Tag: BTS

  • K-pop: BTS’s TinyTAN Joins Forces With Pixar’s ‘Toy Story’ For A Special Collaboration! , People News

    There is no denying that K Pop boy band BTS rules the charts and the world. In 2020 cartoon characters TinyTAN were inspired by the popular septet. The characters resembled the seven members RM, Jungkook, Suga, V, Jimin, J-hope and Jin in appearance as well as in terms of their distinct personalities.

    These characters also have the unique ability to teleport anywhere through a portal called the Magic Door.

    It’s now been confirmed that TinyTAN is collaborating with Pixar’s “Toy Story” franchise.

    Since its launch in 2020 In TinyTAN two animated videos garnered over 200 million views. From games to toys, digital products and merchandise, TinyTAN made a permanent place amongst the BTS ARMY worldwide.

    The new collaboration showcases TinyTAN donning outfits worn by the iconic “Toy Story” characters Woody, Alien, Hamm, Rex, Buzz Lightyear, Forky and Lotso.

    “We prepared official products as well as various collaborative products and pop-ups with our partners. We hope that many people will be able to enjoy a variety of characters created through the combination of two globally loved IPs,” said HYBE IPX President Rhee Seung-suk in Thursday’s press release.

    “Through this collaboration with HYBE, people will be able to experience ‘Toy Story,’ which has been loved globally by consumers of various ages for the past 30 years, in a more unique way,” said Jill Chen, the general manager of the Walt Disney Company Korea Consumer Products.

    Fans eagerly anticipating the return of members currently serving mandatory military service are ecstatic upon receiving the news.

  • All BTS members renew contracts with HYBE: agency

    Since their debut in 2013, BTS have been credited with generating billions of dollars for their country, as well as boosting the image and soft power of South Korea — now a global cultural powerhouse SEOUL: All seven members of K-pop sensation BTS have renewed their contracts with agency HYBE, the company said Wednesday, with the group currently on “hiatus” as some of them perform South Korea’s mandatory military service.

    Since their debut in 2013, BTS have been credited with generating billions of dollars for their country, as well as boosting the image and soft power of South Korea — now a global cultural powerhouse.

    The K-pop juggernaut announced a “hiatus” from group activities last year and two members are currently undertaking their some 18 months of military duty.

    Local reports have said the band could reunite around 2025 when all of its seven members will have completed their service in the army.

    “Our company has completed the Board of Directors’ resolution to renew the exclusive contracts of seven BTS members,” the band’s agency, HYBE, said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday.

    “This fact was judged to be a management matter that could affect the company’s financial status and investor decision-making and was therefore disclosed,” it added.

    Since their debut 10 years ago, the band had previously renewed their contracts with HYBE in 2018, which would have expired in 2024.

    The company did not disclose details of how long the new contracts were or when they would expire, but the latest announcement indicates that all seven members of the group will likely remain with the label even after they have completed their military service.

    Some male K-pop stars have faced challenges in resuming their careers after fulfilling their duties, in an intensely competitive industry where artists can be easily replaced.

    In March, Bang Si-hyuk, chairman of HYBE and the mastermind behind BTS, said making BTS do their military service was slowing the global growth of K-pop.

    All able-bodied men in South Korea must serve at least 18 months in the military and, after a years-long debate about whether BTS deserved an exemption, Jin, the oldest member of the group, enlisted last year.

    His bandmate J-Hope started his mandatory service in April. A third member, SUGA, will begin his service on Friday.

    HYBE shares closed down 0.82 per cent in Seoul on Wednesday.

    K-pop contract renewals can be complex, with shares of BLACKPINK’s agency YG Entertainment tumbling last week, after local media reports claimed member Lisa had rejected a renewal offer.

    They subsequently bounced back, although the agency has yet to announce details of new contracts for BLACKPINK — one of K-pop’s most successful girl groups.

  • BTS’ Jungkook creates history with new teaser for upcoming single ‘Seven’

    By Online Desk

    Jungkook, the youngest member of the K-pop super band BTS, has created a new history. 

    On Wednesday, the renowned member of the group released a teaser of his upcoming single ‘Seven’, which has surpassed 1 million views in 10 minutes on YouTube. This record has exceeded the previous record held by Lisa, a member of the K-pop group Blackpink, who took 18 minutes to hit the one million mark. 

