BTS: Jin spotted in military uniform in new photo, ARMY gush about how ‘handsome’ he looks

Jin, the oldest member of K-pop group BTS, who was recently enlisted for his mandatory military service was spotted wearing his army uniform in a fresh official photo. 

The new and official photo of BTS’s Jin through “Trainee Sketch” via The Camp was released on social media on December 30 (KST). In the picture, Jin could be seen sitting together with the rest of his division with a serious face. However, the faces of the other trainees were blurred in the group photo. 

Jin in Trainee Sketch official photo (Image via @jinniesarchives on Twitter)

ARMY can’t get over how ‘handsome’ Jin looks

BTS ARMY couldn't get over how handsome Jin looked in his uniform and buzz cut while sitting in the front row. ARMYs couldn't hide their excitement and gushed on Twitter about how good their favourite K-pop idol looked.

BTS' Jin goes to frontline boot camp

Jin, who turned 30 recently, began his 18 months of mandatory military service at a front-line South Korean boot camp on December 13 as fans gathered near the base to say goodbye to their idol. Jin entered the boot camp at Yeoncheon, a town near the tense border with North Korea, for five weeks of basic military training together with other new conscript soldiers, the South Korean Defense Ministry said, according to AP. After the training involving rifle shooting, grenade throwing, and marching practices, he and other conscripts would be assigned to army units across the country.

About 20-30 fans - some holding Jin's photos - and dozens of journalists gathered near the camp. But a vehicle carrying Jin moved into the camp without him getting out. The BTS official Twitter account later posted photos showing Jin with other members, likely at the camp, with a message saying: "Our bro!! Have a safe service!! Love you." 

An image showed BTS members smiling and touching Jin's shaved head.

While leaving for his military service on December 11, Jin - whose real name is Kim Seok-jin - wrote on the online fan platform Weverse, "It's time for a curtain call." He posted a photo of himself with a military buzz cut and a message saying, "Ha ha ha. It's cuter than I had expected."

Jin military buzz cut (Image: Jin/Weverse)

Why has Jin joined the military service?

By law, all able-bodied South Korean men must serve in the military for 18-21 months under a conscription system established to deal with threats from North Korea. But the law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have won top prizes in certain competitions and enhanced national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers aren't given such benefits even if they gain worldwide fame and win big international awards.

Jin had faced an impending enlistment because the law disallows most men from further delaying their military service after they turn 30.

The six other younger BTS members are to join the military in the coming years one after another, meaning that the world's biggest boy band must take a hiatus, likely for a few years.

Their enlistments have prompted a fierce domestic debate over whether it's time to revise the country's conscription system to expand exemptions to include prominent entertainers like BTS, or not to provide such benefits to anyone.

With lawmakers squabbling at Parliament and surveys showing sharply split public opinions over offering exemptions to BTS members, their management agency said in October that all members would perform their compulsory military duties. Big Hit Music said that both the company and the members of BTS “are looking forward to reconvening as a group again around 2025 following their service commitment.”

(With inputs from Associated Press)