All of BTS has returned as Suga is discharged from an alternative form of military service
SEOUL, South Korea — Suga, a rapper and songwriter in the global K-pop sensation BTS, has been discharged from South Korea's mandatory military service, marking the official return of all seven members from their enlistment duties.
The label confirmed that Suga completed his alternative service duties on Wednesday after using up his remaining leave. His official discharge date is Saturday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
All 7 BTS members are now done with mandatory service
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Suga, a rapper and songwriter in the global K-pop sensation BTS, has been discharged from South Korea's mandatory military service, marking the official return of all seven members from their enlistment duties. The label confirmed that Suga completed his alternative service duties on Wednesday after using up his remaining leave. His official discharge date is Saturday. BTS' management agency, Big Hit Entertainment, had said earlier that no events were planned for Suga's release out of concern for overcrowding. It is a momentous occasion for fans of the K-pop group BTS. The seven singers of the popular K-pop band plan to reunite as a group sometime in 2025 now that they've finished their service. Last week, BTS superstars RM and V were discharged from South Korea's military after fulfilling their mandatory service. Jimin and Jung Kook were discharged a day later. All four were . Jin, the oldest BTS member, was discharged in June 2024. J-Hope was discharged in October. 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. ___
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Odette holds the line as Singapore's sole entry on World's 50 Best Restaurants list
SINGAPORE, June 20 — Odette, the acclaimed French fine-dining restaurant at Singapore's National Gallery, has retained its position as the country's standard-bearer on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list, ranking No. 25 in the 2025 edition. Though it slipped one notch from its 2024 position, the three-Michelin-starred restaurant remains the only Singapore establishment in the coveted top 50. This marks Odette's seventh consecutive year on the list since its debut in 2018. 'This year marks 10 years of Odette, and it is an honour to once again be recognised among some of the finest restaurants around the world,' said chef-owner Julien Royer, 42, in a statement to The Straits Times from Turin, Italy, where the awards ceremony was held yesterday. 'I'm incredibly proud of my team — many of whom have been on this journey with us since the very beginning. Their dedication and consistency have been key in shaping Odette into what it is today.' The statement also noted that Odette's team remains 'immensely proud' to represent Singapore on the global culinary stage, regardless of ranking. While Odette stayed in the upper echelon, two other local names — both previously in the top 100 — slid down the rankings. Modern barbecue restaurant Burnt Ends, helmed by chef Dave Pynt and known for its open-fire cooking, came in at No. 93, down from No. 68 last year. Restaurant Labyrinth, chef LG Han's imaginative tribute to modern Singaporean cuisine, dropped five places to No. 97. Meanwhile, Meta — a contemporary Korean restaurant that placed No. 95 in 2024 — fell out of the top 100. The latest list also reflected a strong showing by restaurants in Bangkok and Tokyo. Notably, Bangkok's Potong soared to No. 13 from No. 57 last year and earned the title of The World's Best Female Chef for its head chef Pichaya 'Pam' Soontornyanakij. Gaggan retained its Best Restaurant in Asia crown at No. 6, while Nusara jumped from No. 74 to No. 35. In Tokyo, Sezanne climbed to No. 7, while long-time favourite Den dropped to No. 53. Topping the global list this year is Lima's Maido, a restaurant blending Japanese precision with Peruvian soul, led by chef Mitsuharu 'Micha' Tsumura. The list is compiled annually by British media company William Reed, based on votes from over 1,100 culinary professionals around the world.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Labubu Envy: Fluffy Collectibles Steal the Show During China's 618 Online Shopping Festival