    The 25-second teaser MV, featuring the famous South Korean actress Han So Hee, has now become the fastest music video teaser from a K-pop soloist to reach one million views on Youtube. In the first 21 hours, the teaser gained 8.8 million views and 1.7 million likes.

    During the recording film preview, which was released earlier this week, Jungkook said that he hope people will listen to this song with ease. 

    ‘Seven’, the first schedule in Jungkook’s official solo debut will be out on July 14. As per a statement by his agency Bighit Entertainment, “Seven” is an invigorating “summer song”. The song also features American rapper Latto.

    Meanwhile, Jungkook is scheduled to kick off the GMA concert series by ABC in New York.

    Jungkook, the youngest member of the K-pop super band BTS, has created a new history. 

    On Wednesday, the renowned member of the group released a teaser of his upcoming single ‘Seven’, which has surpassed 1 million views in 10 minutes on YouTube. This record has exceeded the previous record held by Lisa, a member of the K-pop group Blackpink, who took 18 minutes to hit the one million mark. 

    The 25-second teaser MV, featuring the famous South Korean actress Han So Hee, has now become the fastest music video teaser from a K-pop soloist to reach one million views on Youtube. In the first 21 hours, the teaser gained 8.8 million views and 1.7 million likes.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    During the recording film preview, which was released earlier this week, Jungkook said that he hope people will listen to this song with ease. 

    ‘Seven’, the first schedule in Jungkook’s official solo debut will be out on July 14. As per a statement by his agency Bighit Entertainment, “Seven” is an invigorating “summer song”. The song also features American rapper Latto.

    Meanwhile, Jungkook is scheduled to kick off the GMA concert series by ABC in New York.

  • K-pop superband BTS release their much-awaited memoir 

    By Online Desk

    The K-pop megastars BTS have released their much-anticipated memoir. “Beyond the Story: 10 Year Record of BTS”, was released to mark the 10th anniversary of the group. This is the group’s first official book and contains a chronological summary of their decade-long musical career.

    The septet which debuted in 2013, announced the book in May. Over the course of their 10-year-long career, the seven-member boyband has become a cultural phenomenon, selling out stadiums and dominating charts around the world. 

    In the last five years, the five-time Grammy-nominated artists raked in over 4 billion US dollars each year to the South Korean economy. While talking to AFP a fan of the group said, “Thank you for saving me when I needed it,”.

    “I wish I could say more, but I am going to cry now,” she added.   

    The book, which is also being released in the United States, is co-written by the South Korean journalist Kang Myeong-Seok and members of the band and has been translated into English by Anton Hur, in collaboration with Clare Richards and Slin Jung.

    Even before the release, the book shot to the top of the Amazon bestseller list in May with pre-orders.

    The members of the band including RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook are currently focusing on their solo activities while they finish their mandatory military service.

    All able-bodied men in South Korea must serve at least 18 months in the military and, after a years-long debate about whether BTS deserved an exemption, Jin, the oldest member of the group, enlisted last year.

    His bandmate J-Hope started his mandatory service in April, South Korean media reported at the time.

    Before the break, BTS bagged six No1 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 and seven No1 on the Billboard 200 making them the only artists in history to do so. 

    The K-pop megastars BTS have released their much-anticipated memoir. “Beyond the Story: 10 Year Record of BTS”, was released to mark the 10th anniversary of the group. This is the group’s first official book and contains a chronological summary of their decade-long musical career.

    The septet which debuted in 2013, announced the book in May. Over the course of their 10-year-long career, the seven-member boyband has become a cultural phenomenon, selling out stadiums and dominating charts around the world. 

    In the last five years, the five-time Grammy-nominated artists raked in over 4 billion US dollars each year to the South Korean economy. While talking to AFP a fan of the group said, “Thank you for saving me when I needed it,”.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “I wish I could say more, but I am going to cry now,” she added.   

    The book, which is also being released in the United States, is co-written by the South Korean journalist Kang Myeong-Seok and members of the band and has been translated into English by Anton Hur, in collaboration with Clare Richards and Slin Jung.

    Even before the release, the book shot to the top of the Amazon bestseller list in May with pre-orders.

