Renowned K-pop artist begins service amidst growing international acclaim

Courtesy of BigHit Music

BigHit Music, the management agency for the global K-pop phenomenon BTS, announced on Sunday that Suga, a vital member of the group, is commencing his mandatory military service this week. At the age of 30, Suga will be undertaking alternative service starting this Friday, making him the third member of BTS to join the military, following Jin in December 2022 and J-Hope in April of this year.

In a notable turn of events, Suga, who holds the roles of rapper and producer within the group, chose to withdraw his request to delay the initiation of his mandatory service earlier this August. However, unlike Jin and J-Hope, Suga has been deemed unfit for regular combat duty due to health concerns. In South Korea, military service is mandatory for all able-bodied men, but those with health issues may undertake alternative roles, such as office work within municipal government.

While specific reasons for Suga's exemption from regular combat duty have not been publicly disclosed, it is believed to be linked to a surgery he underwent in 2020 to repair a torn labrum.

Recognizing the public interest in Suga's service, BigHit Music has urged fervent BTS fans to respect Suga's privacy and refrain from frequenting his place of duty.

In May, prior to commencing his military service, Suga achieved an impressive No. 2 ranking on the Billboard 200 with his solo debut album, "D-Day." His solo world tour garnered significant attention, with performances in 10 cities attracting a massive following of over 300,000 fans.

Sayart.net 

Kelly.K, pittou8181@gmail.com