BTS News Today Mandatory Military Service Debate Rekindle K-Pop 2022 Jin Latest Band Update

BTS News Today Mandatory Military Service Debate Rekindle K-Pop 2022 Jin Latest Band Update

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BTS rekindle debate about military service in South Korea

A sudden decision by South Korean boy band BTS to stop performing live has reignited discussion over compulsory military duty in a nation that sets global pop-culture trends while contending with a long-standing Cold War threat.

All able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28 are required to serve in the military for around two years as part of attempts to guard against a hostile North Korea, which is a very divisive issue in South Korea.

Over the years, specific categories of men have been granted exemptions, allowing them to postpone service for a predetermined amount of time or perform shorter service. These categories include men who are top in their competitive disciplines, such as classical musicians and dancers, as well as men who win medals at the Olympics or Asian Games.

Under a 2019 revision of the law, globally recognised K-pop stars were allowed to put off their service until the age of 30.

A new legislation that would allow K-pop singers to complete just three weeks of military training is currently being discussed in parliament.

For BTS and in particular for the band's oldest member, known to fans as Jin, the outcome of the deliberations in parliament will be momentous.

The seven members of BTS have long been portrayed by the band's management firm as eager to fulfill their obligations, but as time passes, the reality of their two years of full-time military service becomes increasingly clear.

According to Yoon Sang-hyun, the legislator who introduced the amendment to include three weeks of training for K-pop singers, waiting for parliament to make a decision has been extremely stressful for Jin and his band mates and is the main reason they are taking a vacation from performing.

The members cited exhaustion and the need for rest as the main reason but the real reason was Jin's military service,, Yoon told Reuters.

The extent to which BTS had raised South Korea's profile around the world through soft power should be taken into account when considering their military service, Yoon said.

The band's Big Hit management business is one of the organizations that makes up the Korea Music Content Association, and its secretary-general, Choi Kwang-ho, described the wait for a decision as agonizing.

The young artists have been tortured with hopes that never come true,, Choi said.

A Gallup survey conducted in April found that 33% of South Koreans opposed the measure exempting internationally successful K-pop stars from mandatory military service, with nearly 60% supporting it.

Although Big Hit official Lee Jin-hyung stated at a news conference in Las Vegas in April that certain band members were experiencing hard times due to uncertainties surrounding the legislative discussion, the band and their management business have refrained from commenting on the topic.

Adding pop culture artists in the scope of art and sports personnel who are eligible for the exemption requires careful consideration in terms of fairness, a ministry official said.

Seo Chang-jun, 20, said he understood why Olympic winners got an exemption but wasn't sure about BTS.

All Koreans support the same team at the Olympic Games, however not every Korean supports BTS.