    The members of the band including RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook are currently focusing on their solo activities while they finish their mandatory military service.

    All able-bodied men in South Korea must serve at least 18 months in the military and, after a years-long debate about whether BTS deserved an exemption, Jin, the oldest member of the group, enlisted last year.

    His bandmate J-Hope started his mandatory service in April, South Korean media reported at the time.

    Before the break, BTS bagged six No1 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 and seven No1 on the Billboard 200 making them the only artists in history to do so. 

  • BigHit Music announces digital single ‘Take Two’ to mark 10-year-anniversary of BTS 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: BigHit Music, the management agency of South Korean pop sensation BTS, on Wednesday announced they will release the digital single “Take Two” in June to mark the 10th anniversary of the music group.

    Bangtan Sonyeondan (Bulletproof Boys), better known as BTS, is a septet that comprises group leader RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook.

    The band debuted a decade ago under Big Hit Entertainment with the single album ‘2 Cool 4 Skool’, which was released on June 12, 2013.

    In a statement posted on the fan community forum Weverse, BigHit Music shared the details about the band’s upcoming song and its release.

    “To celebrate their 10th anniversary, BTS will release the digital single ‘Take Two’ this coming June. All seven members participated in ‘Take Two’,” the agency said in the statement.

    [공지] #BTS 디지털 싱글 ‘Take Two’ 발매 안내 (+ENG/JPN/CHN) https://t.co/RpFy1eFcfY #TakeTwo #방탄소년단 #2023BTSFESTA #BTS10thAnniversary
    — BTS_official (@bts_bighit) May 31, 2023
    “Take Two” will be released on June 9 at 1 pm Korean Standard Time (9.30 am Indian Standard Time).

    BTS is currently on a break as a unit, with two members Jin and J-Hope fulfilling their mandatory military service in the South Korean armed forces.

    According to the agency, “Take Two” conveys BTS’ appreciation towards ARMY, their fan group, “for all the love you shower them with and their desire to always be together with you”.

    “We sincerely express our gratitude to ARMY for making the 10th anniversary possible with your endless love for BTS, and we hope that ‘Take Two’ will become a precious ‘Gift’ from BTS to you all. We ask for your love and support for ‘Take Two’,” BigHit Music further said.

    In South Korea, all able-bodied men, aged 18-28, are required to serve in the military for about two years.

    All BTS members were allowed to put off starting their military service until they turned 30.

    The group — known for hit songs such as “Blood Sweat Tears”, “Boy in Luv”, “ON”, and “Dynamite” — announced their hiatus last June and the members hope to reconvene as a unit around 2025 following their service commitment.

    NEW DELHI: BigHit Music, the management agency of South Korean pop sensation BTS, on Wednesday announced they will release the digital single “Take Two” in June to mark the 10th anniversary of the music group.

    Bangtan Sonyeondan (Bulletproof Boys), better known as BTS, is a septet that comprises group leader RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook.

    The band debuted a decade ago under Big Hit Entertainment with the single album ‘2 Cool 4 Skool’, which was released on June 12, 2013.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    In a statement posted on the fan community forum Weverse, BigHit Music shared the details about the band’s upcoming song and its release.

    “To celebrate their 10th anniversary, BTS will release the digital single ‘Take Two’ this coming June. All seven members participated in ‘Take Two’,” the agency said in the statement.

    [공지] #BTS 디지털 싱글 ‘Take Two’ 발매 안내 (+ENG/JPN/CHN) https://t.co/RpFy1eFcfY #TakeTwo #방탄소년단 #2023BTSFESTA #BTS10thAnniversary
    — BTS_official (@bts_bighit) May 31, 2023
    “Take Two” will be released on June 9 at 1 pm Korean Standard Time (9.30 am Indian Standard Time).

    BTS is currently on a break as a unit, with two members Jin and J-Hope fulfilling their mandatory military service in the South Korean armed forces.

    According to the agency, “Take Two” conveys BTS’ appreciation towards ARMY, their fan group, “for all the love you shower them with and their desire to always be together with you”.

