What to know about BTS as the K-pop group returns from military service
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — It's official — almost. Soon, all seven members of the massively popular K-pop group BTS will have completed South Korea's mandatory military service.
Rapper Suga will be the last of the bandmates to be released on Saturday, after fulfilling his duty as a social service agent, an alternative to serving in the military that he reportedly chose due to a shoulder injury.
BTS' entertainment agency said no events are planned for Suga's release out of concern for overcrowding.
The six others, RM, V, Jimin, Jung Kook, Jin and j-hope, served in the army.
Earlier this month, four members of BTS — RM, V, Jimin and Jung Kook — were discharged from South Korea's mandatory military service.
Jin, the eldest BTS member, was discharged in June 2024 as was j-hope in October.
BTS is expected to reunite later this year. Ahead of that highly anticipated homecoming, here's what you need to know about the group.
The rise of BTS
BTS — short for Bangtan Sonyeondan, or 'Bulletproof Boy Scouts' in Korean — debuted in June 2013 under the company Big Hit Entertainment, now known as HYBE. The seven-member group consists of RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook.
The group launched in 2013 with the hip-hop heavy single album '2 Cool 4 Skool,' releasing three full-length projects before really gaining momentum with their 2016 album 'Wings.' Their global breakthrough came in 2017 when 'DNA' entered the Billboard Hot 100, making BTS the first Korean boy band to achieve such a feat. The song's success was followed by a performance at the American Music Awards, further fueling their international fan base.
The band is largely credited with bringing K-pop to the international stage, and with good reason. Across their discography, BTS broke boundaries and records: In 2020, they released the five-time platinum 'Dynamite,' their first all-English single, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — a first for an all-South Korean musical act. At the height of their popularity, BTS was not only the biggest K-pop group on the planet, but the biggest boy band overall.
Global appeal
In fact, they've been certified platinum many times over, according to The Recording Industry Association of America. Their platinum successes include:
— 2018's 'Mic Drop;'
— 2020's 'Map of the Soul: 7,' 'Love Yourself: Answer,' and 'Idol;'
— 2021's 'Be,' and song of the summer 'Butter;'
— and high-profile collaborations 'My Universe' with Coldplay and 'Boy With Luv' featuring Halsey.
BTS has also been nominated for five Grammy Awards. Their first, for 'Dynamite' in the best pop duo/group performance category, marked the first time a K-pop act received a Grammy nod.
As their global popularity grew, the septet also became international advocates for social justice. Their 2018 address to the United Nations General Assembly launched the 'Love Myself' campaign in partnership with UNICEF to combat violence, abuse and bullying while promoting self-esteem among young people. The group's commitment to human rights activism continued in 2020 when they donated $1 million to the Black Lives Matter movement, denouncing racial discrimination and violence. Their fan base, known the world over as ARMY, responded by matching the donation within 24 hours.
Their dual impact on music and social causes culminated in 2022 when they were invited to the White House to discuss anti-Asian hate crimes with President Joe Biden.
BTS' mandatory military service stirs debate
In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 are required by law to perform 18-21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea.
The law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have obtained top prizes in certain competitions and are assessed to have enhanced national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers aren't subject to such privileges.
However, in 2020, BTS postponed their service until age 30 after South Korea's National Assembly revised its Military Service Act, allowing K-pop stars to delay their enlistment until age 30.
There was heated public debate in 2022 over whether to offer special exemptions of mandatory military service for BTS members, until the group's management agency announced in October 2022 that all seven members would fulfill their duties.
Break allows time for solo projects
BTS tiered their enlistments, giving ample time for its members to focus on solo projects while the group was on a break.
Jin released two EPs, 'Happy' in 2024 and 'Echo' in May of this year. Suga dropped his debut solo album, 'D-Day,' in 2023 under his moniker Agust D.
Also in 2024, RM released his second solo album, the elastic, experimental 'Right Place, Wrong Person', and j-hope released an EP, 'Hope on the Street Vol. 1.' Earlier this year, j-hope embarked on his first solo tour.
Jimin released two projects, 2023's 'Face' and 2024's 'Muse.' V's debut album, the smooth alt-R&B 'Layover,' arrived in 2023, as did Jung Kook's retro-pop debut, 'Golden.'
___
AP Music Writer Maria Sherman reported from New York.
