BTS enlistment

K-pop has been popular with international fans as groups bring in more and more fans with their music. Recently, K-pop’s most internationally known group, BTS is enlisting to Korea’s mandatory military service. Starting with the oldest member, Jin. Their company, Big Hit announced their departure approximately 2 days after their free Busan concert, which over 100k people attended. Stating that “The seven members will reconvene as a group again around 2025.” Despite Army’s mixed reaction about the news, the south Korean government is worrying about their economy, due to the fact that that BTS reportedly contributes over $3.6 billion dollars annually to the South Korean economy and is responsible for an estimated 1 in every 13 tourists in the country. South Korea requires all able-bodied men to enlist by the time they turn 28 and to serve for 2 years. However, exceptions have been made for athletes who have won international awards or high-level classical musicians, but never for K-pop artists. After the announcement, the stock price of Big Hit’s parent company, HYBE, fell 2.5 percent. The company has lost about half its market value since June, when BTS talked about a hiatus as the members pursued solo projects. The announcement concluded with a promise to fans with the band’s most recent single, “Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment),” which promises “much more yet to come in the years ahead from BTS.”