    “We sincerely express our gratitude to ARMY for making the 10th anniversary possible with your endless love for BTS, and we hope that ‘Take Two’ will become a precious ‘Gift’ from BTS to you all. We ask for your love and support for ‘Take Two’,” BigHit Music further said.

    In South Korea, all able-bodied men, aged 18-28, are required to serve in the military for about two years.

    All BTS members were allowed to put off starting their military service until they turned 30.

    The group — known for hit songs such as “Blood Sweat Tears”, “Boy in Luv”, “ON”, and “Dynamite” — announced their hiatus last June and the members hope to reconvene as a unit around 2025 following their service commitment.

  • Seoul city to turn purple to celebrate the 10th anniversary of BTS next month 

    By IANS

    SEOUL: Major landmarks in Seoul will be turned purple next month in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the K-pop superband BTS since its debut.

    According to music industry sources, Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind the group, and the Seoul metropolitan government are discussing jointly holding various events to commemorate the anniversary, reports Yonhap.

    Creating a special event place, called ‘ARMY Road’, after the name of the band’s global fandom, at the city’s major landmarks is also one of the plans in the discussion, the sources said.

    City officials expect the events will help boost Seoul’s tourism industry, which has been battered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    BTS has been holding its own commemorative events and festival weeks around its debut day, which falls on June 13. Even during the period when large in-person events could not be held due to the pandemic, it had large-scale online meet-and-greet events for fans to interact with other fans around the world.

    As this year is a significant year marking its 10th anniversary, similar events are expected to be held even though some members are on their mandatory military duty.

    “We’re going to announce when our plans for the events are decided,” a Hybe official said on condition of anonymity.

    The K-pop septet will release a memoir, titled ‘Beyond The Story: 10-Year Record of BTS’ in honour of its 10th anniversary in South Korea and the United States, and a commemorative stamp in the home country.

    SEOUL: Major landmarks in Seoul will be turned purple next month in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the K-pop superband BTS since its debut.

    According to music industry sources, Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind the group, and the Seoul metropolitan government are discussing jointly holding various events to commemorate the anniversary, reports Yonhap.

    Creating a special event place, called ‘ARMY Road’, after the name of the band’s global fandom, at the city’s major landmarks is also one of the plans in the discussion, the sources said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    City officials expect the events will help boost Seoul’s tourism industry, which has been battered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    BTS has been holding its own commemorative events and festival weeks around its debut day, which falls on June 13. Even during the period when large in-person events could not be held due to the pandemic, it had large-scale online meet-and-greet events for fans to interact with other fans around the world.

    As this year is a significant year marking its 10th anniversary, similar events are expected to be held even though some members are on their mandatory military duty.

    “We’re going to announce when our plans for the events are decided,” a Hybe official said on condition of anonymity.

    The K-pop septet will release a memoir, titled ‘Beyond The Story: 10-Year Record of BTS’ in honour of its 10th anniversary in South Korea and the United States, and a commemorative stamp in the home country.

  • BTS to release soundtrack for upcoming Korean animated TV series

    By IANS

    SEOUL: K-pop supergroup BTS will release the lead song for the original soundtrack of a Korean TV animation series set to go on air next month.

    It will be the first release from BTS as a team since ‘Yet To Come’ in June, reports Yonhap.

    ‘Bastions’, set to premiere on the SBS channel on May 14, is a 3D animation series that tells the story of a rookie superhero who uncovers the identity of a villain responsible for environmental destruction and grows into a true hero by saving the Earth, according to Timos Media.

    “BTS is expected to provide an overwhelming sense of immersion to the emotions and action scenes of the series by singing the theme song in perfect harmony,” it added.

    Also participating in the original soundtrack will be the K-pop girl group Le Sserafim and soloists Heize and AleXa.

    SEOUL: K-pop supergroup BTS will release the lead song for the original soundtrack of a Korean TV animation series set to go on air next month.

    It will be the first release from BTS as a team since ‘Yet To Come’ in June, reports Yonhap.

    ‘Bastions’, set to premiere on the SBS channel on May 14, is a 3D animation series that tells the story of a rookie superhero who uncovers the identity of a villain responsible for environmental destruction and grows into a true hero by saving the Earth, according to Timos Media.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “BTS is expected to provide an overwhelming sense of immersion to the emotions and action scenes of the series by singing the theme song in perfect harmony,” it added.

