11-12-2023 (SEOUL) Two more members, RM (Kim Nam-joon) and V (Kim Tae-hyung), commenced their mandatory South Korean military service on Monday (Dec 11), as reported by local media. The remaining duo, Jimin and Jungkook, are expected to enlist on Tuesday.
Under South Korean law, all able-bodied men are required to complete at least 18 months of military service. The group’s oldest member, Jin, began his service last year, and subsequently, J-Hope and Suga followed suit earlier this year.
RM and V initiated their five-week basic training at an army boot camp in South Chungcheong province on Monday, according to the Yonhap news agency. RM, who serves as the leader of BTS, shared a heartfelt message with fans on social media platform Weverse, expressing that the upcoming period would be “a time of learning and new inspirations.” He bid farewell, saying, “Goodbye for now. Let us be us, whenever and wherever! Let’s meet in the future.”
V, in real life Kim Tae-hyung, posted selfies featuring his newly shorn, military-approved buzzcut along with sunglasses and a scarf on his Instagram account. He shared his excitement, stating, “It has been a dream to wear sunglasses with a shaved head. I wanted to try it someday, and it worked out well.”
During a Weverse livestream, V expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “I’m excited. Even though those I’ll be going to the military with may be younger than me, I think I’ll be able to learn new things by talking to them.”
BTS, a septet, has achieved global stardom, selling out stadiums worldwide, dominating key US charts, and contributing significantly to South Korea’s economy. Their international fanbase, known as ARMY, has further solidified their cultural impact.
Bighit Music, the label representing BTS, confirmed in November that the last four members of the group would be entering military service, but additional details were not disclosed. This development marks a notable chapter in BTS’s journey, and fans around the world are expressing support for the members during this period of mandatory service.
