BTS' RM and V Begin Mandatory South Korean Military Service

BTS is officially on hiatus until 2025. 

According to The Associated Press, members of the K-pop group RM and V began their mandatory enlistment in the South Korean military on Monday, one day before their bandmates Jimin and Jungkook are also scheduled to enlist. 

As reported by AP, RM, 29, and V, 27, arrived on Monday to an army boot camp in Nonsan, South Korea where they are set to begin their service. 

Jimin, 28, and Jungkook, 26, are said to report for duty together on Tuesday. 

Now that all seven members of the band are enrolled in their required 18 months of service — as Jin, J-Hope and Suga previously enlisted — the group will remain on pause until 2025.

The musicians are said to undergo five weeks of combat training before receiving their specific assignments, per AP. 

Currently, Suga is fulfilling his requirements as a social service agent, while Jin and J-Hope are serving in the army. 

Ahead of their enlistment, both RM and V shared goodbye posts on social media to their devoted fan base known as ARMY. 

RM shared a thoughtful note to fans on the social media platform WeVerse on Sunday. After writing that “there were a lot of things [he] wanted to say” before reporting for duty, he reflected on the “Dynamite” band’s past 10 years together as a group.

“I’ve been so happy to have been a part of BTS for the past 10 years,” he wrote. “18 months can feel both long and short at the same time and I’m sure this period will be a strange and new time of inspiration and learning for all of us.”

In the lengthy note that was translated from Korean to English, he added that he’s “looking forward to” the K-pop band’s reunion. “See you in the future,” he signed off. “I love you a lot.” 

V also shared a message on WeVerse, as well as a handful of sweet photos with his bandmates over the past decade, including shots dating back to 2013. 

In the caption, which was originally written in Korean, he expressed that it’ll be tough being away from the ARMY for the next year and a half. He added, though, that he’s already excited about the future. His post concluded, “I’ll be back soon!” 

The Layover artist also took to Instagram on Sunday to share a selfie on his Story of his recent buzz cut, which was shaved in order to adhere to military standards. 

The news of the “Butter” singers’ enlistment comes one week after their management BIGHIT MUSIC confirmed to fans in a statement on the social media platform WeVerse that Jimin, Jungkook, RM and V were about to begin the enlistment process. 

They wrote, “RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook will fulfill their required time with the military by enlisting in the army. RM and V will be enlisting according to their respective procedures, while Jimin and Jung Kook are scheduled to enlist together.”

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BIGHIT MUSIC also advised fans not to purchase any unauthorized merchandise or concert tickets while BTS is away and ensured that they’ll “provide all the support they need during this time.” 

While debate has ensued in the past few years over whether K-pop idols should still have to follow South Korea’s policy that all able bodied men between the ages of 18-28 must carry out a civic duty of military service, the hitmakers’ management ultimately announced in October 2022 that they would comply. At the time, they revealed that the seven-piece pop group planned to follow a schedule so they would be able to reunite by 2025. 

Last year, Jin, 30, was the first to enlist. J-Hope, 29, enrolled in April of this year and Suga, 30, was next in September.