“Disappointed” — Fans react to BTS members’ leaves reportedly being canceled due to North Korea’s alleged provocations

BTS member Jung Ho-seok, who goes by his stage name j-hope, was discharged from the South Korean military on October 17, 2024. He completed his mandatory service of 18 months and is the second BTS member to get discharged after Kim Seok-jin on June 12, 2024. Despite the band's tradition of reuniting outside the military base to welcome their member, BTS' five members were absent this time.

As per reports, North Korea blasted railways and roads connecting their country to South Korea on October 15. Reuters reported that two days after blowing up the front-line road and rail lines, North Korea stated on Thursday, October 17, that it now identifies South Korea as "a hostile State" in its freshly amended constitution.

Amidst the ongoing tension between the two countries, which have been in a state of war since 1950, BTS's five members (RM, V, Jimin, Suga, and Jungkook) were denied leave ahead of j-hope's discharge.

BTS' Namjoon, aka RM, V, Jimin, and Jungkook, enlisted in the military in December 2023. Suga enlisted in alternative enlistment on September 22, 2023. Previously, the members took official leaves to attend Jin's military discharge on June 12, 2024, where Jimin and Jungkook showed up in their uniforms.

However, on October 17, only Jin showed up to receive j-hope outside the Wonju Army Training Center. Fans were disappointed that due to the brewing tension between the two nations, they couldn't get their OT7 reunion.

"Sad but fair enough. Disappointed," one fan wrote on X

BTS fandom, which is known as ARMY, expressed its frustrations towards North Korea's hostile attack on South Korea, which seemingly prohibited BTS members from reuniting.

"As much as we want to see them together but it's better that way so not to have an issue again against them," a fan wrote.

"When will this end? When will the things settle between SK and NK?? Bcs I'm dying here," another fan stated.

"So it's that blockhead's fault i didn't get my OT7 picture?" another fan added.

Others prayed for the safety of the enlisted five members (RM, V, Jimin, Suga, and Jungkook).

"We were about to get OT7 reunion. Damn it NKorea," one fan said.

"Saw smth on the news what north has done to a road that connects to south, too. Idk if that's true. Always praying for their safety!" another fan commented.

"So it's true. Damm We would get an ot7 pic. Trust me idk why bt I miss them today more than any other day. I feel like I'm dying to see someone from my family specially [Suga]. I'm literally crying in the corner yk. No more ot7 pic till June 2025. You both have to pay for it SK NK," a fan wrote.

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North Korea's revised constitution defines South Korea as a 'Hostile State,’ worrying fans about BTS's safety

The North Korean Parliament convened two days last week to revise the constitution. Leader Kim Jong-un demanded constitutional modification during the Parliamentary conference to identify South Korea as the nation's principal adversary, eliminate the objective of peaceful Korean unification, and establish the North's sovereign, territorial realm.

As a result, on October 17, 2024, North Korea's revised constitution defined South Korea as a 'Hostile State' for the first time since they separated into two nations in 1950. According to a report by Al Jazeera, North's KCNA news agency reported that the North Korean military blasted sections of road and rail links to the Southern peninsula to establish their territorial zone and stance.

Additionally, 66 yards of roads and railways on the North's side of the border were blocked by the Northern military to solidify a complete separation from South Korea.

BTS' Jimin and Jungkook were deployed to the 5th Infantry Division of the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) in January 2024. The 5th division, aka the frontline division, protects the GOP and GP of Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, which is closer to the North Korean demarcation zone.

Meanwhile, BTS' Namjoon was deployed to the 15th Infantry Division at Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do. It is four hours from Seoul, near the South Korea-North Korea demarcation zone border.

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Kim Namjoon (RM), Kim Taehyung (V), Park Jimin, Jeon Jungkook, and Min Yoongi (Suga) will be discharged from the military in June 2025.