BTS’ influence and impact spurs South Korea’s culture minister to re-evaluate military service for top artists

On Friday, August 30, 2024, South Korea's Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Yu In Chon, discussed potential revisions to mandatory military service rules for prominent artists, citing BTS' significant impact on the country. The remarks reflect the need to reconsider policies in light of BTS' global success and influence.

BTS has played a major role in boosting South Korea's tourism, with member Jin serving as the honorary tourism ambassador for Seoul City and participating in the Feel Soul Good campaign. In 2021, the group was also appointed as Special Presidential Envoy for Future Generations and Culture by then-President Moon Jae In.

Additionally, in 2019, Moon Jae In highlighted BTS as one of his three critical strategies for innovation in the country's content industry. These achievements underscore BTS' significant impact on South Korea.

He noted that the impact of influential artists, akin to the contributions of Olympians, warrants a reconsideration of military service policies. This statement was made during an interview with YTN on August 30. Currently, South Korean men who win gold medals for the country are exempt from mandatory military service, as are those with certain injuries.

Korean Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Yu In Chon remarked that BTS' achievements are comparable to winning multiple gold medals at the Olympics. He suggested that it may now be time to explore alternative military service options for prominent cultural artists.

BTS, also known as Bangtan Sonyeondan, is a seven-member K-pop boy group that debuted in June 2013 under BigHit Entertainment. At the time of their debut, Big Hit was a small company, but both the group and the agency have grown significantly together. Now rebranded and expanded as HYBE Labels, Big Hit has become a major player in the South Korean music industry.

Meanwhile, BTS' success and influence have continually soared, making a profound impact on both South Korea's and the global music scenes since their debut.

On April 29, 2019, Time magazine named BTS one of the 100 most influential people of the year, dubbing them the "Princes of Pop." Billboard executive Silvio Pietroluongo even compared their influence to that of The Beatles. BTS is recognized as a leaders in the K-pop industry, even among other major groups like Girls' Generation, Super Junior, EXO, TWICE, and BLACKPINK.

Their success highlights the power of a dedicated fan base in the social media era, where fan engagement can be as crucial as musical quality for a song's success. BTS has also set themselves apart by negotiating less restrictive contracts with their management, allowing for greater artistic freedom and creativity. This approach has helped them forge strong connections with South Korean youth, promoting individuality and authenticity within their fan base.

The band is now recognized as the most successful K-pop and musical group globally, with numerous awards and accolades to their name. Since June 2022, BTS has continued to thrive, with each member also developing their solo career and receiving significant recognition and acclaim. As of December 12, 2023, all BTS members have enlisted in the military. Currently, only Jin has returned, while J-Hope is expected to be discharged soon. The group is anticipated to reunite in 2025.

the fact that if bts didn’t exist hybe and groups that came after them wouldn’t even exist is wild
that’s the butterfly effect and the impact bts has pic.twitter.com/YNcVHKSaoL

— sof⁷ semi ia🪞 (@bang7angels) August 17, 2024

Kpop stans denying BTS impact, while their faves are fighting for "next BTS" title, LMFAO.

— Bae⁷forJK♡JUNGKOOK DAY (@taelightkook) August 27, 2024

“the korean minister of culture says “it's time to consider alternative ways of military service for artists cause bts has brought results almost equivalent to several olympics gold medals””
pic.twitter.com/MpJ60BVRRu

— sky⁷ (@taesqueenuwu) August 30, 2024