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Winnipeg Free Press
6 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
What to know about BTS as the K-pop group returns from military service
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — It's official — almost. Soon, all seven members of the massively popular K-pop group BTS will have completed South Korea's mandatory military service. Rapper Suga will be the last of the bandmates to be released on Saturday, after fulfilling his duty as a social service agent, an alternative to serving in the military that he reportedly chose due to a shoulder injury. BTS' entertainment agency said no events are planned for Suga's release out of concern for overcrowding. The six others, RM, V, Jimin, Jung Kook, Jin and j-hope, served in the army. Earlier this month, four members of BTS — RM, V, Jimin and Jung Kook — were discharged from South Korea's mandatory military service. Jin, the eldest BTS member, was discharged in June 2024 as was j-hope in October. BTS is expected to reunite later this year. Ahead of that highly anticipated homecoming, here's what you need to know about the group. The rise of BTS BTS — short for Bangtan Sonyeondan, or 'Bulletproof Boy Scouts' in Korean — debuted in June 2013 under the company Big Hit Entertainment, now known as HYBE. The seven-member group consists of RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook. The group launched in 2013 with the hip-hop heavy single album '2 Cool 4 Skool,' releasing three full-length projects before really gaining momentum with their 2016 album 'Wings.' Their global breakthrough came in 2017 when 'DNA' entered the Billboard Hot 100, making BTS the first Korean boy band to achieve such a feat. The song's success was followed by a performance at the American Music Awards, further fueling their international fan base. The band is largely credited with bringing K-pop to the international stage, and with good reason. Across their discography, BTS broke boundaries and records: In 2020, they released the five-time platinum 'Dynamite,' their first all-English single, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — a first for an all-South Korean musical act. At the height of their popularity, BTS was not only the biggest K-pop group on the planet, but the biggest boy band overall. Global appeal In fact, they've been certified platinum many times over, according to The Recording Industry Association of America. Their platinum successes include: — 2018's 'Mic Drop;' — 2020's 'Map of the Soul: 7,' 'Love Yourself: Answer,' and 'Idol;' — 2021's 'Be,' and song of the summer 'Butter;' — and high-profile collaborations 'My Universe' with Coldplay and 'Boy With Luv' featuring Halsey. BTS has also been nominated for five Grammy Awards. Their first, for 'Dynamite' in the best pop duo/group performance category, marked the first time a K-pop act received a Grammy nod. As their global popularity grew, the septet also became international advocates for social justice. Their 2018 address to the United Nations General Assembly launched the 'Love Myself' campaign in partnership with UNICEF to combat violence, abuse and bullying while promoting self-esteem among young people. The group's commitment to human rights activism continued in 2020 when they donated $1 million to the Black Lives Matter movement, denouncing racial discrimination and violence. Their fan base, known the world over as ARMY, responded by matching the donation within 24 hours. Their dual impact on music and social causes culminated in 2022 when they were invited to the White House to discuss anti-Asian hate crimes with President Joe Biden. BTS' mandatory military service stirs debate In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 are required by law to perform 18-21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea. The law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have obtained top prizes in certain competitions and are assessed to have enhanced national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers aren't subject to such privileges. However, in 2020, BTS postponed their service until age 30 after South Korea's National Assembly revised its Military Service Act, allowing K-pop stars to delay their enlistment until age 30. There was heated public debate in 2022 over whether to offer special exemptions of mandatory military service for BTS members, until the group's management agency announced in October 2022 that all seven members would fulfill their duties. Break allows time for solo projects BTS tiered their enlistments, giving ample time for its members to focus on solo projects while the group was on a break. Jin released two EPs, 'Happy' in 2024 and 'Echo' in May of this year. Suga dropped his debut solo album, 'D-Day,' in 2023 under his moniker Agust D. Also in 2024, RM released his second solo album, the elastic, experimental 'Right Place, Wrong Person', and j-hope released an EP, 'Hope on the Street Vol. 1.' Earlier this year, j-hope embarked on his first solo tour. Jimin released two projects, 2023's 'Face' and 2024's 'Muse.' V's debut album, the smooth alt-R&B 'Layover,' arrived in 2023, as did Jung Kook's retro-pop debut, 'Golden.' ___ AP Music Writer Maria Sherman reported from New York.
Winnipeg Free Press
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Adapted from Peter Benchley's 1974 novel, Jaws takes us to a coastal community that relies on summer tourist dollars to stay afloat. When a killer shark appears off its shores in the leadup to the July 4th weekend, craven town mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) and concerned police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) clash over how to handle the situation. Ultimately, the reluctant, ocean-fearing Brody, with smart-assed shark biologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and salty, hands-on shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw), head out to open water for a classic humans-versus-nature showdown. This basic template has since been applied to alligators, anacondas, aliens and tornadoes, but the imitators rarely achieve Jaws' beautiful balance of B-movie pleasure and Moby Dick heft. Surprisingly, for a movie that has had such an outsized effect, a lot of its virtues are modest. Spielberg is a consummate craftsperson, and in Jaws his style is effective, economical and (mostly) unshowy. 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There's the unlikely sunlit horror of the beach scenes and the sea-level camera angles that take us — uncomfortably — right into the action. There's the precise pacing, which builds suspense with a quiet, relentless momentum that matches the 'du-dum, du-dum' of John Williams' famous score. This restraint makes the sparingly used jump scares that much more effective. No shot is wasted, no sequence is extended longer than necessary, and that less-is-more approach extends — crucially — to the shark. In this pre-CGI era, Spielberg was using practical effects, and the three formats of rubber-and-steel mechanical shark — all called Bruce by the crew — broke down constantly. Faced with a ballooning budget and a shoot going 10 weeks over schedule, Spielberg ended up using the physical presence of the shark sparingly. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. This was a necessity that became a cinematic gift, as clever editing — and viewers' minds — conjured up a horror that went far beyond what Bruce, even at his toothiest and thrashiest, could provide. Keeping the monster mostly offscreen, Spielberg essentially created a shark that was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. And while the monster remains mysterious, the people and the places are specific, in ways that are unusual in most blockbusters today. The current tendency in summer action movies is to go bigger and bigger, so sometimes the whole world, or even the entire universe is under threat. Once again, Jaws goes smaller. Grounded in a human scale, the story deals with a handful of deaths and comes down to one shark and three men on a boat. Yet somehow these stakes feel larger. Robert Shaw, Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss are shown in a scene from 'Jaws.' 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Winnipeg Free Press
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Napoleon's world is on display for a landmark auction, from divorce papers to his iconic hat
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