South Korean defence ministry says BTS can participate in “national-level” events while serving military duties

BTS member Jin has said that he originally planned to enlist in the South Korean army shortly after the band announced their “non-hiatus” hiatus earlier this year. However, the decision was made to postpone until after their concert supporting Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030 last month.“I originally planned to enlist in June but in order to be courteous to fans, I waited until our October performance”, he explained in a live broadcast on the Weverse platform, according to Soompi.

South Korea’s entertainment industry has postponed several events in the wake of the tragic crowd surge that killed more than 150 people in Seoul’s Itaewon district on Saturday night. The country is in a week-long period of mourning. 

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Band of Brothers” writer Bruce McKenna is teaming with David Broyles (“Six”) and Nick Jones Jr. (“Yasuke”) to write and produce a limited TV series “Buffalo Rangers” about the 2nd Ranger Company, the only all-Black special operations combat unit in U.S. history. They were notable for their efforts in the Korean War. The series is being produced by South Korea-based Moving Pictures Company, which has a growing English-language slate. No broadcaster or streamer has been announced. Producing alongside Broyles, Jones and McKenna are Thomas Suh (through his production company Système D Entertainment), Paul Merryman (“The Outpost”), Debra Martin Chase (“Harriet,” CBS’s “The Equalizer”) and Jariko Denman (“The Outpost”), a retired master sergeant with 15 combat deployments.

Jin, of South Korean supergroup BTS, is due to drop his first solo single on October 28, agency Big Hit Music said today. Titled “The Astronaut,” the song will see Jin become the second member of the K-pop sensation to release solo material following J-Hope whose debut album landed last July.

BTS‘ Jin has dropped new teasers for his forthcoming debut solo single ‘The Astronaut’, out later this month.On October 19 at midnight KST, the Korean idol announced the impending release of his debut solo single album ‘The Astronaut’, alongside its release date of October 28 at 1pm KST.Simultaneously, a logo trailer for the new project was also shared via the HYBE Labels’ YouTube channel. The two-minute clip begins with an A-shaped spaceship orbiting around Earth.

YouTuber Oli London is a British actor, singer and influencer with a huge following around the world. London first spoke with Fox News Digital exclusively on Monday about his process of detransitioning back to a man after living as a transgender woman for the last six months, and now he's opening up about the steep cost of his many procedures – totaling $300,000. Born a Caucasian male, London wanted to look like a South Korean woman and underwent extensive surgeries – 32, to be exact – to accomplish his desired appearance.

HYBE has issued a letter to its shareholders discussing its strategy ahead of BTS’ upcoming break due to compulsory national service.On October 17, HYBE label Big Hit Music announced that all seven members of BTS intend to serve their compulsory military terms without special exemptions, beginning with eldest member Jin later this year. In their statement, the label shared that the group and agency had planned to reconvene some time in 2025.In the wake of the news, HYBE CEO Park Ji-won reportedly issued a letter to its shareholders outlining how it has planned for the hit boyband’s absence in the coming years.

The members of K-pop band BTS will fulfil their mandatory military duties under South Korean law, their management company has said. Big Hit Music said the band’s oldest member, Jin, will revoke his request to delay his conscription at the end of the month and undertake the required conscription steps.

BTS's label BigHit has announced that the K-pop group's members are "taking steps" to fulfill their mandatory military service obligations in South Korea. The country has been debating whether or not the pop superstars should receive exemptions from the law, which dictates that all able-bodied men serve 18-21 months in the country's military.

The members of the smash-hit K-pop band BTS will be enlisting in the military.

After much speculation about whether they’d be exempt or not, BTS is enlisting in the military!

Hybe’s BigHit Music has announced that the seven members of BTS will enlist in full military service in South Korea after more than two years of debate over whether or not they should be granted an exemption.In a statement issued this morning, the label says: “BigHit Music is proud to announce today that the members of BTS are currently moving forward with plans to fulfil their military service. After the phenomenal concert to support Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030 [this weekend], and as each individual embarks on solo endeavours, it’s the perfect time and the members of BTS are honoured to serve”.The oldest member of the group, Jin, will be the first to enlist in the military after he completes promotional activities for his recent solo album later this month.Under South Korean law, all able-bodied men must begin serving around two years in the military at some point between the ages of eighteen and 28.

