19th April 2023, Mumbai: J-Hope, a member of BTS whose real name is Jung Ho-Seok, is about to start his required military service in South Korea. Recently, the rapper shared a photo of himself sporting a buzz cut. The BTS members also bid their followers, the BTS AMRY, farewell.
The rapper debuted his new appearance on Instagram along with a handwritten statement in Korean that said, “I’ll have a good trip!”
The eldest member of BTS, Jin, started his service in December following a protracted discussion about whether the group deserved an exemption from the requirement that all able-bodied South Korean men serve for at least 18 months in the military.
On Monday, the 29-year-old also uploaded images of himself sporting a buzzcut to the South Korean social media site Weverse. “I adore the Army. I’ll go, and I’ll return safely!” he exclaimed.
Fans left thousands of comments on the page, many of which lamented the band’s ongoing sabbatical. “Take care and maintain your health… Please say hello to Jin for us. You will be sorely missed. One penned. Regarding J-Hope’s buzzcut, another person said, “It suits you so well.”
On Monday, Jin commented “D-1” on one of J-Hope’s Weverse postings in reference to the fact that he still had one day until reporting for duty.
J-Hope’s service would start on April 1, according to the septet’s management company HYBE, which did not provide any information “to avoid any issues that might arise from crowding.”
It had said that only military members and their families were to attend the admission ceremony.
J-Hope declared last week that he was “excited” about his time in the military during a webcast with followers. “I’m excited about that,” he added. “It will be a new experience, and I will be learning to fit into a new society. “In the interim, I’m looking forward to living each day in a manner that differs from my ordinary way of life. This might improve my health.”
When the band made their shocking hiatus announcement last year, they gave as reasons tiredness and the expectations of enormous success, adding that they were taking a break to concentrate on their respective projects.
Analysts have questioned what the group’s prospects are after each of its seven members has served their military obligations.
Some male K-pop artists have had difficulty resuming their careers after leaving the military since they work in a cutthroat market where talent is easily replaced.
According to Lee Taek-gwang, a communications expert at Kyung Hee University, “during the absence, (BTS) could lose their public interest, and the decline in popularity will harm their business.”
It would not be simple for the boy band to get back together; this is a challenge that practically all (South Korean) boy bands and male celebrities face.