    Also participating in the original soundtrack will be the K-pop girl group Le Sserafim and soloists Heize and AleXa.

  • PVR Pictures to release ‘BTS: Yet To Come’ in Indian cinemas for limited period

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: K-Pop band BTS’ concert movie “BTS: Yet to Come” will have a limited release in India from Wednesday, the Indian distributors PVR Pictures announced.

    The movie will be screened in Indian cinemas from February 1 to 4, a press release from the distributor stated.

    BTS has been at the forefront of the K-Pop revolution across the globe, and Indian fans will get to experience the concert of their favourite band on the celluloid.

    Audiences will get to witness the magic of band members including RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook on the big screen, as they perform to crowd favourites tracks such as ‘Dynamite’, ‘Butter’, and ‘IDOL’.

    The film will also feature the first concert performance of ‘Run BTS’ from the group’s latest album ‘Proof’.

    The movie will give an immersive sneak peek into the “BTS: Yet To Come” concert in Busan and feature never-seen-before visuals along with some up-close and personal snippets of the band.

    MUMBAI: K-Pop band BTS’ concert movie “BTS: Yet to Come” will have a limited release in India from Wednesday, the Indian distributors PVR Pictures announced.

    The movie will be screened in Indian cinemas from February 1 to 4, a press release from the distributor stated.

    BTS has been at the forefront of the K-Pop revolution across the globe, and Indian fans will get to experience the concert of their favourite band on the celluloid.

    Audiences will get to witness the magic of band members including RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook on the big screen, as they perform to crowd favourites tracks such as ‘Dynamite’, ‘Butter’, and ‘IDOL’.

    The film will also feature the first concert performance of ‘Run BTS’ from the group’s latest album ‘Proof’.

    The movie will give an immersive sneak peek into the “BTS: Yet To Come” concert in Busan and feature never-seen-before visuals along with some up-close and personal snippets of the band.

  • BTS star J-Hope to debut documentary ‘J-Hope In the Box’ on Disney+Hotstar

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Fans of the South Korean band BTS have a chance to get a behind-the-scenes look as its member J-Hope works on his first solo album.

    Disney+Hotstar will stream the documentary “J-Hope In the Box” on February 17.

    The documentary follows the international music sensation every step of the way as he works to release his first-ever solo album – ‘Jack In The Box’.

    Over the course of the documentary, viewers will be given a never-before-seen look at the creative challenges faced during the album’s preparation process, as well as front row seats to J-Hope’s 2022 Lollapalooza performance and the album’s listening party.

    K-drama and K-music fans can already watch ‘BTS: Permission to Dance On Stage – LA”, an exclusive cinematic 4K concert film featuring BTS’ live performance at Los Angeles’ Sofi Stadium in November 2021; and “In The Soop: Friendcation”, an original travel reality show with a star-studded cast including V of BTS, Park Seojun (“Itaewon Class”), Choi Wooshik (“Parasite”), Park Hyungsik (“Soundtrack #1”), and Peakboy as the five friends venture off on a surprise trip.

    MUMBAI: Fans of the South Korean band BTS have a chance to get a behind-the-scenes look as its member J-Hope works on his first solo album.

    Disney+Hotstar will stream the documentary “J-Hope In the Box” on February 17.

    The documentary follows the international music sensation every step of the way as he works to release his first-ever solo album – ‘Jack In The Box’.

    Over the course of the documentary, viewers will be given a never-before-seen look at the creative challenges faced during the album’s preparation process, as well as front row seats to J-Hope’s 2022 Lollapalooza performance and the album’s listening party.

    K-drama and K-music fans can already watch ‘BTS: Permission to Dance On Stage – LA”, an exclusive cinematic 4K concert film featuring BTS’ live performance at Los Angeles’ Sofi Stadium in November 2021; and “In The Soop: Friendcation”, an original travel reality show with a star-studded cast including V of BTS, Park Seojun (“Itaewon Class”), Choi Wooshik (“Parasite”), Park Hyungsik (“Soundtrack #1”), and Peakboy as the five friends venture off on a surprise trip.

