What Are the Dates of BTS Members Going to Military: All BTS Enlistment Dates

From unknown rookies of a small company to global giants and “Times’s Most Influential People,” BTS’s journey is an epic saga of brotherhood, struggle, resilience, self-belief, and loving yourself!

The biggest boy band in the world, consisting of seven members, debuted in 2013 with uncertainty and possible disbandment after a few years due to lack of funds.

Hurdling together through the hurdles, BTS members stood by each other through the tough times as they reaped the rewards of sweet success.

However, this success not only favored the group and its agency, HYBE labels but also shifted the gear for the South Korean economy. According to the 2018 Hyundai Research Institute report, BTS contributed over USD 3.6 Billion to the country’s economy every year.

The report also suggests that the influence of the group has generated USD 1.1 Billion in consumer goods exports in a single year. Per the statistics, researchers also estimated that one in every 13 tourists visit South Korea because of BTS.

This contribution was compounded in three years due to BTS’s global popularity, influence, and loyal fanbase. The group is no longer considered a K-Pop act but is also weighed on the same pedestal as the American artists. The group has garnered five Grammy nominations, breaking the record for international music act.

Stacey Vanek Smith from NPR notes that BTS’s influence has put South Korea on the global front. She states–

“BTS’s popularity is fueling tourism to Korea, study of the Korean language, interest in Korean movies, television, fashion and food.”

Vanek Smith’s analysis estimates that the total contribution by BTS to South Korea’s economy has crossed over USD 5 billion per year– which is “around half a percent of the country’s entire economy.”

But now, there is yet another point of contention, considering BTS members have to serve the mandatory military service of two years as per Korea’s amendment. Every physically fit male between the ages of 18 and 35 ought to serve the military duty of 18-21 months.

This led to a colossal debate among Koreans, BTS fans- ARMYs, and the actual Korean army. The discourse was divided into three significant points–

1. BTS members should not be given special treatment and must enlist in the military like everyone else.
2. BTS is the nation’s pride, representing the country on a global level. According to South Korean law, athletes who play on the World Cup team or win Olympic medals are exempted from mandatory enlistment. Apparently, even E-Sports gamers are considered for exemption. Koreans argued that BTS exhibited more impact and brought honor to the country than some athletes. Hence, they should be exempted as well.
3. Lastly, if BTS enlists in the military, they will probably reunite after 2025. This 3-year gap is enough to affect the GDP adversely.

Despite the back-and-forth between “for” and “against” arguments, BTS themselves decided they would rather serve in the military as a duty to their country. The humble kings may not have been in an actual war, but they managed to conquer hearts with their decisions.

Kim Seokjin, the eldest member of BTS, has already enlisted on December 13, 2022. After a few months, Jung Hoseok, aka J-Hope, also announced his military enlistment after releasing his hit solo album. He has been serving since April 18, 2023. Min Yoongi, aka Suga, recently announced his military enlistment date as September 22, 2023, after finishing his sold-out solo tour. Fans speculate that BTS leader RM would be the next member to enlist. The youngest three members, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, would supposedly be enlisting together by the end of this year or early next year. The group is assumed to reunite after 2025.

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What Are the Enlistment Dates of BTS Members Going to Military?

HYBE labels issue a formal statement every time a member announces their military enlistment date.

ARMYs are aware that only when HYBE posts a statement is it confirmed that the member is enlisting on that date. The label company has stated that all the members have renewed their contracts, and those already serving in the military (Jin, JHope, and Suga) will begin their contract after returning in 2025.

HYBE label clarified,

“We will announce the enlistment plans for remaining BTS members in sequential order within this year.”

The following table contains the confirmed as well as dates as per a few sources on the member’s respective enlistment–

What is your take on BTS’s enlistment? Do you think they deserved an exemption? Let us know in the comments section below.