BTS’s decision to go on hiatus has broken hearts all over the world. Unlike the Beatles or One Direction, however, their decision is linked to Korean Peninsula politics and the difficulty of balancing national security with Korea’s soft power objectives.
BTS’s seven members revealed the news during their annual dinner on June 15, which was televised live to fans all around the world, citing weariness and a desire to pursue individual projects. Following that, uncertainty ensued when the band’s entertainment business, Hybe, stated that BTS will continue to work together as well as independently in an attempt to stabilize their stock price, which was plummeting.
Discerning fans, on the other hand, believe the move is more strategic than it appears, suggesting that several BTS members will soon be completing their military service obligations. The breakup comes only weeks after a heated political discussion in South Korea over whether the group’s members should be spared from the country’s mandatory military duty.
Exemptions are typically granted exclusively for medical reasons; however, the exemption system has been abused in the past. Winners of major international competitions may be required to perform community service instead, like Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min did in 2022. This included a few weeks of basic military training as well as voluntary football instruction for London schoolchildren.
BTS had hoped to gain an exemption by winning a Grammy in 2022, but despite being one of the world’s best-selling artists, they were left empty-handed.
K-pop singers haven’t been the only ones debating military duty. In recent years, it has also become the focus of a broader public debate. These arguments have been fueled mostly by disgruntled young men who are fed up with having to put their studies and work on hold in order to help South Korea’s defenses, primarily against North Korea.
