Jin, the senior BTS member, completes his military course in South Korea.
A 31-year-old man looked emotional as he hugged his workmates at a military facility in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi province, on TV.
Speaking later through a livestream that amassed over 3 million views on the Weverse platform for fans, he shared how the events during the ceremony left him teary-eyed.
"I cried during the ceremony," he shared. "But it was so enjoyable for the past year and a half. It's a massive relief to have met so many fantastic people," he added while wishing his coworkers at the military base the best.
The South Korean media reported multiple other members of the same band who are currently serving in the military requested time off to celebrate the milestone.
Amongst them was rapper RM, who greeted Jin with a saxophone to perform their hit single "Dynamite."
Jin was the initial member of the group to enroll in the military in December 2022. The other four members of the group began their duty in December 2023, with the goal of reuniting once they complete their service in 2025.
Upon his discharge, Jin intends to celebrate at an event in Seoul on Thursday where he would greet his supporters and perform. BTS' company, Hybe, will organize this event at Jamsil Sports Complex and has picked 1,000 fans who will have the opportunity to hug him.
Since their debut in 2013, BTS has become global sensations, topping the charts in more than 100 countries. They have more than 74 million Instagram followers and received Time's Entertainer of the Year award in 2020.
In 2022, the celebrities went to the White House and talked about Asian representation and rising anti-Asian hate crimes in the US during the pandemic.
Apart from their music, the BTS members double as prominent fashion icons.
In 2021, they got named ambassadors by luxury brand Louis Vuitton, who dressed them in matching suits for the 64th Grammy Awards the following year. Suga and Jimin participated in promotions for Valentino and Dior, respectively. Dior's creative director, Kim Jones, crafted original outfits for their 2019 tour.
The South Korean government mandates that all healthy males between ages 18-28 serve between 18-21 months in the military or perform social service, but they modified the law in 2020 so that renowned K-pop artists can postpone enlistment until they turn 30.
