K-Town

BTS‘ RM, V, Jimin and Jung Kook are all gearing up to begin their mandatory South Korean military service. The group’s agency, BIGHIT Music, announced on Tuesday (Dec. 5) that the four men will enlist and being their stint in the nation’s army, following on the heels of fellow members Jin, J-Hope and Suga, who are already enlisted.
“Thank you to the fans who always love BTS. We would like to provide follow-up information regarding the military enlistment of RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook,” BIGHIT said in a statement on Weverse. “RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook are enlisting as active-duty soldiers in the Army to fulfill their military service obligations,” it continued. “RM and V are scheduled to enlist according to their own procedures, and Jimin and Jungkook are scheduled to enlist together, so there will be no separate official event on the day of their entry into the recruit training center.”

At press time no additional information was available on the exact date of enlistment for the men.

As in the past, the agency noted that the new recruit training camp entrance ceremony is typically attended by the soldiers and their families, asking that members of fan group ARMY refrain from visiting the site during the ceremony to prevent overcrowding and avoid unsafe conditions. “We ask that you only give a warm send-off and encouragement to RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook with your heart,” it read.

BTS announced in June 2022 that the group was taking time apart to allow each man time to focus on solo ventures as their enlistment period approached; South Korean law requires all able-bodied men between 18-28 to serve a two-year military stint.

Military service requirements have hung over the members of the group since they launched nearly a decade ago, with eldest member Jin the first to begin his stint. While the country allows for some elite athletes and classical musicians to avoid the mandatory military stint, there is currently no similar exemption for pop artists. 

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All the members of BTS are now either preparing to enlist in the South Korean military or already doing their mandatory service. The K-pop supergroup’s label, Big Hit, announced on Tuesday (Nov. 21) that the final four singers awaiting the start of their enlistment — RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook — have begun the […]