BTS’ SUGA is carrying out social service instead of active military duty. Is this scenario better or worse for the artist and his fans?

BTS is now down three members following the enlistment of 30-year-old rapper Min Yoongi in the military, also known by his stage names SUGA and Agust D. The “Haegeum” singer joins bandmates Jin and j-hope who have now been gone approximately nine and five months, respectively.

Although fans have made peace with the inevitability of contact with their idols being reduced to a minimum (public figures are not allowed to carry out any promotions or be captured on camera during their conscription), having to say goodbye to another member is always hard. In SUGA’s case, the news of the enlistment was extra bittersweet, given the type of service he would be providing.

What type of military service is SUGA carrying out?

Unlike his fellow BTS members, who enlisted in the regular army branch of the military, SUGA will serve as a social service agent. According to The Korea Times, the rapper was “ruled unfit for the regular combat duty,” presumably because of a shoulder injury he sustained in 2012 and was operated on in Nov. 2020. He enlisted on Sep. 22, 2023.

The artist’s label did not disclose, officially, where SUGA will be stationed, but, per Korea Herald, he could be trading the studio for a job anywhere from “schools and government buildings to local parking lots, nursing homes and subway stations.” It’s safe to assume his new position will be adapted to his level of fame, in order to maintain his privacy and keep him from being disturbed by fans while he works.

Social service agents either have a 9-to-5 schedule or night-to-day work shifts, but do ultimately get to go home at the end of the day like any other worker in the country. SUGA will be able to do what he loves in his spare time and be with family and friends as normal. He will be submitted to three weeks of basic military training after 10 months of public service work. Other famous idols to perform public service instead of active military duty include GOT7’s Jay B and EXO’s Kai.

How long will SUGA’s military service be?

While carrying out his conscription as a social service agent instead of an army soldier has the added benefits of less physical labor and less isolation from the outside world, SUGA will be stationed for longer than those who join the army.

Jin and J-hope’s military service will only be 18 months long, whereas it is believed SUGA’s will stretch all the way to 21 months. Service time depends on the type of work the agent carries out, but seeing as SUGA has confirmed he will be back by 2025, it’s more than likely that he picked a position among those with the shortest duration. These include city halls, government agencies, and public facilities.

“I was able to come this far thanks to you,” SUGA said in a note to fans posted to South Korean social media platform Weverse. The rapper toured North America and Asia during 2023, after releasing his third solo body of work D-Day in April. “The time has come. I will faithfully complete my duty and come back. Be careful of the chilly autumn weather. Stay healthy and see you all in 2025,” he concluded. All BTS members are expected to conclude their conscription in the next two years.