K-pop group BTS will not be exempted from mandatory military service

Korean pop sensation Bangtan Sonyeondan also known as BTS, will not be exempted from the mandatory military service. The seven-member boyband will have to enlist to the military when the members hit 28 years of age as per Korean government norms.  According to reports, their oldest member, Kim Seok Jin, will be the first person to enlist in military services, since he is a 92’ liner and will hit the required age for the service in 2020. 

Also Read | BTS Promises To Return Bigger And Better Post Three Wins In AMAs 2019

Previous speculations

BTS has brilliant credits when it comes to promoting the Hallyu Wave or the Korean Global Wave, which is basically promoting Korean television and music content to the world. With their performance at the international platform like the Video Music Awards and the American Music Awards, BTS brought the limelight to the K-genre. They are the biggest contributors to the music earnings in the country single-handed. The group is reportedly creating several records and have also received the national government recognised cultural awards. According to a local news agency, Park Yang Woo, the minister of culture and sports, had tried to pass a motion for their exempt from the mandatory military service. However, the parent company of BTS, BigHit, curbed all the speculations around the exempt. The confirmation on when the group members will start enlisting is still unclear, as there is no official statement from BigHit. Even the government has not declared any exemption.

Also Read | BTS: Jungkook's Solo 'Euphoria' Reaches 100M Streams On Spotify

What is the Mandatory Military Service?

The Korean Conscriptions for Mandatory Military Service requires healthy and able-bodied men to join the military before they hit the age of 28. The South Korean military and the North Korean Military are still active on negotiations at the DMZ, Demilitarized Zone. However, post the Korean War, which affected the two nations tremendously in loss of infrastructure and lives, the country prepares its men for any possible fluctuations through the service. Thus any individual irrespective of any career is compulsorily expected to join the military. Some sports and traditional cultural contributors are exempted in rare cases. However, exempting a K-pop group is still under debate.

Also Read | Know K-Pop's New SM Entertainment Band 'Super M' Which Was Announced Recently

Also Read | BTS Members Are Now The First K-group To Appear On International Magazine Cover