By KpopAlerts 15 April 2024
The specter of military service looms over Korean boy bands
June 8 might just be the worst day for K-pop boy band fans. Indeed, the new law on military service was adopted, leading to the inclusion of 40 male idols on the list of potential conscripts.
Although the idea of serving in the military is not new to fans, they never imagined it could happen so suddenly. Additionally, these idols still have many projects they want to do together. But now their groupmates must step down to serve their beloved nation, potentially causing real drama.
Let's see what we can expect if the best boy bands see one of their members (or even all) receive a call-up. However, it is important to remember that these are just assumptions based on celebrity agendas. These scenarios should not be taken too seriously.
SHINee
Three of the four members of this boy band, namely Onew, Key and Minho, are now of call-up age. This is one of the groups that will experience the most regrets once its members join the military. After Jonghyun's passing last year, SHINee tried to stay strong and returned to the stage for a concert in Japan and several concerts in Korea. Fans believe that their pain has been eased and that they could spend some time in the army to relieve the stress of their celebrity lives. Taemin (born 1993) will be able to pursue his solo career to fill the voids left by the other members of SHINee.
EXO
Surprisingly, 5 of EXO's 9 members are ready to be called up. If SM Entertainment decides to let these 5 members join the army, then EXO's "freezing period" will be greatly reduced. At the same time, Lay will be able to continue his promotion in China, while D.O, Kai and Sehun can focus on their acting careers. On the other hand, if SM Entertainment chooses to let them join the army at different times, it will be a long time before they come together in full again. SM could opt for the latter, as EXO remains one of the main sources of revenue for the agency. Even if some members cannot stay, the others will continue to work on behalf of the group.
WINNER
[No one can deny Winner's success, except Mnet!]
The advantage and disadvantage of WINNER are the same, since there are only 4 members in the group. Having fewer members means that the chances of them all returning together are higher, but the birth years are 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994. This makes the time when they will have to join the army is unpredictable. The group has just made a name for themselves in K-biz, so if all of its members have to join the military at once, they'll probably have to start from scratch when they return. On the other hand, if they join the army at different times, some important roles will be missing in the group, because each member has a main role, such as singer, main dancer, main rapper, etc. This problem will give YG Entertainment headaches, which will have to find a solution.
2PM
2PM is the model boy band that everyone else should follow. After achieving success in promoting 2PM's image, all members tried to expand their skills in different areas based on their respective singing and acting talents. Their advantage is that they have been in K-biz for so long that they "still have a bright future ahead of them" even if some members have to spend time in the military.
BTS
Of the boy bands on this list (except for Wanna One, which is still a project group), BTS has the largest age gap between its members. The oldest, Jin (born 1992), is 5 years older than the youngest, Jungkook (born 1997). This means that the time it takes to get all the members together will be much longer than for other boy bands if they don't join the military at the same time.
In reality, it is very unlikely that the BTS members will join the army all together at the same time, since they are currently at the peak of their fame. If they chose to join the army at the same time, it would mean that they would give up all the efforts they have invested. After receiving his summons, Jin will have to interrupt all BTS plans to leave. Suga, RM and J-hope will be next. It's no exaggeration to say that BTS' current fame is a double-edged sword for their fandom, A.R.M.Y. They have to implement many plans to maintain their name, but one day they will have to perform without some members. From the time Jin joins the army, it will be at least 6 to 7 years before the 7 brothers can perform together on stage again.
Wanna One
Many fans are worried because Jisung's time in Wanna One is limited, while the summons could happen at any time. However, since the group is only a "project group", there is a good chance that they may request to complete their duty after completing all planned projects. As one might guess, the military service law will come into effect in August and Wanna One will disband just 4 months later. In these 4 months, it's not too far-fetched to think that Jisung won't be forced to join the army.
Worst case scenario, Jisung will have to leave Wanna One early. This will deeply sadden fans and lead to bad reactions from the Korean fan community (even if the law is supreme). Wannable has the right to keep the faith, even in this delicate moment.
The scenarios presented in this list are what could happen to the best boy bands around. And your favorite? What do you envisage could happen to him after the entry into force of the new law on military service?
Conclusion
Calling up for service is an unavoidable reality for young Korean men, including K-pop idols. While this can be a dreaded event for fans, it is important to remember that it is a patriotic duty and an experience that can contribute to the growth and maturity of young men. True fans will continue to support their idols whether they are serving in the military or not.
