Did BTS Really Bend an Entire Country To Their Will? Hiatus Forces South Korea To Amend Military Bill

Fans all across the world were shocked by the K-pop superband’s unexpected revelation that BTS will be taking a vacation so that its members can concentrate on separate projects. It raised many questions about the future of the K-pop boy band. There were many rumors that the septet, which included RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, V, Jimin, and Jungkook, was experiencing difficulties. It was speculated that the group’s rumored split was one of the factors in their decision to go on a hiatus.

However, if Korean lawmakers are to be believed, each K-pop artist’s emphasis on their own professions was crucial due to the group’s impending military enlistment. Since, as per the laws in Korea, every man between the age of 18-28 is supposed to perform compulsory military service for 2 years. However, we might have a piece of good news for the fans.

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BTS Hiatus might force South Korea to Amend Military Bill

Proposed legislation that would allow K-pop singers to complete just three weeks of military training is being discussed in the South Korean parliament. Yoon Sang-hyun, a lawmaker, has suggested an amendment that would reduce the required two years of full-time military service for all citizens to three weeks of training. The decision made by the panel will be important for BTS members, who recently declared a hiatus and stated weariness as their justification.

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In June, BTS members discussed their reasons for wanting a hiatus. RM had said while he enjoyed being in BTS, the group members now feel “exhausted” and he doesn’t “know what kind of group we were anymore”. Jimin admitted that the group has been going through a “rough patch” as it is trying to “find our identity, and that’s an exhausting and long process”.

“The members cited exhaustion and the need for rest as the main reason but the real reason was Jin’s military service,” said Sang-hyun. BTS, he continued, improved the nation’s reputation abroad through “soft power,” and this should be considered while evaluating their military service. The lawmaker said that “BTS has done a job that would take more than 1,000 diplomats to do.” 

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Over the years, specific groups of men have been granted exemptions, allowing them to postpone service for a predetermined amount of time or perform shorter service. These groups include men who win a medal at the Olympics or Asian Games and classical musicians and dancers who win a top prize at certain competitions. Globally respected K-pop stars were given the option to delay their military duty until the age of 30 under a 2019 revision to the country’s legal framework.

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