SHANGHAI —This year's 618, China's largest midyear online shopping festival, had a noticeably subdued tone as shoppers continued to sober up from splurging and stockpiling due to an uncertain economic outlook and a softer growth prospect following April's tariff agreements with the U.S. However, that sentiment was offset by a wave of Labubu frenzy that pushed limited-edition collectibles to sell out within minutes. More from WWD Alibaba Shares Dip Despite E-commerce, AI growth in Q4 Taobao and Tmall Deepen Ties With Xiaohongshu Via Cross-platform Shopping Function Alibaba Makes AI-driven Comeback, Revenue Jumps 8% On June 18, Labubu's parent company, Popmart, launched its first livestream on the Alibaba-owned cross-border e-commerce platform AliExpress, which attracted over 220,000 viewers. All 500 items, including the company's most recognizable fluffy creatures — Labubu, Cry Baby, Baby Molly, and Skullpanda — sold out in a flash. According to Tmall, the 'toys and trendy collectibles' category saw six brands — including Paper Presented, Popmart, MiHoYo, Disney Store, Jellycat, and Lego — exceed the 600 million renminbi, or $83.4 million, sales mark. Dubbed 'sneakers for the Gen-Z generation,' the broader 'fandom goods' category has created 17 stock keeping units that exceeded 10 million renminbi, or $1.39 million, during the 618 period. According to data from Statista, China's trendy toys market is expected to reach 110 billion yuan, or over $15 billion, by 2026. A recent report by Zhongtai Securities revealed that homegrown character-based toys — fueled by a booming subculture — have already outsold Japanese anime toys during this year's 618 shopping festival. 'Over 60 Chinese and foreign films are set to hit theaters this summer, which is bound to create fresh momentum for IP-related merchandise,' the report added. 'It's over-the-top, 'proclaimed Tmall's star livestreamer Austin Li during a recent broadcast, urging shoppers to steer clear of the hype. 'It's overpriced, it's a no, the prices will come down,' he added. Still, it was up to Li and the platform he lives on to revive enthusiasm around 618 amid waning consumer confidence. This year, major e-commerce players such as and Tmall simply canceled complicated sales mechanisms and began offering straightforward discounts and a wide array of coupons. According to data from Syntun, this year's 618 sales totaled 855.6 billion renminbi, or $119 billion, an increase of 15.2 percent year-on-year. However, the data took into account a week's extension compared to 2024. Two years ago, Chinese e-commerce players stopped unveiling official 618 sales results. Instead, touted the 'explosive increase' in the number of purchasing users, which more than doubled year-over-year. At Taobao and Tmall, sales 'remained resilient,' with 453 brands surpassing the 100 million renminbi, or $13.9 million, mark in terms of gross merchandise value. 'The unusually early campaign start on May 13 caught many consumers off guard, leading to a first wave that some missed entirely, which may have temporarily dampened engagement. That may contribute to a feeling that this year's 618 felt more subdued, but we're still expecting solid GMV growth for the festival,' said Jacob Cooke, chief executive officer and founder at WPIC, a Beijing-based e-commerce consulting agency. Cooke expects this year's Singles' Day to follow a similar path as 618, with an extended timeline and consistent discount mechanisms. 'We're seeing a shift away from flash sales and gimmicks toward simplified pricing, loyalty-driven engagement, and full-funnel marketing strategies,' said Cooke. 'Tmall's emphasis on its 88VIP program, for example, shows a clear pivot toward retaining high-value consumers,' said Cooke of its membership program that also spans other platforms within the Alibaba ecosystem, such as the food delivery app Eleme, the travel booking site Fliggy, and the video streaming platform Youku. With governmental subsidies that cover categories such as home appliances and digital products, sales of these categories rose 283 percent year-over-year during the the first leg of the promotional period, which ran from early May to May 30, according to data from Moojing Market Intelligence. The apparel segment, which contributed around 50 percent of total 618 sales, rose 7.2 percent during the May period, trailing by 6.8 percent year-over-year growth in the beauty category, according to Moojing. Best of WWD Macy's Is Closing 66 Stores in 2025 — Here's the List, Live Updates Inside the Demise of Lord & Taylor COVID-19 Spikes Elevate Retail Concerns
