna be sad. I wanna be happy for him,” said Angelina from Indonesia. “Mixed feelings. He has to serve (for) his country.” Angelina, like many Indonesians, uses only one name.
Why is a South Korean soldier’s military service necessary? Comment on a Facebook post by the retired lieutenant general Kim Seok-jin
Given Jin’s huge popularity, a few dozen fans could be seen as a small turnout. Jin’s management agency had told fans not to visit the site because he wouldn’t have a special event if there was too much crowding.
The army says that they still have 300 police officers, soldiers, emergency workers, and others mobilized to keep order. Strict safety steps were expected in the wake of the Halloween crush in South Korea 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 posted a photo of himself Sunday with a military buzzcut and a message saying, “Ha ha ha. It’s cuter than I had expected.”
The retired lieutenant general is of the opinion that the military’s diminishing recruitment pool is very serious because of the country’s declining fertility rate. He called a debate over BTS’s military service “unnecessary” as it wasn’t raised by BTS members, who have shown willingness in carrying out their duties.
South Korea has a highly sensitive issue of exemption or dodging duties where young men are drafted and forced to stop their studies or careers. Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and Lee Ki Sik, head of the South Korea’s enlistment office, had previously said that it would be “desirable” for members to fulfill their military duties.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2022/12/13/1142420801/bts-jin-south-korea-military-duty
“The Astronaut” as a Signature of a Future Heavy-J-Hope Label & MTV/Tumblr
In October, the parent company of Big Hit said that the band members would focus on their own activities while they are in the military. In October, Jin released a song called “The Astronaut”.
While another member of the world’s biggest boy band is putting his music career on hold to join the South Korean military, he is planning to 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.
According to Big Hit Music, the group plans to be back as a group around 2025, though it will take them a break for a while.
