BTS' J-Hope to complete military duty

SEOUL, Oct. 17 (Yonhap) -- J-Hope, a member of the K-pop supergroup BTS, will be discharged from his 18 months of mandatory military service Thursday, becoming the band's second member to complete his service after the oldest member Jin.

J-Hope enlisted in April and has been serving as an assistant drill instructor at the 36th Army Infantry Division boot camp in Wonju, some 90 kilometers southeast of Seoul, following his basic training.

Reflecting on his military experience, J-Hope shared on the fan community platform Weverse last month: "I am proud and confident as I look back on my military service. I also feel somewhat attached to my time here."

Jin, who was discharged in June, has since been active, participating in a torch relay for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris and preparing for the release of a solo project next month.

Following his discharge, J-Hope is also expected to resume individual activities, much to the excitement of his fans.

BigHit Music, the band's agency, earlier said for safety reasons, there will be no public event to celebrate his discharge.

In South Korea, all able-bodied men are required to serve between 18 and 21 months in the military.

sshim@yna.co.kr
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