BTS members RM, Jimin, J-Hope, Suga, Jin, V, and Jungkook will not be exempted from compulsory service to the South Korean millitary and the ARMY is left heartbroken.

The K-pop megastars will have to enlist to the military as the South Korean Defense Ministry has refused to issue a change to its exemption rules. They will have to serve despite several requests from the band's fans that the members should be exempted for their contribution to the K-pop and Korean culture, reports CNN.

South Korean law makes it mandatory for male citizens between 18 and 28 to serve at least 21 months in the military. With Kim Seouk-Jin, the oldest member of the band turning 27 this December, the call of duty from the military is inevitable.

The Defence Ministry grants exemptions under special circumstances and subject to conditions. South Korean actor Jang Dong-gun was earlier exempted from military service after he was diagnosed with pneumothorax, a rare condition that causes the patient's lungs to collapse. Actor Jo Jung-suk was also granted an exemption owing to extreme personal financial hardships.

However, a Ministry of Defense official, Lee Nam-woo, has announced that it has decided to tighten the exemption instead of extending it, to compensate for a shortage of manpower due to a falling birthrate. Nevertheless, exceptions have been made for classical musicians and athletes who win international competitions, leaving BTS' fans fuming.

Culture Minister, Park Yang-woo, said about the scenario: "in the case of BTS, I personally wish I could allow exemptions for them under certain conditions, but the government body that oversees conscription was inclined to downsize the overall scope of exemptions."

K-pop group BTS
The global prominence South Korea's BTS has reached unprecedented heights this year Photo: AFP / Ed JONES Ed Jones/AFP

Even though the ARMY has always opposed the enlistment of the Bangtan Boys in the military, the band members have accepted the upcoming hiatus from their music career with open hearts. Jin who is likely to be the first member to enroll in the military, said in a previous conversation with CBS: "As a Korean, it's natural, and someday, when duty calls we'll be ready to respond and do our best."

The South Korean singers will have to join the military eventually, but not this year, as their label and management company Big Hit Entertainment had earlier clarified. A representative for Big Hit had said in a comment last month: "I don't know why this story came up. [BTS member enlistment] is not true this year."