Explainer / BTS law controversy: should the K-pop superstars be exempt from military service? The pros and cons Korea is debating over Jin, V, Jungkook and the rest of the boy band’s mandatory army enlistment

Dec 1 , 2021

Will BTS group members Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook be exempted from military service? Photo: Big Hit Entertainmen

South Korea’s National Assembly gathered to discuss whether the ‘BTS law’ should apply to the group members who inspired it – Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook

The boy group have achieved many firsts, including beating Justin Bieber to a Billboard Music Award and the record-breaking Map of the Soul: 7 album – but debate still rages on whether that’s enough

All the members of BTS recently applied to defer the start of compulsory military service – a deferment only potentially possible thanks to a legal amendment widely credited to the band’s global success.

Passed in December 2020, the so-called “BTS law” would allow K-pop entertainers who have received government medals for their achievements to defer their compulsory military enlistment to when they turn 30, rather than the standard 28 for other K-pop idols, and all other Korean males. This would mean BTS, who received medals in 2018, could remain active until December 2022, including when their oldest member Jin turns 30 next year.

But much to fans’ consternation, this is by no means certain. Following a public backlash, South Korea’s National Assembly gathered on November 25 to discuss the issue, with lawmakers remaining staunchly divided. While military exemption for athletes and artists is currently possible, whether that luxury should be extended to K-pop musicians remains a core issue of societal debate.

Though BTS’ global impact is undeniable, why exactly is the South Korean government considering reforming enlistment regulations, and what’s stopping them? Here’s a look at the arguments for and against military exemptions

For: Domestic music achievements

K-pop group BTS receive Album of the Year for Love Yourself Tear. Photo: Mnet Asian Music Awards

The list is endless when considering BTS’s achievements in the musical industry, both domestic and international. They currently hold the top five spots in the list of bestselling albums in South Korea, with “Map of the Soul: 7” taking first place with more than 4.6 million copies sold. In 2019, they won all four daesangs at the Mnet Asian Music Awards, making them the artist with the most “grand prizes” in the awards’ history. They repeated this feat in 2020, sweeping all the daesangs at both the Melon Music Awards and the Mnet Asian Music Awards.

For: International recognition

Jin, Suga, V, Jungkook, RM, Jimin and J-Hope of BTS at the American Music Awards in November 21, 2021. Photo: Reuters

In the global market, the band has collected their fair share of “first” titles, becoming crucial figures in the global K-pop wave. Most recently, they became the first Asian artist to win artist of the year award at the American Music Awards (AMAs), beating popular artists like Ariana Grande, The Weeknd and Taylor Swift. In 2017, they became the first Korean act to win a Billboard Music Award, taking home the Top Social Artist award every year since then and breaking the six-year winning streak previously held by Justin Bieber. They’re also the first and only K-pop group to have won the Billboard Top Duo/Group award.

Most notably, they became the first K-pop act to be nominated for a Grammy Award in 2021, and were nominated again in the same category, Pop Duo/Group Performance, for the 2022 Grammys.

For: Cultural and political impact