SUNG HEROES OF SOUTH KOREA

Stans of Korean boy band BTS aka Bangtan Sonyeondan have much to be thrilled about, as South Korea’s parliament passed a bill recently that will allow globally recognized K-Pop artists to postpone their joining in military service till the age of 30

- PRIYAMVADA RANA

At a time when K-Pop sensation BTS is on the cusp of making history, the South Korean government has passed a bill recently that will allow globally recognized K-Pop artists to postpone their military service to age 30 which is 28 for ordinary men.

Presently, in South Korea, all able-bodied Korean men aged between 18 to 28 are bound to serve in the military for about two years as part of the country’s guard against its foe North Korea. The bill will have a direct impact on Korean wave leader BTS as the septet’s oldest member Kim Seok-Jin who was nearing enlistment to military service can stay with the band till the age of 30. Jin turned 28 years in December and now he will have two more years to work with the iconic band. Good news for the fans!

Under the revised law, K-Pop entertainers who won government medals to boost and spread South Korea’s cultural influence in the world can apply for deferment of their military service. All BTS members meet this requirement with their phenomenal success in the world of K-Pop and were reportedly awarded a medal in 2018 making them perfectly fit in the deferment criterion.

The revision in the law pertaining to the Military Service Act came on the heels of BTS’s unmatchable success with their peppy super duper hit album ‘Dynamite’.