K-pop star J-Hope, a member of the supergroup BTS, was discharged from the South Korean Armed Forces on Thursday after 18 months of service, sparking excitement among fans and investors about a possible reunion for the boy band in next year.
J-Hope, 30, is the second member of the seven-member group to finish the mandatory national service that put their music careers on hold, after the oldest member, Jin, finished his service in June.
Wearing a uniform and a black beret, J-Hope smiled as he greeted Jin and about 100 cheering fans and reporters after his release from a military base in Wonju, Gangwon province.
“Thanks to the fans, I managed to finish (the job) safely, in good health,” he told those present.
“What I have felt over the past year and a half is that many soldiers are working hard, dedicating themselves and doing a lot to protect the country,” he added, asking the public for their interest and love for those serving in the Armed Forces.
Shares of HYBE, the record label that houses BTS, rose 7% in early afternoon trading, compared with a flat broader market.
The group’s final four members began serving in December 2023, and the band is expected to reunite in 2025, after everyone has completed their military service.
“I’m really hoping to see them (all the BTS members) together again,” said Constanza Godoy, 33, a Chilean fan who went to see J-Hope leave the military.
“I think that after this short period apart they will be closer and will bring more stories to their music, to their lyrics.”
BTS is ranked 41st among the best-selling artists of all time, according to chartmasters.org, a list topped by the Beatles.
Since their debut in 2013, they have sold more than 56 million physical albums and singles and have recorded six No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, according to chartmasters.org and Billboard.
South Korea requires all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 to serve between 18 and 21 months in military or social service, but revised the law in 2020 to allow globally recognized K-pop stars to defer enlistment. until the age of 30.
Source: Folha
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