BTS’s record label Big Hit Music confirmed on Monday, October 17th, that the band will be on hiatus as all seven members of the K-pop group will soon start their mandatory military service. All able-bodied men are to serve at least 18 months in the armed forces by the age of 28 due to ongoing threats from North Korea. The label told fans that the group will reconvene three years down the road in 2025.
Big Hit Music tweeted: “After the phenomenal concert to support Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030, and as each individual embarks on solo endeavors, it’s the perfect time and the members of BTS are honored to serve. Since the creation of BTS over ten years ago, the band has risen to international success, broken records, and catapulted K-Pop into the global stratosphere. BIGHIT MUSIC has focused to the milestone moment when it would be possible to respect the needs of the country and for these healthy young men to serve with their countrymen, and that’s now.”
BTS’s oldest member, Jin, is expected to start the process at the end of October. Big Hit Music’s statement continued: “Group member Jin will initiate the process as soon as his schedule for his solo release is concluded at the end of October. He will then follow the enlistment procedure of the Korean government. Other members of the group plan to carry out their military service based on their own individual plans. Both the company and the members of BTS are looking forward to reconvening as a group again around 2025 following their service commitment.”
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