The K-pop industry is a bit cruel. No, I’m not talking about the downright ridiculous standards and how damaging they are. What I mean is – at some point or another, we all have to temporarily say goodbye to our favorite boy groups when they’re called up for mandatory military service. Sadly, Stray Kids inevitably will be a part of the roster.
Even though we all wish we could just escape this unjust reality, every K-Pop fan has to face it at some point or another. Recently, ARMY had to go through this moment for the first time, and one day, it will be us STAYS experiencing this inevitable and annoying fate. Well, maybe not annoying, but it is quite cruel to be deprived of our boys, after all.
Here’s an upside though: the Stray Kids’ members are still quite young. Bang Chan is the oldest, and he’s pretty much exempt from military service. So, do we know how long we have before the rest of the members enlist?
When are the Stray Kids going to the military?
At the time of writing, there is still no exact date confirmed for Stray Kids’ enlistment. However, there is a lot of speculation regarding the possible enlistment dates, primarily based on their ages. Between the ages of 18 and 28, all South Korean men must attend mandatory conscription – with some exceptions to the rule.
This means that each member will be forced to enlist before reaching the age of 28. As mentioned previously, the oldest member is Bangchan; however, he is exempt from enlisting due to having dual citizenship – Korean and Australian. Lee Know and Changbin are both 24, meaning that they should have enlisted by 2028.
Hyunjin, Han Jisung, Felix, and Seungmin were all born in 2000, meaning that they will have to enlist by 2029. Meanwhile, the maknae of the group I.N, will only be forced to enter military grounds in 2030. However, don’t be fooled by the years we still have left. While they won’t have to enlist until 2028, the members may choose to attend the service before reaching 28 years old – either together or separately.
Will Stray Kids come back after the military?
As of now, it is unclear whether or not Stray Kids will come back after the military. Given the huge fan base they have, however, it is likely that they will return in some shape or form after serving in the military.
In the meantime, neither JYP Entertainment nor the members have hinted at a potential enlistment announcement in the near future. So all STAYS can rest assured in knowing we still have some time with the boys, especially with all the rumors regarding a possible world tour sometime in 2024.