"Like Gojo unsealing but for the K-pop industry" - BTS fans break down what Jin's return means for Jujutsu Kaisen and other anime fans

By Joseph Brogan

Modified Jun 12, 2024 20:00 GMT

"Like Gojo unsealing but for the K-pop industry" - BTS fans break down what Jin's return means for Jujutsu Kaisen and other anime fans (Images via

Wednesday, June 11, 2024, saw a rare crossover between anime fans and K-pop fans occur online following the conclusion of eldest BTS member Jin’s South Korean military service. Born Kim Seok-jin, the 31-year-old K-pop star is the first of the powerhouse group to complete his mandatory military duties after his enlistment in December 2022.

The other six members of the group are also currently serving in the South Korean military, with the full group expected to reunite in 2025 once all seven have been discharged. News of this choice by the group’s members came days after an October 2022 performance by Jin and the other six members of the band: RM, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook.

Yet this latest online interaction between anime fans and loyal BTS followers, known as “ARMY,” has arisen from how momentous Jin’s discharge is as the first overall for the group. Likewise, the BTS star’s return has been compared to several anime characters, with one of the most notable being Jujutsu Kaisen’s Satoru Gojo, in order for non-K-pop fans to get the full picture.

Anime fans schooled on Jin’s return to BTS and its significance in the easiest way possible

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One of the reasons why these comparisons are being made on such a large scale is due to how integral the “character return” trope is to the anime and manga mediums in general. Likewise, it’s an easy way for anime fans unfamiliar with K-pop and the significance of Jin’s return to fully grasp what it means for the genre and the BTS group specifically.

The reason for Jin and the other members’ military service stems from South Korean national laws, which mandate that men cannot delay enlistment once they turn 30 years old. Likewise, Jin turned 30 in December 2022, forcing him to begin his mandatory military service. Record label Big Hit Music announced shortly after that all seven would move to fulfill their military service, saying it was “the perfect time” and emphasizing the men felt it an honor to serve.

While some South Korean entertainers and international celebrities have had special duties or shorter service times in the past, this “entertainment soldier” system was retired in 2013 out of fairness concerns. It’s difficult to argue against this, as those in the system were often given duties relating to producing radio and TV material to promote the military. Ironically, 2013 is also the year BTS made their debut.

Fan reactions

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Likewise, this is what makes Jin’s return so exciting for K-pop fans, as it marks the start of the band’s return to full strength. While there’s still quite some time until this process concludes, Jin’s discharge does mark its beginning. Anime fans are also realizing this, mainly on the back of comparisons to Jujutsu Kaisen’s Satoru Gojo, such as the following:

“for jjk fans this is like when gojo get unboxed,” elaborated one netizen.

“For the jjk fans this is like gojo being released from the prison realm,” explained another.

Other fandoms and anime fans were also acknowledged, such as that of the Haikyu!! anime, which received two apt comparisons to this latest BTS development:

“explaining in haikyuu terms for you guys this is like when noya came back to playing volleyball after his suspension," emphasized one fan.

“For the Haikyuu fans this is like Hinata Shouyou coming back to Japan after being in Brazil,” asserted another.

However, anime fans who aren’t familiar with either of the two above series can rest easy, as several other series were referenced:

“For the Fairy Tail fans this is like the return of most of the guild after 7 years of being stuck on Tenrou Island,” said one user.

“this is like Naruto leaving Konoha for a 2-year training period and starting into the Shippuden era. welcome back MC [heart emoji],” posted another.

“for the bsd fans this is like chuuya showing up again in the manga after being hidden by asgr for almost 2 years,” a third explained.

“For the mha fans This is like when Bakugou woke up after being dead for over a year,” one fan fittingly elaborated.

In any case, it’s clear that the BTS fandom and anime fans are helping each other to understand these momentous occasions in two fairly closely related industries. Likewise, netizens in every fandom and community can expect more comparisons in the near future as the other BTS members conclude their mandatory military service.