Chuncheon, South Korea: RM and V, two prominent members of the globally acclaimed K-pop group BTS, have completed their mandatory military service in South Korea.

The two were released on Tuesday morning in Chuncheon City, where a crowd of around 200 international fans gathered, many waving BTS banners and South Korean flags.

Some fans had travelled thousands of miles. One of them, Reina Lorena Quintero Sevilla, flew 18 hours from Mexico City, saying, “We’re so excited to be in the hometowns of our boys... who we love and adore.”

Both RM and V enlisted in December 2023, as part of the group's commitment to fulfilling their military duties under South Korea’s conscription law, which mandates 18–21 months of service for all able-bodied men between 18 and 28 years old.

They now join Jin, who was discharged in June 2024, and J-Hope, released in October 2024. On Wednesday, fellow members Jimin and JungKook are set to be discharged, while Suga, who was assigned alternative service as a social worker due to medical reasons, will complete his duty later this month.

Military service and exemptions:

In South Korea, exemptions are typically only offered to elite athletes, classical musicians, and dancers who have brought international acclaim. K-pop artists, despite global fame, are not eligible for automatic exemptions.

However, in 2020, the National Assembly amended the Military Service Act, permitting globally recognised K-pop artists to delay enlistment until age 30. The debate over BTS exemptions was intense until the group’s agency, HYBE, confirmed in 2022 that all members would voluntarily serve.

BTS reunion timeline:

With all seven members finishing or nearing completion of their service, BTS is expected to reunite as a full group in late 2025. This will mark their first official group activity since their hiatus began in 2022.

The return of the full BTS lineup is anticipated to be one of the biggest events in K-pop history, both musically and culturally.

(With AP inputs)