Jin, the oldest member of BTS, began his mandatory military service in South Korea on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old pop star, who recently released the solo track "The Astronaut," arrived at a boot camp in Yeoncheon in an unmarked vehicle.
“Our hyung!! Come back safely!! Love you,” read the caption on a tweet showing the other members of BTS bidding farewell to Jin. Hours earlier, he told fans via social media platform Weverse that his mandatory buzzcut is “cuter than I had expected.”
He will complete five weeks of basic training – including learning to shoot rifles and throw grenades – before being assigned to an active army unit somewhere in South Korea for as long as 18 months.
우리 형 !! 잘 다녀와요!! 러뷰 pic.twitter.com/ZP6yryv2qe
— 방탄소년단 (@BTS_twt) December 13, 2022
BTS management said in October that Jin, who turned 30 on Dec. 4, would enlist and “other members of the group plan to carry out their military service based on their own individual plans.” Big Hit Music said it “and the members of BTS are looking forward to reconvening as a group again around 2025 following their service commitment.”
South Korea’s conscription law requires most males to register to start 18 months of military service by the time they are 28. A 2021 amendment allowed pop stars who have received government medals to apply for deferment of their military service until they are 30. (BTS received the Order of Cultural Merit by president Moon Jae-In in 2018.)
A spokesperson for the South Korean defence ministry previously said BTS members will be allowed to participate in “national” events while doing military service.
In 2019, BTS management said it believes “military service is a duty, and we will try to show the fans the best of BTS until, and after, the members have fulfilled their service duties.”
BTS announced in June they were taking a break but insisted they were not breaking up. “We’re each going to take some time to have fun and experience lots of things,” said Jungkook. “We promise we will return someday.”