J-Hope has enlisted in the South Korean army for 18 months of mandatory service. The decision makes him the second BTS member to join after Jin begins his service in December 2022.
All members of the group were present to send off J-Hope, including RM, Suga, Jin, Jungkook, and V. Fans also sent off the music star by showing up with customized buses and trending hashtags on social media.
J-Hope wrote a goodbye message to fans and shared a photo of his new buzz cut. Military service for Korean men is compulsory, with exceptions for certain athletes and musicians and dancers.
Read on to learn more.
J-Hope Becomes Second BTS Member To Begin His Military Service
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On April 18, fans received news that BTS member J-Hope had begun his mandatory military service. The music star has joined the 36th Infantry Division recruit training center for five weeks of basic training. After that, he will be transferred to the official station for service.
The 29-year-old shared the news of his registration with a post on Weverse, a popular Korean fan platform. The post included a photo of her new buzz cut and a message that read, “I love you, Army. I will see you again. I will have a good trip.”
follow Daily Mail, a video of a black van taking J-Hope to his training camp went viral on social media before the news was confirmed. Hybe Corp, the parent company of the group’s agency, Big Hit Music, later confirmed its participation to the press.
The remaining members of the boy group will reportedly register themselves one by one as time goes on. In October, Hybe Corp released a statement saying the group would be taking a short break where each member would focus on their solo careers until after their military service.
BTS Members Give Him Farewell
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All BTS members, including RM, Suga, Jin, Jungkook, and V, showed up to send off J-Hope. The photo shows them patting each other’s heads while posing for a picture, a Korean tradition. Fans didn’t expect Jin, who is on active duty, to show up, so it was a fun surprise.
A photo of the boy patting J-Hope’s head was captioned, “J-Hope, we love you.” V later shared the post for fans on his Instagram Stories, and RM reposted another photo with the caption, “See you again… bro.” A message from the singer sparked speculation that he would be the next member to join the military.
BTS fans also attended to support J-Hope
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Apart from BTS members, hundreds of fans also came to see off J-Hope. Many chartered buses are customized with his face and words of support to transport him to the base. Big Hit previously released a statement pleading with fans not to go there for any reason.
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When Jin signed up, thousands of fans supported J-Hope by posting messages of support on social media. Many hashtags related to his registration and wishing him Goodluck for his service are trending. One hashtag, #UntilWeMeetAgainJHOPE, went viral as fans hoped for a reunion soon.
Military Service In Korea Has Special Exemptions
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In South Korea, all men with disabilities must register for 18 months of military service. The conscription system was created to prevent North Korean leaders from any aggression or acts of war against the South. The law allows a delay to age 28 and an extension to 30 years for those in the entertainment industry.
Conscription laws allow special exemptions for South Korean athletes, traditional and classical musicians and dancers. However, this is if they have achieved a high level of recognition, received prizes in high-level competitions, and received national privileges. This exemption does not apply to K-pop stars, actors and entertainers.
South Korean lawmakers previously debated exempting BTS and other K-pop stars, but this caused much public controversy. At the time, Defense Minister Lee Jong-Sup argued for the group to register because it would promote justice among the people.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
