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(Spanish CNN) – BTS, one of the most famous K-pop bands in the world, are back in the spotlight, although now the reason goes beyond music. Last June, the band became a worldwide trend by signaling that its members would take a break from group music activities to pursue solo projects. However, the reason we talk about BTS now is because of a mandatory issue: the military service that band members have to perform.
BTS members have plans to serve in the military, the band’s record label confirmed Monday. Jin, the oldest member of the group, aims to start the trial at the end of this month. Military service is mandatory in South Korea, where nearly all able-bodied men must serve in the military for 18 months before their 28th birthday.
BTS members will undertake compulsory military service This is what military service is like in South Korea
With BTS on the verge of military service, here is a list of other celebrities who worked in their country’s military when they were drafted.
Celebrities in military service
Diego Armando Maradona
Diego Maradona kisses the World Cup in Mexico 1986. (Photo: Bongarts / Getty Images)
Despite being a very short time, Argentine football legend Diego Maradona was part of the Argentine compulsory military service in 1979, the same year he was champion with Albiceleste in the Youth World Cup in Japan.
According to what was reported by the daily Marca, in March of that year several youth players had to do military service in Argentina (then ruled by a dictatorship), including Maradona; however, “10”, who was already a national figure at just 18, only showed up one day to “raise the morale of the troops”.
Argentina won that Youth World Cup in September. Although Maradona was exonerated from military service, on his return from Japan it was used to promote a good image of the country’s military junta, as demonstrated by Marca and also the academic article “Diego Armando Maradona and the Argentine Youth at the World Cup in Japan ( 1979). The creation of narratives by the Argentine military dictatorship “.
Jimi Hendrix
American singer and guitarist Jimi Hendrix performs on May 24, 1967 at Grona Lund in Stockholm, Sweden. (Photo: – / Svenska Dagbladet / AFP via Getty Images)
Jimi Hendrix joined the United States Army at the age of 18, but it wasn’t exactly his idea. He had trouble with the law and was given a choice: prison or army, according to information about him in his biography on military.com.
Within a year, the army honorably discharged Hendrix, despite his rebellion. From that point on, his musical career exploded rapidly.
Bea Arthur
Bea Arthur in her U.S. Marine Corps photo on April 15, 1943. (Photo: U.S. Department of Defense)
Emmy-winning actress Bea Arthur, who died in 2009, was active in the military despite her denial, the Smoking Gun website revealed in 2010.
According to the website, Arthur, then Bernice Frankel, enlisted in the United States Navy in 1943 and became a first sergeant until his honorable discharge in 1945.
“She was an early member of the Women’s Reserve and worked as a typist and truck driver,” Smoking Gun said.
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner in a 2010 appearance on “Larry King Live”.
Years before creating his Playboy empire, Hugh Hefner joined the United States Army as an editor of a military newspaper.
“After graduating in 1944, he enlisted in the army as an infantry officer; during basic training he earned a sniper badge for firing the M1 and managed to pass “Killer College”, where troops maneuvered while throwing real grenades. Assigned to Camp Adair in Salem, Oregon, and Camp Pickett in Virginia, Hefner contributed cartoons to army newspapers, “according to his biography on military.com.
He was honorably discharged from the service in 1946 and soon thereafter launched Playboy magazine with $ 600.
Ice-T
Rapper Ice-T in 1989. He served in the army for four years. (Credit: Chris Buck)
Although rapper Ice-T is widely known for his starring role as a police detective on Law & Order, he pioneered gangster rap in the 1980s, generating controversy with songs like “Cop Killer”.
However, before becoming Ice-T, Tracy Marrow joined the United States Army at the age of 19 to have financial resources to help her young daughter and girlfriend, cites military.com.
He spent four years in the 25th Infantry Division before starting his musical career.
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash was part of the US military (photo: PH1 GARY RICE / US Marines)
During his time in the United States Air Force, Johnny Cash intercepted Soviet military radio broadcasts in Morse code. The musician – who died in 2003 – enlisted in 1960, according to his website.
According to the book Johnny Cash: The Life of an American Icon, Cash was following the fast pace of Soviet broadcasts at 35 wpm. He said his time as a code translator helped influence his music.
“That Morse code rhythm had a lot to do with the rhythm I felt in my music,” he said. “After I got out of the Air Force, I could still hear it and when I started writing songs again I had that heartbeat.”
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy remained in service until 1955. (Photo: John R. Ellis / The Milton Caniff Estate)
Best known for his portrayal of Spock in Star Trek, Leonard Nimoy enlisted in the United States Army Reserve in the early 1950s and was discharged in 1955 with the rank of sergeant, according to his military biography.com.
During that time, he performed in Army Special Services shows and starred in military training films. Nimoy also had a role as a sergeant on the Steve Canyon series in 1959.
Son Heung Min
Heung-Min Son, the South Korean Tottenham striker, received military training for three weeks.
South Korean football star Heung-Min Son has a peculiar story: he avoided military draft in 2018 after winning the Asian Games with South Korea.
However, exempt athletes are still required by law to do four weeks of national service or three weeks with the Marine Corps.
The Tottenham player opted for the latter option and concluded his three weeks with the Navy in May 2020.
Shaggy
Shaggy joined the Navy after a difficult year without finding a job. (Photo: US Marines)
Jamaican rapper Shaggy joined the United States Navy in 1988 to make ends meet after a difficult year without finding a job, according to his biography on military.com.
As his music career took off, he was deployed to Kuwait in 1991 for Operation Desert Storm, also known as the Gulf War.
“The experience (of the Gulf War) made him think and Shaggy decided to devote himself even more to his music. In 1993 he released his debut album Pure Pleasure and the single “Oh Carolina” became one of the biggest hits in UK history.
Elvis Presley
Sergeant Elvis Presley at a press conference before leaving Germany in March 1960. (Photo: James Whitmore / Time & Life Pictures / Getty Images)
He is recognized as one of the greatest rock n roll stars who ever lived, but he also served in the United States Army.
Elvis Presley already had number 1 songs, appearances on TV shows and even movies in his record when he was drafted into the Army for a service that would last from 1958 to 1960.
His service was done in Germany and was later honorably discharged. So, he went back to the stage and finished building his legend of him.
With reports by Yoonjung Seo, Amy Woodyatt and Matias Grez of CNN.
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