'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
BTS' Kim Taehyung enlisted in the South Korean military on December 11, 2023. He was later deployed to the special forces unit, SDT, in January 2024, making him the only BTS member to join. On October 4, 2024, the Republic of Korea Army (ROK Army) posted a new episode of their YouTube webtoon series SDT (Military Police Special Forces) season 7 episode 3 titled "Training is like an operation!"
In the latest episode, the show uniquely hinted at Taehyung's presence. Although the artist was not featured on the show due to his active duty, his stage name V was incorporated in several episode dialogues. The episode showed a new recruit deployed to the Special Duty Team (SDT) division while the narrator said,
"This place where the ‘V’ (view) is good is mine soon!~ the building ‘V’ (view) is also good. the futsal field ‘V’ (view) is also good. the running track ‘V’ (view) is also good."
Trending
Fans noted that the narrator pronounced "view" as "V" every time he said the word with an emphasized tone. Several fans speculated that it was the military's way of taking pride in V's addition to the military.
Furthermore, the official YouTube channel of the ROK Army pinned a fan comment where the user shared how they learned about SDT and its strict training due to Taehyung's enlistment.
The BTS fandom appeared happy to see the ROK Army subtly mention the K-pop artist in their official webtoon series. One fan wrote on X,
"They are so proud of him."
Supporters flooded X as they discussed how the BTS idol's enlistment has impacted the South Korean military. They hailed him as a "national treasure."
"ROKA has now pinned and liked several comments related to Taehyung!" a fan noted.
"Now this is what we call impact,You don't have to talk,your actions do the talking for you. V is always a shining star where ever he goes, imagine how proud his parents must be," another fan wrote.
"They can’t show him but they sure can and will mention him! CAPTAIN KOREA TAEHYUNG" one other fan added.
Others called him "Nation's Prince" for being loved and respected by the military.
"South Korea has always been so proud of their NATION'S PRINCE, Kim Taehyung. Now more so than ever, he is serving his country with respect and honor in the most elite Special Forces. An inspiration to us all!" one fan said.
"Taehyung is the pride of korea, & his impact transcends even in his activities within the military service, leaving an indelible mark on the soul of his nation," another fan commented.
"Taehyung is the example of "A king rule everywhere not in just one thing". He literally turned sk military upside down lmao the way all soliders want to be close to him in some way he's stan attractor for a reason no matter what he's doing or where he may be HIS IMPACT IS CRAZY!!" another fan wrote.
More about Kim Taehyung's journey as an SDT special forces soldier
According to NextShark's report, the Special Duty Team (SDT) training consists of rappelling, preliminary rifle instruction, marksmanship training, close-quarter combat abilities, automatic rifle training, and intense physical fitness.
Furthermore, the SDT soldiers engage in guerrilla warfare, special reconnaissance, non-traditional warfare, direct action, gathering data in hostile areas, and performing counter-terrorism missions.
On April 17, 2024, several stills from a South Korean promotional SDT video went viral online. BTS' V was seen wearing an SDT black ops uniform along with rifles and skillfully shooting. In September, he was reportedly seen in another SDT video engaging in a firing drill at the camps.
The Love Me Again singer-songwriter completed his five-week military training on January 16, 2024. He graduated as an Elite Soldier and was deployed to the 2nd Military Corps SDT base on January 18, 2024.
In other news, BTS' Namjoon, Suga, Jimin, and Jungkook are also in the military. They will return with V in June 2025 to resume group activity. BTS' j-hope is set to be discharged from the military on October 17, 2024.
