After 18 months out of the spotlight to complete South Korea's mandatory military service, BTS' Jin is eager to return to the stage and connect with fans again.
A thousand lucky BTS fans will gather in Seoul on Thursday to hug their idol (literally hug him) at a welcome event organized by the K-pop group's manager. This might seem like a lot of work for Jin, who was discharged on Wednesday, but the BBC reports that he wanted to increase the number to 3,000.
“Thank you for waiting for me, I love you. I will try to express my feelings tomorrow,” said the singer, whose full name is Kim Seok-jin.
Jin was drafted into the military in December 2022 and served at the Yeoncheon military base in northern Gyeonggi province, beginning with five weeks of basic training that included rifle shooting, grenade throwing and marching. He was subsequently promoted to sergeant.
BTS has been on hiatus since 2023 to allow its seven members to complete South Korea's military service requirement and pursue individual projects. Jin was the first to enlist, followed by J-Hope in April 2023, Suga in September 2023, and V, RM, Jung Kook, and Jimin in December 2023.
Jin was greeted by his bandmates at the gates of the military facility after his discharge. They had taken temporary leave from their posts for a meeting and could be seen hugging and smiling.
In South Korea, all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28 must serve at least 18 months in military or social service. The law was updated in 2020 to allow K-pop stars to delay their recruitment until age 30, but they do not receive the special service exemption granted to classical athletes and artists.
The official BTS account on
“I'm home!” he wrote.
