The BTS ARMY has been put through a rollercoaster of emotions in the past few days. After the band’s incredibly successful concert in Busan on Oct. 15, the fandom’s cheerfulness came to a halt today when BTS‘ label, BIGHIT MUSIC released an official statement regarding the band’s impending mandatory military service. The announcement was posted to the label’s social media accounts, and it reads that “Jin will initiate the process [of enlistment] as soon as his schedule for his solo release is concluded at the end of October.”
South Korean law dictates that between the ages of 18 and 28, all able-bodied men must fulfill their military duty. As the oldest member of the group, it was expected that Kim Seokjin would be the first of the bunch to enlist, since he’s already approaching 30. With this confirmation, though, speculation has arisen among fans who now wonder which member will be the first to follow in Jin’s footsteps.
Who will enlist next?
If we follow the age logic, it’s very likely that Min Yoongi, aka SUGA, might be the next member to enlist. SUGA is currently 29 years old and is the second oldest member of BTS. However, this is not yet guaranteed, since the band’s label clearly stated that “other members of the group prepare to carry out their military service based on their own individual plans.” What this seems to translate to is that each BTS member has scheduled their enlistment around their solo musical projects. This way fans will probably be treated to new songs or album releases from some members while others complete their service.
This brings us to another member likely to enlist after Jin: Jung Hoseok. This rapper, best known as J-Hope, released a successful solo album titled Jack in the Box, on July 15, and more recently featured in Crush’s newest single, “Rush Hour.” With all promotions wrapped up, it’s not far-fetched to consider that J-Hope will be the next to enlist in the military as there have not been any announcements regarding other future projects from the rapper. Lending even more credibility to this theory is the fact that J-Hope is the third oldest member of BTS, so time is running out for his enlistment as well.
During BTS’ latest concert, J-Hope was also adamant in conveying to fans that they need to trust the band now more than ever, which some might interpret as further evidence that he might be next. Despite all speculation, though, all the BTS ARMY can do now is patiently await more information.
