All Of BTS Members Have Reported For Mandatory Military Service

It looks like "ARMY" will not see their faves for a while, as BTS's remaining members depart for mandatory military service in South Korea.

The four K-pop superstars have now joined their other three colleagues, who have gone months deep into their military service, leaving behind legions of fans and memories.

V, one of the K-pop stars, broke the news to their teeming fans on Tuesday in an emotional letter alongside pictures and selfies. The post uploaded on the Korean social media app Weverse read:

"I will miss you very much. Honestly, I regret I will not be able to make happy memories with ARMY for the time being. If it weren't for that, it's all fine, but that's the most difficult. After these long 18 months I will return healthier, so please take care of your health ARMY and find happiness in the day to day. And 'tada! I'm back' — I will return."

V, enlisted alongside Jimin, Jungkook, and RM, will now serve with older BTS members Jin, j-hope, and Suga who were enlisted late last year and early this year respectively. BTS's latest act is in accordance with South Korea's law, which mandates every able-bodied male from ages 18-28 to participate in military service for 18-21 months.

While some celebrities and athletes, like soccer star Heung-min Son, have been exempted from service in the past, BTS members will complete their service. The group had previously been granted a two-year extension on the mandated service which means they had enough time to prepare for the journey.

NBC News shared that the seven boys will come back together again in 2025 after completing their service as V encouraged their fans to exercise patience in the concluding part of his post.

Nearly 20,000 men have been jailed over the past 70 years for refusing to do the mandatory service based on religious or moral grounds, with most being Jehovah's Witnesses.

However, a new alternative was drawn out for defaulters per Aljazeera, which allows them to apply to work as janitors, cooks, or civilian administrators in prisons instead of serving terms.

These are trying times for fans of K-Pop as all seven stars have now temporarily left the scene, thus confirming their greatest fears. Earlier in the year, The Blast reported a significant decline in K-Pop's popularity worldwide as the first set of BTS members left for their service.

The impact of their exit was immediate as sales plummeted worldwide, slowing down the exponential growth of the South Korean genre, which BTS has spearheaded for a few years now.

The all-male group regularly sold out stadiums worldwide, topped chart lists, and raked in billions of dollars for their country's economy, achieving a status of cultural phenomenon. BTS producer and HYBE label president Bang Si-Hyuk also testified to the crisis as he said:

"Their absence is the first reason. I think it is clear that BTS inactivity as a group plays a major role in this trending change."

The group's break was a bitter pill for their teeming fans, who initially sought to get them exempted, but the Korean defense minister insisted. According to the defense minister, the uproar from fans caused an unhealthy discourse along the lines of equity and inequality as he reiterated that only dancers, musicians, and athletes are allowed to bow out of service.

He added that the "DNA" singers did not fall under the "musician" category, as they are considered artists from pop culture, hence the need for them to fulfill their duties.

Fortunately, the boys had previously expressed their willingness to obey the clarion call when it was time and were fully backed by their record label when they announced it on their official account.

The decision was met with unwavering support from their initially upset fans, who now understood nothing could change their minds. However, the band got authorization to perform at national-level events while in service, so their fans will get to see them sing their hearts out at state functions.

This clause makes the 18-month waiting period more manageable for fans of the South Korean sensation.