Will the reunion come soon?: Two more BTS stars end military service

It is a milestone on the way to the full return of the most successful boy band in the world: The two K-POP superstars RM (30) and V (29) from the band BTS have officially been released from South Korean military service. On Tuesday morning, the two musicians saluted them in the city of Chuscheon with the cheers of several hundred fans from all over the world.

Some fans had taken long trips to experience the emotional moment. For example, fans traveled from Mexico, Turkey and Brazil.

RM (bourgeois Kim Nam-Joon) and V (Kim Tae-Hyung) started their service in December 2023. In doing so, they joined their bandmate Jin (32), J-Hope (31) and Suga (32), who had already started their service. Jin, the oldest member of the group, was released in June 2024, J-Hop followed in October of the same year.

On Wednesday, Jimin (29) and Jungkook (27) will now be released from the service. Suga does his service as a so -called “social service provider”, an alternative form of military service for certain cases, and should be released during this month.

The reunification of the seven members of BTS is planned for later in 2025 – a long -awaited moment for the global fan base, which bridged the separation during the military period with patience, solidarity and creative fan actions.

In South Korea, the legal conscription applies to all defensive men between the ages of 18 and 28, which usually lasts between 18 and 21 months. The aim is to maintain the country’s willingness to defend in view of the continuing tensions with North Korea.

While top athletes as well as classic musicians or dancers can be exempt from conscription under certain conditions, such exceptions do not apply to K-pop stars. A public debate about a possible special regulation for BTS had made high waves in 2022 before the band’s management officially announced that all seven members would do their job. Previously, a change in the law made it possible to delay the service for “culturally important artists” – including BTS – up to the age of 30.

BTS was founded in 2013 and developed into a global phenomenon. Albums such as “Love Yourself”, “Map of the Soul” and “Be” achieved international charts and contributed to establishing K-POP worldwide. BTS was the first South Korean group to appear at the Grammy Awards, and was invited by the UN to talk about self -love, youth and social responsibility. Their history is considered a prime example of musical success beyond western mainstreams.