K-pop star BTS member Jin to begin military service in December

File Picture

Jin, the oldest member of the K-pop band BTS, will begin his mandatory military service on December 13, South Korean newspaper Aju Business Daily reported on Thursday, citing unnamed military authorities.

Jin, who turns 30 on December 4, will be deployed to a unit after receiving five weeks of training at the boot camp, the paper reported.

Spokespeople for BTS' agency, HYBE, and the South Korean Ministry of Defense declined to confirm the report.

In a social media post last week Jin hinted he was headed to a "front-line" position.

After years of uncertainty, the group announced in October it would go on mandatory military service, starting with Jin. The group plans to pursue individual projects and reunite in 2025 after all had served, HYBE said at the time.

All able-bodied men in South Korea between 18 and 28 must serve in the military for 18 to 21 months. Some categories, however, have won exemptions, or served for shorter periods, including Olympics and Asian Games medal winners, and classical musicians and dancers who win top prizes at certain competitions. Some lawmakers had called for BTS to be exempted.

South Korea's defence minister has suggested BTS could still perform overseas while serving in the military.

More from Entertainment

  • David Gray to take the stage in Dubai on October 31

    British singer-songwriter David Gray is set to take the stage in Dubai on October 31, as part of his ‘Past and Present’ world tour. Along with new music, the "Babylon" singer is also expected to play hits from his extensive discography.

  • China's 'Nezha 2' becomes highest-grossing animated film globally

    Chinese animated blockbuster 'Nezha 2' overtook Pixar's 'Inside Out 2' on Tuesday to become the highest-grossing animated film globally, according to data from ticketing platform Maoyan.

  • Filipino superstars BINI to play Dubai

    Award-winning Filipino P-Pop sensations, BINI, will perform at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena as one of the first stops on their “BINIverse” world tour 2025 on Sunday, May 18.

  • 'Conclave' named best film at BAFTAs

    Papal selection thriller "Conclave" and period drama "The Brutalist" were the big winners at the BAFTA Film Awards on Sunday, winning four prizes each.

  • Abu Dhabi establishes Folk Arts Committee

    Abu Dhabi Executive Council has issued a resolution on folk arts performances in the emirate, to establish the Abu Dhabi Folk Arts Committee, chaired by Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority.