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Members of the K-pop band BTS at the 2021 American Music Awards
Photo: AUDE GUERRUCCI / REUTERS
The members of the globally successful K-pop band BTS should possibly be able to rehearse together and perform abroad during their military service.
Defense Minister Lee Jong Sup promised a corresponding exemption for compulsory military service in South Korea.
It could be in the national interest to allow superstars to perform while they're in the army, he said.
"Many people see military service as very valuable anyway," said the minister in parliament when asked about it.
But it could be "even more valuable" to its popularity if BTS continued to perform during this time.
In South Korea, every healthy man up to the age of 30 has to do military service for around two years.
Those who evade it face a prison sentence.
An exemption is only provided for top athletes such as Olympic medalists and classical musicians.
Pop stars do not fall into this category.
South Korea's most successful music export
The seven members of BTS are now between 24 and 29 years old, so the oldest of them - Jin - should be drafted soon.
However, the group had only announced in June that they were taking a break and that the individual members wanted to concentrate on solo projects temporarily.
Known for their meticulously rehearsed dance choreographies, the boy band is South Korea's most successful music export.
The band primarily sings in their native language, but has millions of fans around the world.
BTS had stormed the charts with hits like "Dynamite" and "Permission to Dance".
At the American Music Awards in November 2021, the musicians scooped up three trophies, including the grand prize for artist of the year.
Just this year, the band released their anthology album »Proof«, which includes the new single »Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)«.
bam/AFP