Fans who saw BTS’ Suga during his recent world tour might need to miss him a bit
Another member is set to step away from the limelight by enlisting in the South Korean military.
BTS’ Suga has already begun the initial process of enlisting, becoming the third of the K-pop supergroup to join the country’s armed forces.
Big Hit Music made the big announcement on August 7, 2023.
“We would like to inform our fans that Suga has initiated the military enlistment process by applying for the termination of his enlistment postponement,” Big Hit Music said in a notice on the fan community app WeVerse.
While the agency did not mention the exact date of the lead rapper’s enlistment, they assured the Armys that further details would be given “in due course.”
“We ask you for your continued love and support for Suga until he completes his military service and safely returns,” Big Hit added.
Suga’s World Tour
Making the announcement shocking for most of his fans is the fact that it came a day after Suga, whose real name is Min Yoongi, wrapped up his first world tour with a series of “encore” shows in Seoul.
The tour was held in support of the artist’s debut album, “D-Day,” released last April.
READ: BTS’ Suga Releases New MV With A Trigger Warning
Suga is the third of the seven BTS members to enlist in the military following J-Hope and Jin.
READ: BTS’ J-Hope Embarks On Mandatory Military Training
Big Hit earlier announced that the septet plans to reconvene “as a group again around 2025 following their [military] service commitment.”
Questions were raised for years over whether BTS would be forced to undertake the mandatory service, and whether their contribution to the arts should make them exempt.
However, in 2019 the Ministry of Defence ruled that they would have to serve.
There used to be a special unit for celebrities, where they could continue to work as entertainers and were given privileges. But there was a public outcry when some were found abusing the system, by leaving their barracks more often than allowed. In 2013, the two-tier system was abolished.
North and South Korea are separated by a 4km (2.5-mile) wide strip of land, which runs along the length of their border, known as the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Both sides are fenced off with barbed wire and heavily armed.
Banner Art Dani Sison
