South Korea passes BTS-friendly law for compulsory military service

BTS is so big, they just forced their government to give them a longer leash when they have to give it all up and enlist in the military … which is unprecedented.

South Korea has long had a law called the Military Service Act – which requires all able-bodied men in the country to serve at least 20 months before the age of 28 … and members of the K-Pop boy group are no exception.

On Tuesday, however, parliament changed that – giving top K-Pop artists (who receive government praise) a 2-year reprieve, which they specifically did to appease the longest-serving BTS member. Kim Seok-jin, who turns 28 this week.

South Korea’s rationale for bending the rules … BTS brings so much cultural and economic prosperity to the country – especially now that they’ve broken through with an international audience – it would be a shame to snatch a key member when he’s on the point of being in the prime of his musical career.

Note that K-Pop singers will NOT be completely excused from serving – they will have to turn the mic down and pick up a weapon of at least 30 under this rule change … but the fact that South Korea is bent over backwards for their biggest boy band is astounding.

Strangely, the country allows certain exemptions from its conscription policy – Korean Olympic athletes who win medals and Korean musicians who win awards don’t have to serve at all, as long as they are internationally recognized as such.