Though their popularity continues to skyrocket worldwide, K-pop superstars BTS may be forced to take a break later this year — or at the very least, lose one of their seven band members. The septet from South Korea has been around since 2013 and has steadily grown in popularity ever since their debut.
BTS has a busy schedule this summer
Aside from their countless appearances on American television, BTS has released a near-constant stream of albums, music videos, tours, art films, collaborations, merchandise, and even their own mobile game. As a result, the record-breaking band has cultivated what is easily one of the biggest and most passionate fan bases in the world.
Their latest effort is Map of the Soul: 7, a 20-track album that reflects on their seven years together as a band and samples parts of their older albums. As expected, the album went straight to number one on the iTunes album chart, and BTS-themed hashtags dominated the top 20 worldwide trends on Twitter.
As of right now, BTS has planned an extensive North American tour that lasts until June, followed by a short European tour and a handful of shows throughout Asia. After that, however, the future seems much less clear.
Mandatory military enlistment is on the horizon
South Korea requires that all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28 enlist in military service for at least 21 months, and so far, none of the seven members of BTS have completed their service. Following last year’s announcement that South Korea will not be making any special exemptions for K-pop stars, many fans have been seriously wondering about the future of BTS.
The oldest member of the band, Jin, turns 28 in December and will be the first one required to enlist. Some have speculated that the band may continue on in his absence, although this seems unlikely since the next oldest member, Suga, turns 27 this year and will be required to fulfill his service soon as well. All of the BTS boys are within the ages required for enlistment: J-Hope and RM will be 26 this year, followed by Jimin and V, who will be 25, and finally the youngest Jungkook, who will be 23.
Although the band has neither confirmed nor denied their plans, the South Korean government is probably not going to change its mind any time soon, and the band will most likely be forced to take an extended hiatus after 2020.