Four members of the superstar South Korean boy band BTS successfully completed their mandatory military service on Tuesday and Wednesday, welcomed home by hundreds of adoring fans and offering patriotic statements thanking the nation’s armed forces and encouraging fans to be kind and warm to soldiers.
BTS is by many metrics the most successful music act in the history of South Korea, attracting international acclaim and selling tens of millions of albums before the members enlisted in the military. They broke Billboard chart records and are the first group to have Korean-language songs nominated for American Grammy Awards.
The band went on hiatus in 2023 after confessing to exhaustion, allowing the members to use their time to complete their mandatory military services. South Korean law requires all able-bodied men to serve in the military for a period of between 18 to 21 months. Most men have until the age of 28 to enlist; BTS’s members received an extension through age 30 but most enlisted before reaching that milestone.
BTS began its hiatus shortly after a visit to the White House to support anti-racism efforts by the administration of President Joe Biden.
The two discharged on Wednesday are members Jimin and Jungkook. The two completed 18 months of military services without incident, serving in the Army’s 5th Infantry Division Artillery Brigade in Yeoncheon, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency detailed.
Their discharge became a massive celebration attracting hundreds of people on Wednesday, apparently causing the two members some anxiety.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been in front of a camera, and I’m a bit embarrassed because I didn’t even put on makeup, so I don’t know what to say,” Jongkook joked.
Jimin enthusiastically praised soldiers and encouraged the boy band’s fans to express gratitude to any members of the military they encounter.
“It was my first time in the military, and honestly, it wasn’t an easy place. If you see soldiers passing by, I’d be very grateful if you could even just say a warm word to them,” he advised.
Jungkook similarly thanked every servicemember at the camp, emphasizing that they took “such good care” of him.
Their discharges followed those of bandmates RM and V on Tuesday. The two similarly received a warm homecoming at a soccer field in Gangwon province and effusively praised the South Korean military and encouraged patriotism. RM, who reportedly served in a military band, offered a celebratory saxophone performance as the two were showered in flowers.
RM, who has a record of patriotic as well as pro-American public statements, downplayed their personal contributions to the military, instead emphasizing the hard work of full-time servicemembers.
“We probably had one of the shortest military terms in history, and conditions have really improved,” RM told reporters, according to the Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo. “There were difficult moments, but service helped me understand how much our freedom to perform relies on those protecting the country.”
“I’m thankful to the fans who waited. I’ll focus on the album and return to the stage soon,” he added.
V offered gratitude to the soldiers as well, and hopes they remain safe in their duties.
“I hope they complete their duties without injury. As for me, I’ll do my best to live as a better person out in the world,” V said.
The first two members to complete their military services were vocalists Jin and J-Hope. RM also famously celebrated Jin’s discharge in June 2024, the first to complete his service, in June 2024 with a saxophone performance of the band’s hit “Dynamite.”
다녀왔습니다! pic.twitter.com/MpNo4Miio1
— 방탄소년단 (@BTS_twt) June 12, 2024
The last member of the band still serving is Suga, who is expected to be discharged from his role as a social service agent on June 21.
While not an explicitly political group, BTS has repeatedly lent their voice to various causes and publicly praised the South Korean military, as well as its relationship with the United States. In 2020, the group offended the Communist Party of China for thanking American troops for defending the country as part of agreements during the Korean War. Communist Party propagandists condemned group member RM for thanking American troops, allied with South Korea, and not Chinese troops, who were actively at war against South Korea during active hostilities of the Korean War.
Receiving the Korea Society’s James A. Van Fleet Award in October 2020 – an award for extraordinary contributions to U.S.-Korean relations, RM stated, ““The Korea Society’s 2020 Annual Gala is especially meaningful, as this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Korean War.”
“We will always remember the history of pain that our two nations shared together and the sacrifices of countless men and women,” he emphasized.
BTS also made an appearance at the White House in 2022 to condemn “Asian-American hate crimes.”
“To put a stop to this and support the cause, we’d like to take this opportunity to voice ourselves once again,” Jimin said in the White House press room.
The band paused its music activities shortly after meeting with President Biden. Band members confessed during a live broadcast that they were “going through a tough time right now” and felt they were being worked as “machines” and needed distance from the industry.
