Essay: South Korean Boy Band BTS Has Served Long Enough

In the twilight hours of Oct. 17 I laid in bed, tossing and turning endlessly. I wasn’t sure if it was because of the annoying, stubborn cold I’m getting over or my icebox of an apartment.

Knowing what I know now, I think my body was trying to wake me up for a reason.

“BTS military service implementation and future activity plan information,” their tweet read.

Translated in four different languages, the statement explains how all seven members are planning to move forward with South Korea’s military conscription and are set to reconvene as a group after their service is complete — in 2025.

Although this law reigns true for all eligible men, athletes, classical and traditional musicians alike who have won national awards don’t have to fulfill the conscription.

Talk of a potential exemption for BTS has occurred over the past two years, with their deferment beginning in 2020 after the passing of a “BTS law,” allowing K-pop stars to delay enlistment until age 30, according to Billboard.

Essentially, rather than waiting for the government to make the exemption decision themselves, the septet took matters into their own hands this past weekend.

It shouldn’t have gone to this extent — the exception decision for BTS should mirror those made for athletes and musicians in the past, as they’ve achieved exceptional service to both their country and worldwide.

Jin, 29, will be the first to serve as soon as his solo album endeavors are complete at the end of October, according to the official announcement.

Remaining members RM, SUGA, Jimin, V and Jungkook are expected to carry out their solo music projects before following suit — j-hope already released his solo album “Jack in the Box” in July 2022.

Just days before this announcement, BTS held a free concert in Busan in support of South Korea’s bid for the city to host World Expo 2030. Approximately 55,000 fans were in attendance at Asiad Main Stadium, according to Billboard. 

Despite my obvious shock and a brief existential crisis, I can’t say I didn’t see this coming. South Korean law strictly states that all able-bodied men must serve 18-21 months in the military — the Bangtan Boys are no exception.

But they should be.

As much as I can joke and say how the group has metaphorically “served” over the past nine years, there’s some partial truth to that statement.

Park Chan-Wook, the head of cultural industry research at the Korean Culture and Tourism Institute, spoke on the band’s economic impact in South Korea as a guest on an episode of the NPR podcast “All Things Considered.” Host of NPR’s “The Indicator From Planet Money,” Stacey Vanek Smith, also spoke on the podcast.

A tool from the Bank of Korea has collected data, estimating overflowing sales because of BTS, according to Park.

“All told, BTS is bringing in an estimated $5 billion a year to South Korea. That’s around half a percent of the country’s entire economy,” said Smith.

Half a percent objectively isn’t a lot, but as a boy band, their contribution to South Korea’s GDP is remarkable.

I’m not trying to make the case that the sole reason BTS shouldn’t enlist is because the South Korean government could lose money; however, Fortune has reported the country is expected to lose billions by having the idols enlist.

Although they’re bringing in substantial profit to the country, their impact goes far beyond album and ticket sales.

In September 2018, the group addressed the United Nations General Assembly because of their global significance. There, they helped UNICEF promote Generation Unlimited, an initiative with a goal to aid young people with entrepreneurship, employment and social impact opportunities. 

That same year, BTS was awarded with the Order of Cultural Merit by then-president Moon Jae-in. This merit is solely awarded to those who have “rendered outstanding meritorious services in the fields of culture and art in the interest of promoting the national culture and national development,” according to the Korea Legislation Research Institute.

To this day, they are the award’s youngest recipients. 

A more recent example of their diplomacy would be their visit to the White House to speak with President Joe Biden on the surge of Anti-Asian hate, according to the Associated Press. 

With the examples provided above, one would think that South Korea would do everything in their power to protect them from enlistment and harness their positive global impact. 

What’s even more frustrating is a draft exemption is possible, and it’s been done before.

Top athletes have been excused from duty so long as they “enhance national prestige” through the form of attaining medals from the quadrennial Asian Games or the Olympic games, according to an article by The New York Times. 

Two examples include Hyun-jin Ryu and Choo Shin-soo, who played in America’s Major League Baseball.

Despite the fact that exemptions have been granted before, the chance of it going to BTS is now nonexistent. 

The Defense Ministry of Korea is seeking to extinguish the distribution of exemptions entirely, as they’re struggling to come up with sufficient numbers to fulfill their ranks.

In other words, they’re taking everyone they can — even Jimin.

This past summer, BTS posted an hour-long, sit-down video in celebration of their nine year anniversary — long before their official military announcement. In this conversation over dinner, the idols talked about their future as a group.

“We promise to return someday even more mature than we are now,” Jungkook, 25, said. 

Personally, this statement not only reflects the immense growth they’ve seen over nearly a decade, it solidifies their standing as accomplished cultural ambassadors. They’re essentially a microcosm of South Korean culture that have greatly impacted the world at an unforeseen scale.

Although I’ve only been a fan for a little over a year, the impact they’ve had on my life is unmatched. I may sound like a cheesy fan girl, but I’ve never been more sure of a statement.

I truly hope the best is “Yet To Come” in 2025.

Featured photo by Nicky Andrews | The Phoenix