SEOUL: Boy band BTS from South Korea’s unexpected decision to stop performing live has reignited discussion about mandatory military service in a nation that sets global pop-culture trends while contending with a long-standing Cold War threat.
All able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28 are required to serve in the military for about two years as part of efforts to defend against a hostile North Korea, which is a highly contentious issue in South Korea.
Over the years, specific categories of men have been granted exemptions, allowing them to postpone service for a predetermined amount of time or perform shorter service. These categories include men who place first or second in their respective sports, such as classical musicians and dancers, as well as men who win medals at the Olympics or Asian Games.
Globally renowned K-pop stars were permitted to delay their service until the age of 30 under a 2019 revision to the law. A new amendment that would allow K-pop stars to complete just three weeks of military training is currently being discussed in parliament.
The result of the discussions in the parliament will be significant for BTS, especially for the group’s oldest member, Jin, who is known to fans.
The seven members of BTS have long been portrayed by the band’s management company as eager to fulfill their obligations, but as time passes, the reality of their two years of full-time military service becomes increasingly clear. Jin, 29, has avoided serving in the military as long as he can, but he now faces the impending prospect of a full stint – meaning two years out of the public eye – when he turns 30.
According to Yoon Sang-hyun, the lawmaker who proposed the amendment to include three weeks of training for K-pop stars, waiting for parliament to make a decision has been extremely stressful for Jin and his band mates and is the main reason they are taking a break from performing.
The members claimed that they were tired and needed a break, but Jin’s military service was the true cause, Yoon told Reuters. Consideration should be given to BTS’s military service based on how much of a “soft power” boost they provided to South Korea, according to Yoon. He claimed that BTS had completed a task that would have required more than 1,000 diplomats.
Time is hard.
BTS has gained international fame since their 2013 debut thanks to its upbeat songs and social campaigns that support youth emancipation. BTS met with American President Joe Biden at the White House in May to discuss hate crimes against Asians. Last year, BTS became the first Asian band to win artist of the year at the American Music Awards.
The band’s Big Hit management company is one of the organizations that make up the Korea Music Content Association, and its secretary-general, Choi Kwang-ho, described the wait for a decision as agonizing. Young artists have suffered because of unfulfilled expectations, according to Choi.
A Gallup survey conducted in April found that 33% of South Koreans opposed the bill exempting internationally successful K-pop stars from mandatory military service, with nearly 60% supporting it. Although Big Hit official Lee Jin-hyung stated at a news conference in Las Vegas in April that some band members were experiencing “hard times” due to “uncertainties” surrounding the parliament debate, the band and their management company have refrained from commenting on the topic. He demanded a choice.
When Jin was questioned about Lee’s remarks hours later, he replied that he was letting Big Hit handle the situation but added that what Lee said reflected his viewpoint.
Not just the K-pop industry wants the rules to change. President Yoon Suk-new yeol’s administration is considering granting exemptions to a few engineers and researchers working in the computer chip and other high-tech industries. The Ministry of Defence cited a constitutional mandate that all citizens must carry out their responsibility to protect the nation.
According to a ministry official, adding pop culture artists to the list of athletes and artists who qualify for the exemption “requires careful consideration in terms of fairness.” Some young men also question whether BTS qualifies for special treatment.
