New Delhi: In the late hours of Monday night, J-Hope, the second member of the popular South Korean boy band BTS, said goodbye to a number of his fans all around the world before reporting for his mandatory military service. The 29-year-old sent a message for ARMY, the BTS fan club, on the fan community website Weverse.
"I love you ARMY. Will be back safely!" he captioned his picture in Korean, showing off his military haircut.
The rapper, whose real name is Jung Ho-seok, is the second member of BTS after the eldest representative Jin to enlist for active military service. J-Hope's military recruitment procedure was announced to have begun by BigHit Music, the management company for BTS, in late February.
The k-pop idol also shared a handwritten note on his official Instagram account. "I'll have a good trip!" he wrote in Korean.
J-Hope said that he will join on April 18 during an emotional Weverse LIVE last week. "Love you ARMY. Let's meet in 2025," the rapper had said during the session.
The first member of the boy band that received a Grammy nomination, Jin, 30, enlisted in the South Korean military. In a front-line boot camp, he started his 18-month military service requirement in December. All physically fit men between the ages of 18 and 28 are required to serve a two-year military enlistment in South Korea. All BTS members were permitted to postpone beginning their military obligations until they were 30.
Every man between the ages of 18 and 28 who is physically fit is required to serve a two-year military enlistment in South Korea. The beginning of their military duty could be delayed until all BTS members reached the age of 30.
Other members would carry out their duties according to their own personal plans, according to BigHit Music, who had already stated that. All of the members of the group, which made its debut in 2013, are currently working on solo projects as the group takes a sabbatical.
The Grammy-nominated superband BTS had announced hiatus in June 2022.