BTS member Jimin (Park Ji-min, 30) expressed his gratitude to the fans who waited for him during his military service.
Jimin and Jungkook were discharged on the 11th after completing 18 months of military service. They entered the 5th Division Recruit Training Center together on December 5, 2023, and continued their service in the same division.
As the agency HYBE announced that there would be no special events on the day of discharge, there were no separate events held at the members' unit. However, around 8 AM that day, they took a moment to greet the press at a sports field located in Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi-do.
Many domestic and international fans gathered at the scene, where Jimin and Jungkook, dressed in military uniforms, arrived in a black vehicle. The two saluted while shouting “Unity” and appeared shy to meet their fans after a long time.
Jimin shared his feelings, saying, “It feels like I’m on vacation,” and added, “First of all, I want to say thank you to the ARMY (BTS fandom) for waiting through a long time starting from COVID to the military.”
He continued, “It was my first time in the military, and it wasn’t an easy place. I formed a strong bond while suffering together, eating, and even sleeping outside. If I may say to the citizens, it would be an honor if you could say a warm word to soldiers you see on the street.”
He also mentioned future activity plans, stating, “Since we were discharged today, I think we can start painting the picture we envisioned moving forward,” raising expectations for a full group comeback of BTS.
BTS has been on a hiatus since December 2022, starting with the eldest member Jin, followed by J-Hope, Suga, RM, V, Jimin, and Jungkook, who all enlisted in succession.
With Jimin and Jungkook being discharged today, 6 out of the 7 members have returned to civilian status, following Jin, J-Hope, RM, and V. Suga (Min Yoon-gi), who is serving as a social service agent, will be discharged on the 21st.
As BTS members will all become ‘military veterans’ this month, fans' expectations for a full group comeback are rising. HYBE has stated, “We hope for BTS’s full group activities in 2025,” leading the industry to anticipate a new album from BTS by the end of this year or at the latest in the first half of next year.
There are also expectations for opportunities to meet the full group of BTS before their comeback. BTS will hold the ‘2025 BTS Festa’ on the 13th at Goyang KINTEX to celebrate their debut anniversary. Additionally, on the same day, J-Hope’s solo encore concert is scheduled at Goyang Sports Complex, raising interest in whether the full group BTS will make an appearance.
[Lee Da-gyeom, Star Today Reporter]
