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K-pop star j-hope, member of South Korean boy band BTS, completed his mandatory military service and was discharged on Thursday.
The 30-year-old left his military base in Wonju in Gangwon province early this morning and was met by the oldest member, Jin, who completed his military service earlier this year in June.
“Thanks to the fans, I was able to finish it (the service) safely, with good health,” said j-hope, whose real name is Jung Ho-seok, in his comments to the media.
“During my 18 months of military service, I performed duties as an instructor and marched a lot, so I saw many Wonju citizens. I want to thank the citizens who greeted and cheered for the soldiers. It was very touching,” he said, according to The Korea Times.
“During the service, I felt soldiers have been working hard, dedicating themselves, and doing so much for the country to protect it. I think it would be even more meaningful if the public showed such warm interest and love.
“Thank you for your great support, encouragement and love. I’ve been discharged healthy and well.”
Jin, 31, who is preparing to release his first solo album in November, shared a sweet moment with his bandmate as he knelt on the ground to hold up the microphones from the media for j-hope’s message.
After his discharge, j-hope appeared on a live stream from his agency’s headquarters on fan platform Weverse.
“I took a break as Jung Ho-seok, but now I’m back as j-hope,” he said, according to news agengy Yonhap. “I’ll lead you on a path of flowers.”
“I matured a lot and came out healthy,” he said, on his role as assistant drill instructor while in the military. “Living in Wonju and working as a training instructor was great, and honestly, the food was delicious.”
While he did not provide any specifics, j-hope teased promotional activities for his upcoming music.
“I’ll continue to show you my best. Some activities are already planned, but there are still details to work out, so I’ll keep checking on that.
“Now that I’ve taken off the beret and military uniform, I think it’s time to show you BTS’ j-hope again, not Sgt Jung Ho-seok. I love you all.”
According to South Korean law, all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28 must join the military and serve 18 months in active service. In 2020, the law was revised to allow globally recognised K-pop stars to postpone their service until they turned 30.
The band’s other members – RM, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook – are still serving.
BTS are expected to reunite as a full group in 2026.