  • Jin from BTS begins military service, marking end of an era

    By AFP

    YEONCHEON: BTS star Jin starts his mandatory South Korean military duty on Tuesday, the band’s first member to enlist since a hiatus announcement this year left fans heartbroken over the K-pop juggernaut’s uncertain future.

    The septet is widely considered the country’s biggest-ever cultural phenomenon — selling out stadiums around the world and dominating the charts while raking in billions and building a global legion of fans known as ARMYs.

    But all able-bodied men in South Korea must serve at least 18 months in the military, and while there was a years-long debate about whether BTS deserved an exemption, they confirmed in October that all members will enlist.

    Jin — whose full name is Kim Seok-jin — will begin five weeks of training on Tuesday, the military said.

    Hundreds of media personnel and BTS fans packed an intersection in front of the boot camp’s main gate in Yeoncheon, where a sign reads “A cradle for top class combat soldiers”, awaiting Jin’s expected arrival at 2:00 pm (GMT 0500).

    “We have mixed feelings today because, on one hand, it’s normal that he does this enlistment because it’s an obligation anyway for any Korean man,” said Veronique, a 32-year-old fan from Indonesia.

    “But on the other hand we cannot see him for a minimum of 18 months … Happy but also sad but also proud,” she said.

    The location of Jin’s boot camp close to the border with North Korea, with which the South remains technically at war, has sparked local media speculation that he is expected to be deployed to a “frontline unit” after training.

    Fans were stunned in June when BTS revealed they were going on hiatus, citing exhaustion and pressure as well as the desire to pursue solo careers.

    But analysts said the announcement was strategically timed because of the compulsory military duty.

    The group will reunite around 2025, when its seven members have completed their service.

    “For a while, it’s true that there were many fans who would spend days just crying,” a South Korean fan, who runs the Twitter account @5heterotopia, told AFP.

    Nimah Mustafa, a 20-year-old fan in Dubai, added: “(Jin’s absence) will be like a huge… void for me.”

    South Korea exempts some elite athletes, such as Olympic medallists, and classical musicians from duty, but pop stars do not qualify.

    However, BTS has already benefited from a 2020 revision to the conscription law that raised the enlistment deadline for some entertainers from age 28 to 30.

    Jin, the oldest member of BTS, turned 30 on December 4.

    ‘They won’t be forgotten’

    The seismic changes for BTS in 2022 have sparked feverish speculation among fans and K-pop watchers about what the future holds for the group — will they retain their fame or struggle to revive that success?

    Some male K-pop stars have struggled to resume their careers after military service in a cut-throat industry where artists are easily replaceable.

    “For the K-pop industry, the retreat of BTS will be a big deal,” Lee Taek-gwang, a communications professor at Kyung Hee University, told AFP.

    “During the absence, they could lose public interest, and the decline in popularity will damage their business. It would not be easy for the boy band to reunite.”

    However, other experts have pointed to the massive success of BTS and said they will be an exception to that trend.

    They “obtained another level of popularity, influence and credibility”, said Lee Ji-young, a BTS expert and professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

    “So they won’t be forgotten by other artists in a highly competitive K-pop industry,” she told AFP.

    Since their debut in 2013, BTS have been widely credited with doing more than any diplomat or other celebrity to boost the image and soft power of South Korea, today considered a global cultural powerhouse.

    They have been invited to speak at the United Nations, and to meet US President Joe Biden at the White House. They are also official ambassadors to bring the 2030 World Expo to Busan, South Korea.

    The South Korean government has credited BTS with bringing billions of dollars into the economy.

    ‘Frontline’ deployment?

    But despite that success, a draft proposal to grant them service exemptions proved too controversial and never made it through parliament.

    “In South Korea, the military service is the indicator of egalitarianism… (where) all men are equal,” Lee at Kyung Hee University told AFP, adding it was a “necessary” symbol of citizenship.

    Jin will reportedly join a “frontline unit” stationed near the border.

    “It shows the role of culture, and public opinion, in shaping international affairs. Is this ‘frontline’ role a combat role, or is it about public relations and media?” Sarah Keith, a senior lecturer in media and music at Macquarie University, told AFP.

    On Monday, Jin posted a photo of himself with military-style cropped hair on the South Korean social media platform Weverse, with the caption: “It’s cuter than I expected.”