The members of K-pop band BTS will serve their mandatory military duties under South Korean law, their management company said Monday, effectively ending a debate on exempting them because of their artistic accomplishments.

BTS is switching gears and preparing to fulfill their duty to their country. The band's record label, BIGHIT MUSIC, has announced that the members of BTS are on their way to fulfilling their mandatory military service requirements for the South Korean government. The group's eldest member, Jin, 29, will be the first to enlist. Under South Korean law, all able-bodied men are required to perform 18-21 months of military service. NBC News notes that the band has already been granted a two-year extension on their government-mandated military service, with top-performing athletes and musicians occasionally granted exemptions.

The members of South Korean supergroup BTS will fulfill their mandatory military service before reconvening “around” 2025, agency Big Hit Music announced on Monday. 

Big Hit Music have confirmed that all seven members of BTS will be serving their mandatory military terms without special exemptions.On October 17, Big Hit Music released a statement announcing that all members of BTS are planning to fulfil their mandatory military service terms as required of all able-bodied male South Korean citizens. The boyband recently performed for the first time in sixth months at their ‘Yet To Come’ concert in Busan on October 15, which was also live-streamed worldwide for free.“After the phenomenal concert to support Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030, and as each member embarks on solo endeavours, it’s the perfect time and the members of BTS are honoured to serve,” wrote the agency.Big Hit added that eldest member Jin will “initiate the process” as soon as he wraps up promotions for his upcoming solo release in late October.

Thania Garcia Jin will be the next BTS member to release solo music, the singer announced during the band’s free-of-charge “Yet to Come” concert in South Korea on Saturday. Jin made sure to spare the details on names and dates, but he did state there was a single he made in collaboration “with someone that I’d always really liked,” according to a translation by Soompi. “It’s not a huge album or anything, it’s just a single,” he confirmed. “I’ve filmed a lot different things recently, and there’s still a lot left to film, so I hope you’ll enjoy all of it.” The collaboration will be his first lone release since BTS announced that its seven members — Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook — would be taking a hiatus earlier this June.

Netflix is currently in talks to stream upcoming Korean blockbuster The Match exclusively on its platform.South Korean news outlet The Korea Herald reported on October 12 that The Match – which stars Squid Game’s Lee Byung-hun and Hellbound’s Yoo Ah-in as its leading stars – is currently considering forgoing a theatrical release in favour of a Netflix premiere.The producers of The Match had reportedly previously sorted out a release date for its theatrical premiere, but are now in talks to change tactics considering local movie theatre attendance has yet to improve since the ease of COVID-19 restrictions in South Korea. However, representatives of Netflix told The Korea Herald that “nothing has been decided yet”.Based on true events, The Match follows the tale of two notable Go (a traditional Chinese board game) players set in the ’80s and ’90s.

South Korea’s military appears to want to conscript members of the K-pop supergroup BTS for mandatory military duties, as the public remains sharply divided over whether they should be given exemptions.

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic In what plays like Singapore’s answer to “About Schmidt,” never-too-late-to-live dramedy “Ajoomma” follows a widowed housewife as she steps out of her comfort zone by making a solo trip to South Korea. This upbeat debut from director He Shuming — whose title is the Korean equivalent of all-purpose Asian term of respect “Auntie” — offers longtime TV actor Hong Huifang (“Housewives’ Holiday”) a chance to shine in the title role, which has already netted her a Golden Horse Award nom. Selected to rep Singapore at the Oscars, affable “Ajoomma” is more of a dark horse in that race, albeit one with art-house sleeper potential. Mrs. Lim’s life is light on excitement. What it lacks in drama, she fills by binging on Korean soap operas — a not at all uncommon obsession among Asian women (and a growing number of Americans, thanks to services like Kocowa and Viki). “Auntie,” as most of the other characters call Hong’s character, fusses a bit too much over her only son, who long ago agreed to accompany her on a special tour of Seoul. Now, mere days before they’re to depart, he backs out for a job interview in New York — one that would put some much-needed distance between the closeted young man and his overly suffocating mom.