J-Hope of BTS cannot get special treatment to host military cooking show, South Korea says

South Korea has made a decision that J-Hope, a member of the globally recognized K-pop group BTS, cannot participate in a military culinary event. The reason given was that no special privileges can be extended to the pop star during his conscription period. There were plans in the pipeline to have J-Hope host the fourth edition of the international military cooking competition and to create a promotional video featuring other members of the seven-member band. However, these plans were scrapped by Defence Minister Shin Won-sik after a thorough review. He expressed his belief that everyone should fulfill their military obligations in the same manner, irrespective of their status as a BTS member. He also issued instructions against assigning tasks that are not part of their military roles to soldiers who were celebrities prior to their military service.

The cooking competition, which is a platform to showcase the culinary skills of the South Korean, US and Singaporean militaries, is currently underway in Seoul. J-Hope, who commenced his mandatory military service in April, is serving as an assistant instructor at the 36th Infantry Division’s recruit training centre. Last year, Jin became the first BTS member to enlist, while Suga is also undergoing conscription as a social service agent due to a shoulder injury. The remaining four members – RM, Jimin, Jungkook and V – are engaged in solo projects, with plans for the band to reunite in 2025.

All physically fit South Korean men under the age of 30 are required to serve approximately two years of military service. This is primarily due to the fact that the country is technically still at war with North Korea, which possesses nuclear weapons. BTS has been credited with contributing billions to the South Korean economy, sparking a prolonged debate in the country over whether artists of their stature should be exempted from military service. The current law permits globally recognized athletes and classical musicians, who are recommended by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, to be exempted from active military duty. Among those who have previously been exempted are Cho Seong-jin, the first Korean pianist to win the International Chopin Piano Competition, and Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min who led South Korea to the gold medal in men’s football at the 2018 Asian Games.