BTS Enlistment Draws Foreign Media Attention as "Equivalent to The Beatles Breaking Up at Their Peak"

BBC, NYT and Major Foreign Media Reports
"K-pop Stars Disappear, Soldiers Appear"

All seven members of BTS are set to fulfill their military service obligations, and the British BBC broadcast described it as "a moment akin to the breakup of The Beatles at the height of their popularity." Major foreign media outlets are also paying attention to the news of BTS's enlistment, given their global popularity.

On the 12th (local time), BBC noted that Jungkook recently reached the peak of his solo activities, describing it as "just as he was about to soar to the next stage of stardom, he hit the brakes and returned to Seoul."

BTS J-Hope, Jimin, Jungkook, Suga (from left) [Image source=BTS X]

They added, "The K-pop star's permed hair has disappeared, replaced by the short haircut of a soldier at the front lines." Earlier, with Jungkook and Jimin enlisting in the army, all seven BTS members are currently serving in the military.

The outlet also conveyed the feelings of overseas fans shocked by BTS's enlistment news. On social media platforms like TikTok, comments from fans were filled with phrases such as "They disappeared all at once," "My heart hurts," and "I already miss them."

The US daily newspaper The New York Times (NYT) even calculated the time it would take for BTS to reunite and hold a concert.

NYT reported, "It will take at least one and a half years for all BTS members to complete their military service and for a concert to be held," adding, "In Korea, Olympic medalists and classical musicians who have won international competitions are partially exempt from military service, but pop stars are not."

However, experts predict that BTS's popularity can continue steadily despite their enlistment. The US 'Billboard Magazine' stated, "Generally, when music groups take a hiatus, it affects their popularity," but also argued, "BTS is a group that can resist that trend."