Photo of BTS member Jin with a military haircut captured from Weverse, an online K-pop community platform. (Yonhap)
SEOUL – K-pop superstar Jin will enter a boot camp in a front-line area to begin his mandatory military service Tuesday.
The 30-year-old vocalist of boy group BTS will quietly enter an Army training center in Yeoncheon, 60 kilometers north of Seoul, without a farewell event for fans, according to sources in the music industry.
He is the first BTS member to join the military. The group's six other members -- RM, Suga, Jimin, J-hope, V and Jungkook -- will also be enlisting in the military in order, according to the band's agency, Big Hit Music.
Jin, born in 1992, had his conscription deferred to the end of this year under a revised law that allows "those who excel in popular culture and art" to postpone their service until the age of 30.
But he announced his plan to serve in the military after the band's concert in the southern port city of Busan in October and revoked the postponement.
In South Korea, all able-bodied men are obliged to serve between 18 and 21 months in the military.
Jin will be assigned to a unit after finishing a five-week basic training course.
The BTS agency has requested fans and journalists refrain from visiting the boot camp to see him off, citing safety concerns possibly caused by congestion.
The military set up a situation room at the site as many fans and journalists are expected to gather despite the repeated requests from the agency.
About 300 personnel were on standby from the military, police, firefighting and local government authorities, while ambulances were ready in case of emergency.
Debuting in June 2013 as a member of the K-pop septet, Jin has drawn popularity for his good looks and refreshing voice.
After unveiling his plan to enter the military, Jin released "The Astronaut," his solo debut single, with the British rock band Coldplay on Oct. 28. The single sold 700,000 copies on the first day of its release.
"I won't be able to see you in public for a while, but I'll come back with good music next time," Jin said when his bandmate J-Hope made a call on stage to him at the 2022 MAMA Awards in Osaka, Japan. "Everyone, I'll be back safely from the military."
With Jin's enlistment, BTS is expected to be on a hiatus from a project involving all members. The group is expected to reconvene in 2025, according to the agency. (Yonhap)
