What to know about BTS as the K-pop group returns from military service

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — It's official — almost. Soon, all seven members of the massively popular K-pop group BTS will have completed South Korea's mandatory military service.

Rapper Suga will be the last of the bandmates to be released on Saturday, after fulfilling his duty as a social service agent, an alternative to serving in the military that he reportedly chose due to a shoulder injury.

BTS’ entertainment agency said no events are planned for Suga’s release out of concern for overcrowding.

The six others, RM, V, Jimin, Jung Kook, Jin and j-hope, served in the army.

Earlier this month, four members of BTS — RM, V, Jimin and Jung Kook — were discharged from South Korea's mandatory military service.

Jin, the eldest BTS member, was discharged in June 2024 as was j-hope in October.

BTS is expected to reunite later this year. Ahead of that highly anticipated homecoming, here's what you need to know about the group.

The rise of BTS

BTS — short for Bangtan Sonyeondan, or "Bulletproof Boy Scouts" in Korean — debuted in June 2013 under the company Big Hit Entertainment, now known as HYBE. The seven-member group consists of RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook.

The group launched in 2013 with the hip-hop heavy single album “2 Cool 4 Skool," releasing three full-length projects before really gaining momentum with their 2016 album “Wings." Their global breakthrough came in 2017 when “DNA” entered the Billboard Hot 100, making BTS the first Korean boy band to achieve such a feat. The song’s success was followed by a performance at the American Music Awards, further fueling their international fan base.

The band is largely credited with bringing K-pop to the international stage, and with good reason. Across their discography, BTS broke boundaries and records: In 2020, they released the five-time platinum “Dynamite,” their first all-English single, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — a first for an all-South Korean musical act. At the height of their popularity, BTS was not only the biggest K-pop group on the planet, but the biggest boy band overall.

Global appeal

In fact, they've been certified platinum many times over, according to The Recording Industry Association of America. Their platinum successes include:

— 2018's “Mic Drop;”

— 2020's “Map of the Soul: 7," “Love Yourself: Answer,” and “Idol;”

— 2021's “Be,” and song of the summer “Butter;”

— and high-profile collaborations "My Universe" with Coldplay and "Boy With Luv" featuring Halsey.

BTS has also been nominated for five Grammy Awards. Their first, for "Dynamite" in the best pop duo/group performance category, marked the first time a K-pop act received a Grammy nod.

As their global popularity grew, the septet also became international advocates for social justice. Their 2018 address to the United Nations General Assembly launched the "Love Myself" campaign in partnership with UNICEF to combat violence, abuse and bullying while promoting self-esteem among young people. The group's commitment to human rights activism continued in 2020 when they donated $1 million to the Black Lives Matter movement, denouncing racial discrimination and violence. Their fan base, known the world over as ARMY, responded by matching the donation within 24 hours.

Their dual impact on music and social causes culminated in 2022 when they were invited to the White House to discuss anti-Asian hate crimes with President Joe Biden.

BTS' mandatory military service stirs debate

In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 are required by law to perform 18-21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea.

The law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have obtained top prizes in certain competitions and are assessed to have enhanced national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers aren’t subject to such privileges.

However, in 2020, BTS postponed their service until age 30 after South Korea’s National Assembly revised its Military Service Act, allowing K-pop stars to delay their enlistment until age 30.

There was heated public debate in 2022 over whether to offer special exemptions of mandatory military service for BTS members, until the group's management agency announced in October 2022 that all seven members would fulfill their duties.

Break allows time for solo projects

BTS tiered their enlistments, giving ample time for its members to focus on solo projects while the group was on a break.

Jin released two EPs, “Happy” in 2024 and “Echo” in May of this year. Suga dropped his debut solo album, “D-Day,” in 2023 under his moniker Agust D.

Also in 2024, RM released his second solo album, the elastic, experimental "Right Place, Wrong Person", and j-hope released an EP, "Hope on the Street Vol. 1." Earlier this year, j-hope embarked on his first solo tour.

Jimin released two projects, 2023's "Face" and 2024's "Muse." V's debut album, the smooth alt-R&B "Layover," arrived in 2023, as did Jung Kook's retro-pop debut, "Golden."

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AP Music Writer Maria Sherman reported from New York.