BTS member J-Hope (Jung Ho-seok, 30) was discharged from military service today (the 17th) amidst warm congratulations from ARMY (BTS fan club) worldwide and the group’s eldest member, Jin (Kim Seok-jin, 31). On the morning of the 17th, J-Hope completed his military duties at the 36th Infantry Division Baekho Recruit Training Battalion in Wonju, Gangwon Province. He enlisted as an active-duty soldier last April and served as an instructor for 18 months. With this, J-Hope becomes the second BTS member to complete military service, following the group’s eldest member, Jin, who attended the discharge ceremony, showcasing their strong teamwork.
J-Hope expressed his gratitude, saying, “First of all, thank you so much. I was discharged healthily. I want to thank the journalists who traveled far and, of course, thanks to the fans.” He further shared, “During the 1 year and 6 months of military service, particularly as an instructor, I did a lot of marching. I often encountered citizens of Wonju who always greeted and cheered for the soldiers. I am deeply thankful to those citizens and moved beyond words.”
He added, “What I realized over the past 1 year and 6 months is that many people put in a lot of effort to defend our country. I hope we can show more interest and love to those people, adding greater meaning. Thank you so much for waiting. Thank you for all the support, encouragement, and love. I’ve been discharged healthily. Loyalty.”
Meanwhile, BTS leader RM is scheduled to be discharged on June 10 next year, with Jimin and Jungkook, who enlisted together, slated for discharge on June 11, 2025. On the other hand, Suga, who is serving alternative civilian service, recently faced controversy for “drunk driving an electric scooter” and was fined 15 million won. Suga’s discharge is expected next June.