    YEONCHEON: BTS star Jin starts his mandatory South Korean military duty on Tuesday, the band’s first member to enlist since a hiatus announcement this year left fans heartbroken over the K-pop juggernaut’s uncertain future.

    The septet is widely considered the country’s biggest-ever cultural phenomenon — selling out stadiums around the world and dominating the charts while raking in billions and building a global legion of fans known as ARMYs.

    But all able-bodied men in South Korea must serve at least 18 months in the military, and while there was a years-long debate about whether BTS deserved an exemption, they confirmed in October that all members will enlist.

    Jin — whose full name is Kim Seok-jin — will begin five weeks of training on Tuesday, the military said.

    Hundreds of media personnel and BTS fans packed an intersection in front of the boot camp’s main gate in Yeoncheon, where a sign reads “A cradle for top class combat soldiers”, awaiting Jin’s expected arrival at 2:00 pm (GMT 0500).

    “We have mixed feelings today because, on one hand, it’s normal that he does this enlistment because it’s an obligation anyway for any Korean man,” said Veronique, a 32-year-old fan from Indonesia.

    “But on the other hand we cannot see him for a minimum of 18 months … Happy but also sad but also proud,” she said.

    The location of Jin’s boot camp close to the border with North Korea, with which the South remains technically at war, has sparked local media speculation that he is expected to be deployed to a “frontline unit” after training.

    Fans were stunned in June when BTS revealed they were going on hiatus, citing exhaustion and pressure as well as the desire to pursue solo careers.

    But analysts said the announcement was strategically timed because of the compulsory military duty.

    The group will reunite around 2025, when its seven members have completed their service.

    “For a while, it’s true that there were many fans who would spend days just crying,” a South Korean fan, who runs the Twitter account @5heterotopia, told AFP.

    Nimah Mustafa, a 20-year-old fan in Dubai, added: “(Jin’s absence) will be like a huge… void for me.”

    South Korea exempts some elite athletes, such as Olympic medallists, and classical musicians from duty, but pop stars do not qualify.

    However, BTS has already benefited from a 2020 revision to the conscription law that raised the enlistment deadline for some entertainers from age 28 to 30.

    Jin, the oldest member of BTS, turned 30 on December 4.

    ‘They won’t be forgotten’

    The seismic changes for BTS in 2022 have sparked feverish speculation among fans and K-pop watchers about what the future holds for the group — will they retain their fame or struggle to revive that success?

    Some male K-pop stars have struggled to resume their careers after military service in a cut-throat industry where artists are easily replaceable.

    “For the K-pop industry, the retreat of BTS will be a big deal,” Lee Taek-gwang, a communications professor at Kyung Hee University, told AFP.

    “During the absence, they could lose public interest, and the decline in popularity will damage their business. It would not be easy for the boy band to reunite.”

    However, other experts have pointed to the massive success of BTS and said they will be an exception to that trend.

    They “obtained another level of popularity, influence and credibility”, said Lee Ji-young, a BTS expert and professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

    “So they won’t be forgotten by other artists in a highly competitive K-pop industry,” she told AFP.

    Since their debut in 2013, BTS have been widely credited with doing more than any diplomat or other celebrity to boost the image and soft power of South Korea, today considered a global cultural powerhouse.

    They have been invited to speak at the United Nations, and to meet US President Joe Biden at the White House. They are also official ambassadors to bring the 2030 World Expo to Busan, South Korea.

    The South Korean government has credited BTS with bringing billions of dollars into the economy.

    ‘Frontline’ deployment?

    But despite that success, a draft proposal to grant them service exemptions proved too controversial and never made it through parliament.

    “In South Korea, the military service is the indicator of egalitarianism… (where) all men are equal,” Lee at Kyung Hee University told AFP, adding it was a “necessary” symbol of citizenship.

    Jin will reportedly join a “frontline unit” stationed near the border.

    “It shows the role of culture, and public opinion, in shaping international affairs. Is this ‘frontline’ role a combat role, or is it about public relations and media?” Sarah Keith, a senior lecturer in media and music at Macquarie University, told AFP.

    On Monday, Jin posted a photo of himself with military-style cropped hair on the South Korean social media platform Weverse, with the caption: “It’s cuter than I expected.”