BTS Member Suga Commences Military Duty in South Korea

South Korean artist Suga, a member of the highly successful boy band BTS, has started his mandatory military service, according to his social media confirmation. Suga, whose real name is Min Yoon-gi, is the third member of the group to enlist, following Jin and J-Hope. He posted online, assuring fans that he would fulfill his duty faithfully and return. In South Korea, all physically capable men are required to serve in the military before the age of 28 due to the ongoing conflict with North Korea. There were speculations that BTS members might be exempt from military service because of their significant contribution to the country's economy, but all seven members announced their intention to enlist last October, with Jin being the first to begin in December 2022. Suga, however, has been deemed unfit for regular combat duty and will serve as a social service agent. It is believed that his alternative service is related to a shoulder surgery he underwent in 2020. Suga expressed gratitude to his fans in a message on the social media platform WeVerse and bid them farewell until 2025. The news of Suga's military service coincided with the confirmation that all seven BTS members had renewed their contracts with their agency, Big Hit Music. On the other hand, fans of the girl group Blackpink are anxiously awaiting news of their contract renewal as their deal with YG Entertainment ended earlier this year. Media reports suggesting that three members of Blackpink were in discussions with other labels caused YG's shares to plummet. However, YG released a statement stating that the contract renewal for Blackpink is still under discussion.