S.Korea changes law to let k-pop stars postpone military service

[BUtterfield 8 38,287]

But on Tuesday (Dec. 1), three days before Jin's (real name Kim Seok-jin) fateful birthday, South Korea's National Assembly passed a revision of the Military Service Act that allows K-pop stars to postpone their military service until they're 30. Lawmakers proposed the revision in September after BTS' first-ever English-language single "Dynamite" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the Sept. 5-dated chart. The so-called "BTS Law" buys Jin two more years to perform with BTS during their incredible run.

The new law allows K-pop entertainers to apply for deferment if they've received government medals for elevating South Korea's cultural influence around the world. All seven members of BTS qualify after being awarded the country's Hwagwan orders of cultural merit from the government in 2018 during the Korean Popular Culture & Arts Awards.

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[INNA 3,550]

Obligatory military service is ABSOLUTELY not it. And the way you can just avoid service by being talented or considered to contribute to culture more than others... yikes... I would go to prison before forced service ever happened. 

[weed 66,827]

That’s amazing, sucks it’s only extended to pop stars 

[Quartz 11,923]

12 minutes ago, good said:

Obligatory military service is ABSOLUTELY not it. And the way you can just avoid service by being talented or considered to contribute to culture more than others... yikes... I would go to prison before forced service ever happened. 

Isn't it just a postponement not a cancellation of their service? 🤔 

[Popo 3,723]

38 minutes ago, good said:

Obligatory military service is ABSOLUTELY not it. And the way you can just avoid service by being talented or considered to contribute to culture more than others... yikes... I would go to prison before forced service ever happened. 

 they're not avoiding anything, it's just a postponement so they're not stolen away from the world stage while they're at the peak. 

Conscription is a service to the country and is a necessary evil especially for countries that are still at war like South Korea & Israel. Consider yourself fortunate for not having to experience these circumstances, otherwise you'll be thrown in prison for going AWOL and forced to serve afterwards.

[ToxicHot 6,425]

That's amazing! Their IMPACT. 

[TWICE on hatius 4,746]

NCT project is now found useless 

[INNA 3,550]

45 minutes ago, Popo said:

 they're not avoiding anything, it's just a postponement so they're not stolen away from the world stage while they're at the peak. 

Conscription is a service to the country and is a necessary evil especially for countries that are still at war like South Korea & Israel. Consider yourself fortunate for not having to experience these circumstances, otherwise you'll be thrown in prison for going AWOL and forced to serve afterwards.

Sorry for the clunky wording. I don’t mean to imply that BTS is evading the draft, but rather that certain people are pardoned for essentially being a popular public figure for the country.

In the US though you are required as a male to conscript with the military after high school. So I’m not exactly free from this kind of reality either. 

[Radio Ga Ga 5,551]

36 minutes ago, good said:

Sorry for the clunky wording. I don’t mean to imply that BTS is evading the draft, but rather that certain people are pardoned for essentially being a popular public figure for the country.

In the US though you are required as a male to conscript with the military after high school. So I’m not exactly free from this kind of reality either. 

But you don’t have to go thru two years of mandatory military training which every Korean man has to. In America nowadays you rarely get drafted or trained. That makes a big difference.

[bloody g 31,730]

at least someone gets to avoid it i guess...

edit: oh wow they still have to do it nnn

[Lighter 15,376]

this must suck for a korean boy sitting at his house who doesn’t feel comfortable training but he’s not lucked out to be a popstar

[DOJA CAT 1,833]

South Korea's laws really aren't it. An interesting read is the story of the former KARA member Goo Hara who committed suicide and by law her parents go to receieve 50% each of her assets. However, her mother wasn't apart of her and her brother's lives but still gets half of her assets which caused a discussion about the laws. https://www.soompi.com/article/1389212wpp/goo-haras-brother-explains-why-hes-fighting-for-a-goo-hara-act

OT: I think this is a really good solution for idols, because if they decided that kpop idols were exempt then there would be a slippery slope caused on how many sales they need, or their impact which could cause serious implications on the South Korea music industry

[INNA 3,550]

1 hour ago, Radio Ga Ga said:

But you don’t have to go thru two years of mandatory military training which every Korean man has to. In America nowadays you rarely get drafted or trained. That makes a big difference.

I didn’t know there was required training. That’s alarming IMO but as an American, we often don’t even realize how much worse things could be compared to other nations , despite ours already being a trainwreck. That is a huge commitment to ask of young people, and conditions them toward a pro-military mindset I imagine.. very big difference, you’re right

[Queen Bitch 10,513]

Mandatory military service shouldn’t even be a thing.

[Popo 3,723]

2 hours ago, good said:

Sorry for the clunky wording. I don’t mean to imply that BTS is evading the draft, but rather that certain people are pardoned for essentially being a popular public figure for the country.

In the US though you are required as a male to conscript with the military after high school. So I’m not exactly free from this kind of reality either. 

For South Korea it's seen as a service to the country and BTS has done so much for helping South Korea spread it's influence and project their soft power. They're serving the national goals of the government more effectively by releasing albums and making music rather than in an administrative post for a few years. It's more justifiable to allow people who are contributing effectively to continue to do so and not abruptly yank them while they are in their prime.

But it has been a long time since the USA actually conscripted anyone. Unlike in South Korea where being born male means you are destined for almost 2 years of service, to people like me who have gone through conscription it's just another fact of life that we have to deal with and it's a necessary evil.