BTS' Jin Imagines What It Would Be Like If the Band Had to Continue Without Him

In South Korea, men between the ages of 18 to 28 are typically required to serve in the military. However, the government passed a law that allowed BTS' Jin, now 28, to wait until he's 30.

By Elyse Dupre May 13, 2021 5:17 PMTags
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As BTS reminds fans with the BE single, "Life goes on." But would the band still want to carry on without one of the group's members?

The artists reflected on this possibility in a June cover story for Rolling Stone.

As fans of the K-pop stars well know, Big Hit Entertainment founder Bang Si-hyuk signed RM in 2010. However, he and his six bandmates—Suga, J-Hope, Jungkook, V, Jimin and Jin—didn't officially debut as BTS until 2013.

Over the years, BTS has released several no. 1 hits, won countless awards and grown a devoted ARMY of fans. According to Rolling Stone, the musicians also renegotiated their contract with Big Hit Entertainment in 2018 to confirm their commitment as a band for the next seven years.

However, in South Korea, men between the ages of 18 and 28 are typically required to serve in the military for approximately two years. Jin turned 28 in December, but the government passed a law allowing him to wait until he's 30 to serve. 

"I think the country sort of told me, 'You're doing this well, and we will give you a little bit more time,'" he told the magazine, adding military service "is an important duty for our country. So I feel that I will try to work as hard as I can and do the most I can until I am called." 

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Jin acknowledged BTS could temporarily go on without him if this law isn't changed.

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"I have no doubt that the other members will make a good decision because, you know, this is not something that I can tell them what to do," he said. And if this happened? "I'll be sad," he noted, "but I'll be watching them on the internet and cheering them on." 

Jin isn't the only one who has thought about this subject. Suga is also 28, and J-Hope is 27. Although, V said the bandmates "haven't discussed it in the specifics amongst ourselves."

One thing is for sure: They'll always have their love for their ARMY. "I don't think I've ever really thought of being not a part of this group," Jimin told the publication. "I can't imagine what I would do on my own….I would like to think that at the end, when I'm too old to dance, I would just like to sit onstage with the other members and sing and engage with the fans. I think that would be great, too. So I'd like to keep this going as long as I possibly can."