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The singer, 29, became the second member of the K-pop band BTS to begin his 18-month compulsory military service in April.

BTS star J-Hope shares new snaps wearing his military uniform after joining the South Korean army and declares: 'I'll fight again!' By Milly Veitch For Mailonline Published: 10:20 EDT, 16 August 2023 | Updated: 10:40 EDT, 16 August 2023 e-mail View comments J-Hope has shared new snaps of him in his military uniform after joining the South Korean army earlier this year. The singer, 29, became the second member of the K-pop band BTS to begin his 18-month compulsory military service in April. In December, Jin, 30, the oldest member of BTS, became the band's first member to enter the army after revoking his request to delay his conscription. J-Hope, whose legal name is Jung Ho-seok, took to his Instagram on Wednesday to share a number of photos in his full army uniform and beret. Captioning the slew of shots, he proudly declared: 'I'll fight again!' followed by a purple heart emoji - commonly used by BTS fans to express their love of the band. Reporting for duty: J-Hope has shared new snaps of him in his military uniform after joining the South Korean army earlier this year Enlist: The singer, 29, became the second member of the K-pop band BTS to begin his 18-month compulsory military service in April Conscription: In December, Jin, 30, the oldest member of BTS, became the band's first member to enter the army after revoking his request to delay his conscription The band's devoted followers, who call themselves the BTS Army, rushed to react to the post, and it racked up over 5.5 million likes in three hours. J-Hope completed his basic training in May 2023, and reportedly was appointed as an assistant training instructor. The five other member of BTS - RM, Suga, Jimin, V and Jungkook - will join the South Korean military one by one in the coming years. In South Korea, all able-bodied men are required by law to perform 18-21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea. The law allows men to postpone their service until 28, with those in the entertainment profession permitted to postpone conscription until the age of 30. The law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have obtained top prizes in certain competitions and are assessed to have enhanced national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers are not subject to the same privileges. Lawmakers in the National Assembly have debated possible exemptions for BTS members, but a series of public surveys showed sharply split opinions over the issue. Ready for action: J-Hope, whose legal name is Jung Ho-seok, took to his Instagram on Wednesday to share a number of photos in his full army uniform and beret Raring to go: Captioning the slew of shots, he proudly declared: 'I'll fight again!' followed by a purple heart emoji - commonly used by BTS fans to express their love of the band Support: The band's devoted followers, who call themselves the BTS Army, rushed to react to the post, and it racked up over 5.5 million likes in three hours Defense Minister Lee Jong-Sup said at the time that it would be 'desirable' for BTS members to implement their duties to promote fairness in the country´s military service. Exemptions or dodging of military duties are a highly sensitive issue in South Korea, because the draft forces young men to suspend their studies or professional careers. Hybe Corp said in October that each member of the band for the time being would focus on individual activities scheduled around their military service plans. Formed in 2013, BTS expanded its popularity in the West with its 2020 megahit 'Dynamite,' the band´s first all-English song that made BTS the first K-pop act to top Billboard´s Hot 100. Their album, Map of the Soul: 7, sold at least 500,000 copies that year, with the only other album to do so being Taylor Swift's Folklore, according to Nielsen Music's annual report. Share or comment on this article: BTS star J-Hope shares new snaps wearing his military uniform after joining the South Korean army and declares: 'I'll fight again!' e-mail Add comment Read more