YEONCHEON, South Korea (AP) 鈥� Jin, the oldest member of K-pop supergroup BTS, began his 18 months of mandatory military service at a front-line South Korean boot camp Tuesday as fans gathered near the base to say goodbye to their star.
Six other younger BTS members are to join the military in coming years one after another, meaning that the world鈥檚 biggest boy band must take a hiatus, . Their enlistments have prompted a fierce domestic debate over whether it鈥檚 time to revise the country鈥檚 conscription system to expand exemptions to include prominent entertainers like BTS, or not to provide such benefits to anyone.
With and surveys showing sharply split public opinions over offering exemptions to BTS members, their management agency said in October that all members would perform their compulsory military duties. Big Hit Music said that both the company and the members of BTS 鈥渁re looking forward to reconvening as a group again around 2025 following their service commitment.鈥�
Jin, who turned 30 earlier this month, entered the boot camp at Yeoncheon, a town near the tense border with North Korea, for five weeks of basic military training together with other new conscript soldiers, the Defense Ministry said. After the training involving rifle shooting, grenade throwing and marching practices, he and other conscripts would be assigned to army units across the country.
About 20-30 fans 鈥� some holding Jin鈥檚 photos 鈥� and dozens of journalists gathered near the camp. But a vehicle carrying Jin moved into the camp without him getting out. The BTS official Twitter account later posted photos showing Jin with other members, likely at the camp, with a message saying: 鈥淥ur bro!! Have a safe service!! Love you.鈥�
One image showed smiling members touching Jin's shaved head.
鈥淚 want to wait (for) Jin and see him go into the military and wish him all the best,鈥� Mandy Lee from Hong Kong said before Jin鈥檚 entrance to the camp.
鈥淎ctually it鈥檚 complicated. I wanna be sad. I wanna be happy for him,鈥� said Angelina from Indonesia. 鈥淢ixed feelings. He has to serve (for) his country.鈥� Angelina, like many Indonesians, uses only one name.
A couple dozen fans could be seen as a small turnout given Jin鈥檚 huge popularity. But Jin and his management agency had earlier asked fans not to visit the site and notified them there wouldn鈥檛 be any special event involving the singer, in order to prevent any issue caused by crowding.
Authorities still mobilized 300 police officers, soldiers, emergency workers and others to maintain order and guard against any accidents. Strict safety steps were expected as South Korea is still reeling from the in October in Seoul that killed 158 people.
Jin 鈥� whose real name is Kim Seok-jin 鈥� wrote on the online fan platform Weverse earlier Tuesday that 鈥淚t鈥檚 time for a curtain call.鈥� He posted a photo of himself Sunday with a military buzz cut and a message saying, 鈥淗a ha ha. It鈥檚 cuter than I had expected.鈥�
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. But the law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have won top prizes in certain competitions and enhance national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers aren鈥檛 given such benefits even if they gain worldwide fame and win big international awards.
Jin had faced an impending enlistment because the law disallows most men from further delaying their military service after they turn 30.
鈥淭hose in the pop culture sector experience little bit of disadvantages and unfairness, compared with those in the pure art sector or athletes," Jung Duk-hyun, a pop culture commentator, said. "This will likely continue to be an issue of controversy so I wonder if it must be discussed continuously.鈥�
Exemptions or dodging of duties are a highly sensitive issue in South Korea, where the draft forces young men to suspend their studies or professional careers. Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup previously said it would be 鈥渄esirable鈥� for BTS members to fulfill their military duties to ensure fairness in the country鈥檚 military service.
Chun In-bum, a retired lieutenant general who commanded South Korea鈥檚 special forces, said the government must move to repeal any exemptions as the military鈥檚 shrinking recruitment pool is 鈥渁 very serious鈥� problem .
BTS was created in 2013 and has a legion of global supporters who call themselves the 鈥淎rmy.鈥� Its other members are RM, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook, who is the youngest at 25. The group expanded its popularity in the West with its 2020 megahit 鈥淒ynamite,鈥� the band鈥檚 first all-English song that made BTS the first K-pop act to top Billboard鈥檚 Hot 100. The band has performed in sold-out arenas around the world and was even invited to speak at United Nations meetings.
Hybe Corp., the parent company of Big Hit Music, said in October that each member of the band for the time being would focus on individual activities scheduled around their military service plans. In October, Jin released 鈥淭he Astronaut,鈥� a single co-written by Coldplay.
Jung, the commentator, said solo projects could give BTS members much-needed time to develop themselves after working together as a group for many years. But Cha Woo-jin, a K-pop commentator, said it鈥檚 unclear if BTS would enjoy the same popularity as a group when they get together again after finishing their military duties in a few years.
In August, Lee, the defense minister, said BTS members who are serving would likely be allowed to continue practicing and to join other non-serving BTS members in overseas group tours.
Cha said K-pop鈥檚 global influence wouldn鈥檛 be hurt much because of BTS members鈥� enlistments as they 鈥渁ppear to represent K-pop but aren鈥檛 everything of K-pop.鈥� Jung agreed, saying that other K-pop groups like , Stray Kids and aespa could rise further.
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Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea.
Hyung-jin Kim And Juwon Park, The Associated Press
