The seven members of BTS will officially be putting their mics down for a bit.
In a statement released on Oct. 17, the band’s label, Big Hit Music, announced that the award-winning K-pop group—comprised of members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook—will be on hiatus until 2025 as they fulfill military duties in their native home of South Korea. (All able-bodied men in South Korea between 18 and 35 years old must serve in the military for at least 18 months, per Forbes).
According to the label, 29-year-old Jin will be the first to enlist, followed by his bandmates thereafter.
“Group member Jin will initiate the process as soon as his schedule for his solo release is concluded at the end of October,” Big Hit Music announced in their statement shared to Twitter. “He will then follow the enlistment procedure of the Korean government. Other members of the group plan to carry out their military service based on their own individual plans. Both the company and the members of BTS are looking forward to reconvening as a group again around 2025 following their service commitment.”