After a long wait, BTS's RM (Kim Namjoon), V (Kim Taehyung), Jimin (Park Jimin) and Jungkook (Jeon Jungkook) have completed their mandatory service in the South Korean military. Members Jin (Kim Seokjin) and J-Hope (Jung Hoeseok) have already served and were discharged June 12, 2024 and October 17, 2024 respectively. The final member to be discharged, Suga aka Agust D (Min Yoongi), will be discharged on June 21. Suga has been enlisted the longest due to his social service assignment.
ARMY, BTS's strong loyal fan base waited patiently on the streets near the Hybe building to catch a glimpse of the guys as they arrived to the company on both days of discharge (RM and V on June 10 and Jungkook and Jimin on June 11). Many more fans tuned in online to watch the press conference from Chuncheon. Hybe and BigHit sent out a memo to the fan base via Weverse app and advised as they have in the past that fans are not to come to the sites where members are being discharged for security reasons and asked that fans stay away from the site and "convey warm regards and encouragement" in their hearts. ARMY did just that by gathering at Hybe, hosting online watch parties, gathering on social media and waiting for the return of 4 more of the 7 members total to return and waiting on Suga as well.
Though the final location where the members were meeting up to meet the press was not formally announced to fans, fake fans seeking internet clout including a Brazilian delegation led by a travel agent called Bom Dia Coreia on Instagram, showed up to the site at Chuncheon against Hybe's memo rules and squatted outside of the gates to live stream and stalk the members. They do this for internet attention to get likes and follows and get paid on their monetized accounts. They have since locked down their pages and gone private after being called out for such inappropriate behavior. The press fed their disrespectful actions and allowed them to stay. They returned the next day for Jungkook and Jimin's release and proceeded to scream disrespectfully while the members were conveying messages to the media and ARMY who were watching online. At one point during the broadcast you could see security getting visibly annoyed at the crowd who wasn't supposed to be there anyway. One particularly odd group showed up wearing all black both days as if they were attending a funeral. Sources say they are called anti-fans and the reason they attended in such dreary costumes is still unclear.
ARMY online flooded social media with love for all members on their release days and well wishes for the future. RM and V touched ARMY's hearts with their goofy antics. RM showed up playing his saxophone wearing sunglasses to complete the look from the Squirtle meme that went viral and left skipping holding onto V. V displayed his Tata mic innocent face while delivering his speech. Both went on a live stream later on separately to greet ARMY. RM spoke of his struggles and plans for the future and V vibed to some music in one of his trademark short streams that typically last less than 15 minutes.
Jimin and Jungkook were discharged the day after RM and V as they had served together in the same unit. Both looked happy and healthy as they showed up to speak to the press at Chuncheon. Live streams of the moment were plagued with buffering and loud sasaengs screaming during the speech so ARMY had to rely on online ARMY translators later to convey the message from the two maknaes. Later on they did a joint live stream where they also ate and discussed future plans. Both seemed in good spirits and full of giggles in a room full of flowers and balloons celebrating their return.
Next up ARMY eagerly awaits the return of Min Yoongi who will be discharged on June 21. Suga's discharge from military service will make BTS whole again as BTS is seven members and the second oldest member and one of the 3 rappers will be back. Suga has been gone the longest due to his assignment to social service in the military. He was assigned social service duty in order to protect his shoulder (which was injured years ago in a car accident) from further damage after having had surgery on it in 2020. Social service assignments last 21 months compared to other assignments that are usually 18 months.
No comments:
New comments are not allowed.