BTS are in their military era. But did they ever really leave?

How the boy band banked all the content to keep their dedicated fans—ARMY— entertained during their hiatus

Last week, I attended a BTS event dedicated to friendship, fandom and finding kinship and community. (Shout out to members of my BTS group chat, who hosted such a fun panel!)

There were sing-alongs with glowing lightsticks, pop quizzes, karaoke and giveaways! Not to mention, a night full of laughter all while sitting in a theatre watching and talking about our favourite BTS moments.

BTS weren’t even there, but the atmosphere itself filled a gaping hole in my ARMY heart.

But despite the fact that all seven members of BTS are currently serving their mandatory military service in South Korea, it was clear the love and passion for the band is still going very strong.

When K-pop idols often embark on their military service, it is often a pretty somber time for their dedicated fans. Eighteen to 21 months is a very long time to be away— especially when K-pop thrives on frequent comebacks every few months with new singles, albums and live performances.

When BTS announced in 2022 that they would be taking a pause to pursue solo activities and fulfill their military duties, many have wondered what that would mean for the future of the group.

Personally, I had no doubt that they’d still popular the moment they all decided to come back.

But given the volume of new songs and K-pop acts debuting every month, I wondered what role BTS would have in an ever-growing—and quite frankly—oversaturated industry.

However, those concerns quickly went away, especially as each member of BTS slowly rolled out their own solo projects. In fact, ever since Jin went to the military in December 2022, the BTS content has been coming at a dizzying pace.

There were pop-ups selling merch. Each member released solo albums. Suga went on a record-breaking solo world tour. For their 10-year anniversary, BTS also released the track ‘Take Two’ as a gift to their fans.

Then there were the high fashion ambassadorships, with members attending individual fashion week events. This new era also ushered in a GROWN™ Jung Kook, who is often seen by fans as the younger brother (maknae). Shedding away the innocence and cuteness, he decided to release explicit songs about hooking up and relationships.

And today, RM releases his latest solo project Right Place, Wrong Person, an extremely ambitious album that goes against the grain from K-pop’s catchy hits and dance bangers for a more alternative and experimental sound.

His pre-release single, ‘Come back to me’ is nearly six minutes long. While he usually raps, he instead sings on the track. And the accompanying music video, which is gorgeously directed by Beef creator Lee Sung Jin, has RM visiting different multiverses in an effort to discover what his path in life should be.

It is not a song that many in my friend circles have found themselves gravitating toward. But one can’t deny that it is a unique concept with an interesting narrative to follow.

BTS is keeping things fresh at a time when there is an overwhelming amount of content to consume. And heck, they are not even actively promoting through interviews and music competition shows!

BTS have shown that being in the military does not mean the end of your idol career. In fact, they are showing that their absence can actually increase anticipation amongst fans, making them more eager for an OT7 return.

While profit-making activities are typically not allowed while an idol is serving for their country, BTS have instead meticulously planned and pre-recorded content months in advance of enlisting. And thanks to social media platforms like YouTube, Weverse and Instagram, management companies can upload photos and videos on their behalf.

Rules have also changed for active soldiers. In July 2020, the Ministry of National Defence have permitted soldiers to use their phones inside barracks when not on duty. Hence, it’s the reason why so many idols—including BTS— are allowed to stay active on social media while serving.

To be frank, BTS is not the only group who has banked content ahead of military enlistment. In 2022, ONF released a special album called Storage of ONF as a gift to their fans waiting for them while they were serving. And EXO has released songs even when members like Baekhyun and Chanyeol were enlisted.

As for BTS, what has personally been the greatest gift to me as a fan is actually getting to see the members show newer sides to themselves and explore genres outside of being in a seven-member group.

And while more than a year has passed since eldest member Jin’s enlistment, I often forget that he’s even been away for so long.

I can’t help but feel time has flown by so quickly with all the content that’s been fed to fans over the last couple of years. Now Jin has less than a month left before he is released!

I have no doubt that the return of BTS in 2025 will be an epic one. But there’s also no denying that the individual members have done a fine job at keeping BTS’s popularity alive and well despite military service.

I’m already nervous for whatever world tour will be announce in a few year’s time. But boy, am I ready for what’s to come.

---

K-pop group BLITZERS audition for Britain’s Got Talent, reach semi-final stage

BLITZERS are the first K-pop group to audition for the reality competition series Britain’s Got Talent.

The group (composed of members Jinhwa, Juhan, Sya, Chris, Lutan and Wooju) performed a rendition of Shawn Mendes’s “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back.” Their performance was met with a standing ovation from the judges, who then granted the group a chance to compete in the semifinal.''

BLITZERS debuted in May 2021 with the EP Check-In. In South Korea, they have won awards at the Asia Artist Awards and K-Global Heart Dream Awards.

“We are the first K-pop band to be on Britain’s Got Talent and from here we have a dream to go to Wembley Stadium,” said member Chris.

“We have a lot of fans in South Korea so we would love to be famous in the UK.”

Good luck boys! (But playing BTS after the performance was a REAL QUESTIONABLE CHOICE, in my opinion…). Let BLITZERS show off their individuality!

What I’m listening to: XG - ‘Woke Up’

Speaking of fresh concepts, one group that always keeps me on my toes is XG. The Japanese girl group released a new song called ‘WOKE UP’ on May 18th, which further highlights their brilliant rap flows and distinct hip-hop identities. It’s the band’s first all-rap track. And it’s cool to see vocalists like Juria, Chisa and Hinata trying something new.

If you make it through the music video, maknae Cocona also makes a move that will surely have you gasping and raising your eyebrows. Shaving away her long black hair, she is now the owner of a truly badass buzzcut. She is certainly rocking it!

---

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Accountability is important to me, so please address corrections and concerns by sending me an email at bunnipopnewsletter@gmail.com. Continue the conversation by following bunni pop on Instagram, Tiktok and Twitter.