Big Hit EntertainmentThis Friday is a day that BTS fans were dreading: It’s the 28th birthday of Jin, the K-pop group’s oldest member. See, in South Korea, all able-bodied men have to enlist in the military at age 28 for 20 months, and ARMY feared that their beloved septet would have to be down one member. But now, they won’t have to worry anymore.
The New York Times reports that South Korea’s National Assembly has now revised the Military Service Act, which will specifically allow K-pop stars to postpone their military service until age 30.
The so-called “BTS Law” was specifically established to allow K-pop stars who receive government medals for helping to elevate South Korea’s “cultural influence” globally can apply for deferment. BTS, who received the medals in 2018, qualify.
This revision of the law has been long sought after, because top South Korean athletes, classical and folk musicians had previously been allowed to postpone their military service, but until now, K-pop stars weren’t eligible.
The bill revising the law was introduced in September, when BTS scored their first number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Dynamite.” They’ve since gone on to score two more chart-topping singles in the U.S., as well as notch their fifth number-one album in the States.
Many ARMY members took to Twitter to express their delight at the news.
By Andrea Dresdale
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