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Suga is the third BTS member to enlist in conscription service in the past 12 months.
Article informationAuthor, Mark Savage Role, BBC music correspondent
13 minutes ago
The South Korean star, and member of the internationally known band BTS, confirmed that he has begun his compulsory military service.
“I will complete my mandatory service duty faithfully and return,” Suga said online via his social media accounts.
Suga, whose real name is Min Yoon Ji, is the third member of the group to perform mandatory military service, after Jin and J-Hope.
Since South Korea is still technically at war with North Korea, all able-bodied Korean men are required to serve in the military when they reach the age of 28.
For a long time, it has been rumored that the government might exempt the BTS members from service, on the grounds that they have already served their country by bringing in billions of dollars, and it would be beneficial to allow them to continue their artistic career without being subjected to conscription.
But last October, all seven members of the band announced that they were all planning to serve, with Jin, the oldest member of the band, being the first member to serve.
Jin was heading for compulsory service in December 2022, and was assigned to a training camp on the front lines.
South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency said that after Suga joined the conscription, “it was found that he was not fit for the regular combat mission within the service, and therefore he will work as a social service agent during the conscription period.”
Local media suggest that the reason behind allowing him to perform service as a social agent is related to the surgery that was performed on his shoulder in 2020.
Suga sent a message of longing to his fans on the social media platform WeVerse.
He wrote in it, “I have been able to reach where I am now thanks to you. It is time to perform my national duty.”
He added, “Be careful of the cold fall weather. Stay healthy. See you all in 2025.”
Suga’s military service comes shortly after it was confirmed that all seven members of BTS have renewed their contracts with K-pop agency Big Hit Music.
“We hope to be able to share with everyone a full promotional period for the band in the year 2025,” the company said in a statement earlier this week.
Meanwhile, fans of Blackpink, the female counterpart to BTS, are hoping for similar news regarding the band’s contract renewal.
Blackpink’s seven-year contract with YG Entertainment ended earlier this year. There has been no news of them re-signing with the company after the end of their world tour on September 17.
The company’s shares fell by 13.28 percent, on Thursday, after South Korean media reported that three of the four members (Jennie, Lisa, and Jisoo) intended to sign with other companies, while participating in the band’s activities, for six months of each year.
In response to the reports, YG issued a short statement saying, “At this time, Blackpink’s contract renewal has not been confirmed and discussions are still ongoing.”
