BigHit Music has a request for BTS fans prior to member Jin's army enlistment.
On Tuesday, the band's management company, BigHit Music, issued a statement via the fan community site Weverse, noting that the 30-year-old member of the wildly popular group would "fulfill his required time with the military by enlisting in the army" and asking fans to respect his privacy.
The message went on to state that no "official event" would be held to mark the occasion. What's more, the South Korean music label asked fans to avoid the area altogether.
"The entrance ceremony is a time to be observed by military personnel and their families only," reads the statement. "In order to prevent any issues that might occur from crowding, we ask fans to please refrain from visiting the site. Instead, we ask you to keep your heartwarming words of support and farewell in your hearts."
The exact duration of Jin's enlistment is unclear, the label's message only offering, "We ask for your continued love and support for Jin until he finishes his military service and comes back."
It will be 2025 before BTS will be able to once again perform with the full seven-member lineup, as each member will participate in the mandatory national service.
"Jin will initiate the process as soon as his schedule for his solo release is concluded at the end of October. He will then follow the enlistment procedure of the Korean government. Other members of the group plan to carry out their military service based on their own individual plans," BigHit Music said in an October statement.
Under South Korean law, all able-bodied men are required to serve between 18 and 21 months in the military before their 30th birthday.
It had been thought that BTS might be exempted from military service under plans put forward by Hwang Hee, South Korea's Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister, on the ground that the K-Pop superstars have already served the country through their huge global success.
In late September, South Korea's Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup weighed in on the controversy, saying it would be "desirable" to have the group fulfill their military service.
