K-pop superstars Jimin and Jung Kook, the youngest members of BTS, were officially discharged from South Korea’s mandatory military service on Wednesday.Clad in military uniforms, the duo saluted and greeted a crowd of devoted fans and reporters who had gathered to welcome them outside the army base. “Actually, it’s been so long since I’ve been in front of cameras, and I didn’t even put on makeup, so I’m a bit embarrassed,” Jung Kook admitted with a laugh. “I don’t know what to say.”The two won hearts with their ‘shy’ reactions to all the attention. The boys, who were presented with large bouquets, at one point, hid their faces behind the flowers and laughed it out.Jimin and Jung Kook enlisted together in December 2023, just one day after their bandmates RM and V began their service. RM and V were discharged on Tuesday, receiving an equally emotional send-off from fans who lined the streets of Chuncheon City to cheer them on.V, addressing fans following his release, expressed gratitude for their enduring support and hinted at the group’s long-anticipated reunion. “If you can just wait a little bit longer, we will return with a really amazing performance,” he said.With Wednesday’s discharge, six of BTS’s seven members have now completed their national duties. Jin, the group’s eldest, was the first to be discharged in June 2024, followed by J-Hope in October the same year. The only remaining member currently in service is Suga, who has been serving as a social service agent, an alternative form of military duty. His discharge is expected later this month.Back in 2020, the BTS boys were under the radar after an amendment to the Military Service Act allowed them members to delay enlistment until age 30 in recognition of their global cultural impact. In 2022, after widespread public debate over whether the band should be granted a full exemption, the group’s management, BigHit Music, announced that all seven members would fulfil their national obligations, ending speculation and winning praise for their civic commitment.HYBE has hinted at a BTS comeback this year, but has also said the members “need time for reflection and preparation”. “Normally, the process goes from song production to album release, then a tour,” Lee Jae-sang, CEO of HYBE, told a shareholder meeting in March.“But since BTS have already become global top-tier artists, we are continuing discussions about their vision and what’s next,” he added.
