J-Hope has enlisted in the South Korean military for his compulsory 18-month service. The decision has made him the second BTS member to join after Jin started his service in December 2022.
All the group members showed up 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 a hashtag on social media.
J-Hope wrote a goodbye message to fans and shared photos of his new buzz cut. Military service for Korean men is compulsory, with exemptions for athletes and specific musicians and dancers.
Read on to find out more.
J-Hope Becomes Second BTS Member To Begin His Military Service
On April 18th, fans received the news that BTS member J-Hope had begun his compulsory military service. The music star has joined the 36th Infantry Division recruit training center for five weeks of basic training. After that, he’ll be transferred to an official station for service.
The 29-year-old shared the news of his enlistment with a post to Weverse, a popular Korean fan platform. The post included photos of his new buzz cut and a message that read, “I love you, Army. I’ll see you again. I’ll have a good trip.”
According to Daily Mail, a video of a black van carrying J-Hope to his boot camp went viral on social media before the news got verified. Hybe Corp, the parent company of the band’s agency, Big Hit Music, then confirmed his enlistment to the press.
The remaining boy band members will reportedly have their enlistment one by one as time passes. In October, Hybe Corp released a statement saying the band was going on a brief hiatus where each member would focus on their solo career until after military service.
The BTS Members Gave Him A Send-Off
All BTS members, including RM, Suga, Jin, Jungkook, and V, showed up to send off J-Hope. Photos showed them playfully patting his head as they posed for photos, a Korean tradition. Fans didn’t expect that Jin, currently on active duty, would be present, so it was a fun surprise.
The photo of the boys patting J-Hope’s head was captioned, “J-Hope, we love you.” V then shared the post for fans on his Instagram Story, and RM reposted another photo with the caption, “See you soon… brother.” This message from the singer sparked speculation that he’ll be the next member to enlist for military service.
BTS Fans Also Showed Up To Support J-Hope
Asides from the BTS members, hundreds of fans also showed up to send off J-Hope. Many rented buses customized with his face and supportive words to transport them to the base. Big Hit had previously released a statement pleading with fans not to travel there for whatever reason.
When Jin enlisted, thousands of fans supported J-Hope by posting supportive messages on social media. Many hashtags related to his enlistment and wishing him Goodluck for service were trending. One hashtag, #UntilWeMeetAgainJHOPE, went viral because fans hoped there would be a reunion soon.
Military Service In Korea Has Special Exemptions
In South Korea, all abled men must enlist for an 18-month military service. The conscription system was created to deter North Korean leaders from any invasion or act of war against the South. The law allows postponement to the age of 28 and a further extension to 30 for those in the entertainment industry.
The conscription law allows special exemptions for South Korean athletes, traditional and classical musicians, and dancers. However, this is if they have attained high levels of recognition, received prizes in high-level competitions, and obtained national privilege. 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 created a lot of public controversies. At the time, Defense Minister Lee Jong-Sup argued for the band to sign-up because it would promote fairness among the people.
