Reaching the superstardom status in K-pop has its advantages and disadvantages. Unlike in Hollywood where most celebrities can become famous overnight, idols had to work their way up to the top. In fact, most of the highly-successful artists in the South Korean music industry right now started when they were really young.
So, one of the huge advantages of reaching the superstardom status is that all those hard work and challenges for years are finally paid off. In short, K-pop stars finally get to enjoy the fruit of their labor.
However, one of the major disadvantages is that their career, at one point, will come to a screeching halt. South Koreans, including celebrities, are obliged to enlist in the military by ages 18 to 28. While women are not required to do so, they are allowed to do this duty if they want to.
With that said, BTS members are heading to the military soon. With their career being at its peak at the moment, fans have been hoping for the boys to be exempted from enlisting. Unfortunately for the ARMYS, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook are still obliged to do their military service. If they do not comply, the boys will face several possible punishments.
Article 39 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea states that all citizens have “the duty of national defense.” The law has no exception unless they are Olympic medalists, accomplished international athletes, and other individuals. But, in the music sphere, only classical artists are exempted to the rule. BTS is a K-pop boy group, which means they are not eligible for such exclusions.
Since Jin is the oldest member of BTS, he is the first one to be enlisted. With the singer and songwriter turning 28 in 2020, it is a given fact that Jin is going to be enlisted next year.
Despite the BTS members’ ongoing success, the South Korean law will not adjust for them. After Jin, it will be Suga who’s going to enlist next. Followed by J-Hope, then, RM, Jimin, V, and, lastly, Jungkook.
Meanwhile, Jin is not the only idol who would be enlisted next year. All who were born in 1992, popularly known as the “’92-Liner Idols,” are going to the military as well. Some of the idols who will be serving their compulsory duties in 2020 are EXO’s Chen, Baekhyun, and Chanyeol, INFINITE’s L, WINNER’s Hoon, B1A4’s Sandeul, Block B’s Park Kyung, and BTOB’s Hyunsik.
