“Remember ARMYs will stay”: Fans react to BTS’ enlistment news by showing their unwavering support
Slowly rising on the Twitter worldwide trends chart are phrases such as ‘We will wait for you,’ ‘ARMY forever BTS forever’ on October 17, 2022.
On the same day a few hours ago, BIGHIT MUSIC confirmed BTS’ plans for mandatory military service. The iconic pop septet put the years-long debate and rumors to rest by announcing their stance on serving their home country.
The enlistment process will start next month with the group’s oldest member, Jin, and continue until 2025. Despite the news of the three-year gap, which will presumably consist of extremely rare OT7 activities, ARMYs, though heartbroken and proud, bombarded the micro-blogging site with faithful messages and promises of waiting patiently for the members’ return.
BTS’ enlistment news takes over Twitter as fans pour in heartfelt messages
Millions of ARMYs across the world were hit by the BTS’ enlistment news on October 17, 2022. They instantly took over Twitter to send positive messages to the group and reassure them that they will stay and wait for them to return. Reactions are wide, ranging from being proud to being confused and yet setting goals for the future.
As per BIGHIT MUSIC’s statement, the septet will reunite as a group around 2025. Since the average duration for mandatory military service is 1.5 years (or 18 months), the three-year gap suggests that the members will be enlisting in units.
Unsurprisingly, ARMYs also set goals for 2025 to meet the new BTS with their new selves.
The announcement was also called a "boss move" by many fans, considering it arrived just two days after BTS’ Yet to Come concert in Busan, a free-of-charge concert, which was part of South Korea’s bid to host World Expo 2030. It is reported to have revitalized Busan’s depleting economy.
It was also a testament to the septet’s unparalleled power as the city turned purple in celebration of the concert, right from major tourist sites to police officers’ masks.
Additionally, ARMYs talked about being with BTS forever, regardless of the enlistment gap. The K-pop industry is known for constantly churning out music and content. A gap of more than a year can sideline a group’s stand in the industry and negatively impact its success. However, ARMYs are certain that that will not be the case with the Yet to Come singers.
Take a look at some of the fans’ reactions below:
Jin to treat fans to a solo single album before enlisting
Jin, 30, will be the first member of the septet to enlist in the military. The Epiphany singer will make his debut and conclude promotional activities this month itself. As per the agency’s statement, the singer “will initiate the process” after his solo schedule ends in October, which implies that he will enlist sometime in November or December.
Before going on to serve the country, Jin will give fans a present in the form of a single album release. He announced the news of the solo debut at the Yet to Come in Busan concert on October 15. Details for the single album will be revealed soon.
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Afreen Khan