BTS rekindles debate about military services in South Korea

SEOUL — The military mandated in the national environment by the surprising decision by the Korean boy band BTS to take a break from the live show. The debate about services has rekindled. Global pop culture trends in the face of the threat of the Cold War decades ago.

Military services are very controversial in South Korea, and all healthy men between the ages of 18 and 28 will serve for about two years as part of their defense against hostile North Korea. It has become.

Men and classic musicians who have won medals in Olympic and Asian games over the years, and dancers who have won the highest awards in certain competitions.

The 2019 legislative amendment allowed globally recognized K-pop stars to postpone service until the age of 30.

Congress is now a new fix that allows K-pop stars to do just three weeks of military training.

The outcome of parliamentary deliberations will be significant for BTS, especially for the oldest members of the band known to fans as Jin.

The band's management company has long shown to seven BTS members that they are keen to fulfill their obligations, but the reality of two years of full-time military service is time. Has been receiving a lot of attention as time goes by.

Jin, 29, has postponed service as much as possible, and by the time he turns 30, he faces the imminent outlook for a complete stunt (that is, two years from the public eye).

For Jin and his bandmates, waiting for Congress to make a decision is very stressful and is the main reason they stop playing, fixing it. Proposed legislator Yoon Sang-hyun includes three weeks of training for the K-pop star, said.

"Members cited fatigue and the need for rest as the main reasons, but the real reason was Jin's military service," Yun told Reuters.

According to Yun, military services need to be considered, taking into account the extent to which BTS has made South Korea known around the world through "soft power."

"BTS did the work done by more than 1,000 diplomats," he said.

"Hard Time"

Since its debut in 2013, BTS has created a global sensation with bright hits and social campaigns aimed at empowering young people. ..

BTS became the first Asian band to win this year's artist at last year's American Music Awards, meeting US President Joe Biden at the White House in May and hating. We talked about the target of the crime. Asian.

Choi Kwang-ho, secretary-general of the Korean Music Content Association, a coalition of K-pop agencies that includes the band's big hit management company, said it would be difficult to wait for a decision.

"Young artists have been afflicted with hopes that never come true," Choi said.

According to a Gallup survey in April, nearly 60% of Koreans supported a bill to exempt globally successful K-pop stars from full military service, and 33% opposed it. ..

The band and its management company avoided discussion, but in April the big hit official Lee Jin-hyun said at a press conference in Las Vegas that some band members "due to uncertainty". I'm having a hard time. " Over the congressional debate. He asked for a decision.

K-pop is not the only sector that wants to change the rules. President Yun Seok-yul's new administration is considering exempting some engineers and researchers in computer chips and other technical fields.

The Pentagon has pointed out the constitutional requirement that all citizens fulfill their obligations to protect the country.

"Adding pop culture artists to the range of exempt art and sports personnel requires careful consideration from a fairness perspective," said a ministry official.

Some young men are also wondering about the special treatment of BTS.

20-year-old Seo Chang-jun understands why the Olympic winners are exempt, but he said he wasn't sure about BTS.

"The Olympics are a national event where all Koreans support the same team, but not all are BTS fans. Many are not interested in them." He told Reuters. (Report by Hyonhee Shin, Yeni Seo, Minwoo Park, edited by Robert Birsel)