Military service is mandatory in South Korea - all men must complete between 18 and 21 months long service with the enlistment before turning 30 years old (with some exemptions regarding those with chronic health conditions). However, there has been a lively discussion in Korean society as well as among BTS’ global fans about whether the Korean government should make an exemption for the band. The opinions were quite divided, many presumed that a new special law would be introduced to reward the band. As the oldest member is approaching the age of 30, fans had been already anticipating an official statement. Since BTS military enlistment became a fact, many netizens have been sharing their support for the decision. Here are the reasons why ARMY (BTS’ fandom) reacted positively to the news:
Members’ military enlistment doesn’t mean complete hiatus
The enlistment used to spark concern over the group’s activity during the service period - many fans were worried about the lack of new music and content, but BTS’ approach put them at ease. First of all, fans were moved by how Jin expressed his uncertain emotions through the creation of “The Astronaut” - his new single with Coldplay. BigHit shared on their social media his messages with Chris Martin (Coldplay’s vocalist) discussing how the member’s worries about leaving his fans for the period of army service inspired the authentic lyrics of the song. Moreover, the group’s management has already confirmed that the members would be coming out with solo projects in the following months. This all made fans excited about what the band has prepared for them during their absence and brought their hopes up for possible yet unseen work.
— BTS_official (@bts_bighit) October 20, 2022
The band’s independence
One of the reasons why the recent announcement was widely appreciated by BTS’ fandom was the deliberate way it was made. While many Korean citizens and K-Pop fans had been expecting the band to hold out until the final conclusion regarding the special duty exemption would have been made by the Korean government, ARMY was positively impressed by BigHit taking the matter into their own hands. This stated that the band made their choice independently and confirmed that the members would be serving South Korea solely because of their love for the country.
An incentive to engage fans
Taking into account the considerably long period of absence, fans are not confident whether their biases would be nominated for awards next year. To prevent that, they have already expressed their motivation to put a special effort into voting, in order to demonstrate BTS’ success and continue their record-breaking performance. In conclusion, the military service period can be a great opportunity and challenge for ARMY to show their genuine love and prove themselves once again as an incredibly devoted fandom.
Showing credibility and putting end to the exhausting debate
Another reason, why the group’s official military enlistment announcement didn’t come as a surprise for their fans was that they had already seen it coming. The members has mentioned many times that they would eventually fulfill their service duty, so after the statement was published ARMY were happy to see that the group kept their word. Moreover, the atmosphere over BTS’ enlistment had been quite tense because of the opinion conflict. BTS’ enlistment will dispel groundless rumors and the fight over the military duty exemption.
Additional proof of the band’s success
While the prospective absence of the band might seem painful, it has already stimulated great interest in BTS’ contribution to the popularization of Korean culture and the development of the South Korean economy in recent years. The debate over the justness of mandatory service for the band has been a quite controversial topic, but it’s also highlighted BTS’ importance and position in the global music industry as well as an inherent part of South Korea. Famous foreign media outlets such as Forbes reported that the band has contributed over $29.1 trillion to the South Korean economy, which has acted on the band’s reputation in a national and international scale. Despite the gloomy vision of BTS’ absence, ARMY are excited to see what the group has prepared for this period and how K-Pop will shock us again with its foolproof fan engagement strategy. What are your thoughts on BTS’ military enlistment? How will you support the group during that time? Kpopmap’s Best K-Lit: An Analytic Look At BTS’ Career With “BTS: The Review” KCULTURE STORIES|Oct 18, 2022 Top 3 Best BTS’ Songs According To Kpopmap Readers KPOP STORIES|Oct 14, 2022 K-Pop & K-Bands Groups That Are Expected To Start Enlisting In The Military Soon (2022-2024) KPOP STORIES|Oct 21, 2022 List Of K-Pop Idols Currently Serving In The Military KPOP IDOL FINDER|Jun 2, 2022
