YEONCHEON, South Korea (AP) — Okay-pop superstars Jimin and Jung Kook are the newest and remaining members of BTS to be discharged from South Korea’s obligatory army service.
The pair wore their army uniforms Wednesday, saluted and addressed followers who had assembled to see the pair after their discharge.
Jung Kook thanked the journalists and followers who traveled to see him and Jimin after their discharge and acknowledged how completely different it was to be again within the highlight. “Actually, it’s been so long since I’ve been in front of cameras, and I didn’t even put on makeup, so I’m a bit embarrassed,” he stated. “I don’t know what to say.”
They enlisted in December 2023, at some point after RM and V did the identical. The latter had been discharged on Tuesday. They saluted upon their launch Tuesday in Chuncheon Metropolis as about 200 followers, a few of whom traveled from Mexico, Turkey and Brazil, cheered.
V thanked followers Tuesday for his or her endurance in ready for him and RM’s return and teased the band’s reunion. “Should you can simply wait just a little bit longer, we are going to return with a very wonderful efficiency.”
The seven singers of the favored Okay-pop band plan to reunite as a bunch someday in 2025 after they end their service.
Six of the group’s seven members served within the military, whereas Suga is fulfilling his obligation as a social service agent, another type of army service. He shall be discharged later this month.
Jin, the oldest member of Okay-pop supergroup BTS, was discharged in June 2024. J-Hope was discharged in October.
In South Korea, all able-bodied males aged 18 to twenty-eight are required by legislation to carry out 18-21 months of army service below a conscription system meant to discourage aggression from rival North Korea.
The legislation offers particular exemptions to athletes, classical and conventional musicians, and ballet and different dancers if they’ve obtained high prizes in sure competitions and are assessed to have enhanced nationwide status. Okay-pop stars and different entertainers aren’t topic to such privileges.
Nonetheless, in 2020, BTS postponed their service till age 30 after South Korea’s Nationwide Meeting revised its Navy Service Act, permitting Okay-pop stars to delay their enlistment till age 30.
There was heated public debate in 2022 over whether or not to supply particular exemptions of obligatory army service for BTS members, till the group’s administration company introduced in October 2022 that every one seven members would fulfill their duties.
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Sherman reported from New York.
