|
Dozens of fans braved freezing, snowy weather
to speed him on his way at his bootcamp in the eastern county of
Yeoncheon, where frontline troops are deployed on guard against
North Korea.
"I wish it was a warm day," Lee Jin, 24, told Reuters outside
the camp, where about 300 military, police and fire officials
maintained tight security. "I hope he will be treated well
without discrimination."
BTS announced plans in October to sign up for mandatory military
service, starting with Jin, who turned 30 on Dec. 4, after
having postponed his service for the maximum time allowed.
"He is so skinny," said Mandy Lee, a 30-year-old fan from Hong
Kong. "I want him to eat more and stay healthy and safe."
The band will reunite in 2025 after pursuing individual
projects.
After five weeks' training at the camp, about 45 km (28 miles)
from the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone that separates the
two Koreas, Jin will be deployed to a unit that has not yet been
specified.
"Now it's time for a curtain call," Jin wrote on BTS fan
platform Weverse early on Tuesday before entering the camp in a
car. His shaved head was "cuter" than he imagined, he joked when
he posted a photograph of it the previous day.
BTS' management, Big Hit Music, said there would be no official
event and asked fans to avoid travelling to the boot camp,
citing safety concerns.
South Korea requires military service of about two years from
all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28, but it
revised the law in 2019 to let globally recognised K-pop stars
delay signing up until 30.
Some lawmakers have pushed for a shorter term, granted to medal
winners at the Olympics and Asian Games, as well as some
classical musicians, but a bill is still pending.
On Tuesday, Yonhap news agency said another BTS member, Suga,
has been judged unfit for active duty and would do community
service instead.
Big Hit declined to confirm the report on privacy grounds, but
said all band members would fulfil their duties.
Many artists have received the "entertainment soldier"
designation to allow them to keep a hand in by performing for
troops or appearing in propaganda.
South Korea's defence minister has said BTS would be able to
perform overseas while in the military.
(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin and Hyeyeon Kim; Editing by Kenneth
Maxwell and Clarence Fernandez)
[© 2022 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.]
|
|
