BTS Eldest Jin Enlists, Starting 'Military Hiatus'... Controversy Over Special Military Service Law Remains

Pure artists serve 'alternative duty'... Popular artists have no opportunity

The eldest member of the group BTS, Jin, is enlisting in the military. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] The decision of BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) to enlist has brought the controversy over 'military service special exemption' to a new phase. The issue of discrimination remains, as popular culture artists are not recognized as arts and sports personnel unlike pure artists, and the bill to improve this is currently pending in the relevant standing committee of the National Assembly.

According to Big Hit Music on the 12th, BTS member Jin will enlist as an active-duty soldier in the army on the 13th. He will be the first BTS member to enlist and fulfill his military service. Jin, born in 1992 and aged 30, had his enlistment postponed until the end of this year based on the recommendation of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism under the revised Military Service Act of 2020. However, Jin expressed his intention to fulfill his military duty and submitted a cancellation request for the postponement last month, confirming his enlistment within this year.

Other members will also enlist sequentially according to their respective military service schedules. The order is Suga (Min Yoon-gi), born in 1993; RM (Kim Nam-joon) and J-Hope (Jung Ho-seok), born in 1994; Jimin (Park Ji-min) and V (Kim Tae-hyung), born in 1995; and Jungkook (Jeon Jung-kook), born in 1996.

Previously, there was active discussion in the political sphere about granting BTS military service exemptions. The argument was that BTS should be recognized for their contribution to national prestige, such as having six songs reach No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 or attending the UN General Assembly three times.

Additionally, the issue of fairness was raised, as pure artists like classical and Korean traditional music performers are recognized as arts and sports personnel, but popular culture artists are not. Under the current Military Service Act, alternative service for 34 months is allowed only for those who have enhanced national prestige by winning second place in international arts competitions or first place in domestic arts competitions in the arts and sports fields, but popular culture artists are not provided with such alternative service opportunities.

Since 2018, Ha Tae-kyung, a member of the People Power Party, has consistently advocated for 'BTS military service special exemption,' criticizing, "If you win first place in classical music competitions like violin or piano, you get a military exemption, but if you get first place on the Billboard with popular music, you do not." No Woong-rae, then a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, also said in October last year, "BTS achieved No. 1 on the Billboard chart and instantly brought an economic ripple effect of 1.7 trillion won," adding, "Now we need to seriously discuss BTS's military service special exemption."

Last September, BTS attended the United Nations General Assembly as representatives of the youth generation. Photo by Yonhap News Agency and Big Hit Music

Public opinion on 'BTS military service special exemption' was also favorable. According to a survey conducted by Realmeter on behalf of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee (Chairman Lee Heon-seung) from September 14 to 15, targeting 1,018 adults aged 18 and over nationwide (with a sampling error of ±3.07 percentage points at a 95% confidence level), more than 60% of the public supported amending the Military Service Act to allow popular culture artists who have enhanced national prestige to serve as arts and sports personnel.

However, the related amendment bill ultimately failed to pass the National Assembly. This was because military service is a sensitive issue in Korea, and there was significant opposition to special exemptions.

In particular, the Ministry of National Defense and the Military Manpower Administration, the relevant authorities, expressed opposition to various 'BTS military service special exemption bills,' causing setbacks in their promotion. At the National Assembly's National Defense Committee audit in October, Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop emphasized in response to a question from Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Hu-deok asking, "Do you agree with the amendment bill granting BTS military service special exemption?" that "From the perspective of fairness and equity in military service fulfillment, BTS's military service is desirable."

Military Manpower Administration Commissioner Lee Ki-sik also expressed the view that BTS's military service is desirable from the standpoint of fairness. At the National Defense Committee audit in October, in response to a question from People Power Party lawmaker Kim Ki-hyun about the BTS military exemption issue, Commissioner Lee said, "Our military service environment is declining, and the most important thing in fulfilling military duty is fairness," adding, "From the perspective of fairness, it is desirable for BTS to also perform military service."

Although the military service issue has entered a new phase with BTS's enlistment decision, the discrimination issue regarding alternative service for popular culture artists remains. The 'Military Service Act amendment bill' allowing alternative military service for popular culture artists, which was introduced by Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Young-bae in September, is pending in the National Assembly. This bill aims to add popular culture artists who have received cultural medals, cultural decorations, sports medals, or sports decorations to the category of arts and sports personnel.