Two members of the South Korean boy band BTS have completed their military service in South Korea after eighteen months. The 31-year-old bandleader RM and 30-year-old singer V were discharged today from two army bases just outside Seoul, where hundreds of fans gathered.
According to RM, there were many “difficult and painful moments.” “But during my service, I really felt how so many people were protecting the country in our place,” the bandleader told reporters.
V said that military service “was a time to reset and rebuild both my body and my mind.” When reporters asked them what they wanted to do after their discharge, they both replied that they wanted to “perform” again.
The seven members of BTS announced a long-term hiatus in 2022 to fulfill their military service separately, which is mandatory for all South Korean men under the age of thirty.
Last year, Jin and J-Hope already completed their service. The last member, Suga, is likely to be finished at the end of June. The band is expected to reunite later this year.