Members of the South Korean boy band BTS. (BTS/Facebook)
(Tribune News Service) — BTS artist j-hope began the enlistment process for his stint with the South Korean military, his record label announced, making him the second member of the Korean-pop group to do so.
The rapper-singer, whose real name is Jung Ho-seok, applied to end his postponement of the mandatory 18-month service.
“We will inform you of further updates in due course,” BIGHIT Music wrote on Weverse. “We ask you for your continued love and support for j-hope until he completes his military service and safely returns. Our company will spare no effort in providing support for our artist.”
The 29-year-old follows fellow BTS star Jin, 30, who began his mandatory service in December. South Korea requires most men to enlist in its military by age 28, but entertainers can push back their stints until they’re 30.
Last year, BTS announced a hiatus until 2025 so its seven members can fulfill their military obligations and pursue solo projects. On Friday, J-Hope will release a single, “On the Street,” that he wrote.
“The title ‘on the street’ refers to j-hope’s roots — street dance — from which his dream to become an artist began, and the path the artist and fans will continue to walk together,” BIGHIT announced over the weekend.
BTS originated in Seoul in 2013 and has six No. 1 hits in the U.S., including “Dynamite” and “Butter.” Disney+ and Weverse recently released “j-hope IN THE BOX,” a documentary covering his solo artistry.
Earlier this month, Suga became the first BTS member to announce a solo tour. He’ll kick off the global run in late April with two concerts at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., and a show at the Prudential Center in Newark.
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