As K-pop juggernaut BTS takes the global K-pop craze to new heights, South Korea is again debating whether or not to conscript the seven young men for their mandatory active duty.

Talk of special treatment resurfaced on Sept. 3, two days after the latest single “Dynamite” claimed the coveted top spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart -- a first in the history of Korean music and a “splendid feat” that boosted national pride, according to President Moon Jae-in.

A lawmaker of Moon’s ruling Democratic Party of Korea openly proposed a revision to the conscription law to allow high-achieving pop stars like BTS to put off enlistment until the age of 30.

All able-bodied South Korean men aged between 18 and 30 must serve active duty for 18 to 21 months to maintain defense readiness against North Korea, since the two neighbors are still technically at war without a peace treaty.

Pop stars have often taken part in graduate studies to postpone enlistment until after the peak of their careers. The band’s eldest member, Jin, is currently enrolled in an online graduate program to delay his enlistment until after 2021.


Exception to the rule?

On Monday, another ruling party lawmaker finally raised the question many had thought about asking but was too afraid to do so: Why not just exempt BTS from active duty?

“Not everyone has to take up a rifle to serve the country,” Rep. Noh Woong-rae said at a party meeting, stressing that allowing BTS to continue what they are doing is in the best interest of the country.

South Korea exempts exceptionally talented people in the fields of classical music, dance and sports from active duty, but not K-pop artists.

Classical musicians and dancers are exempt when they win awards at government-chosen competitions. Athletes need to win any medal at the Olympics or a gold medal at the Asian Games to avoid active duty.

While exempt from active duty, which requires communal living and training at military bases, they are still required to fulfill about four weeks of basic training and mandatory 544 hours of community service during the 34-month term, while carrying on with their day-to-day life.

The law describes it as an alternative service and no major change has been made to this rule since it was first introduced in 1973. So granting K-pop artists the same special treatment all of sudden is highly contentious.

“I don’t think the public and BTS themselves want us to continue debating their conscription,” Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Nak-yon said at a party meeting Wednesday, advising his fellow party members to say “as little as possible” on the matter.

Lee was clearly putting the brakes on Rep. Noh’s outspoken rhetoric backing a change in the law so that BTS could become the first pop artists to take advantage of alternative service.

“Suppose BTS serves active duty, I think they can do what they do now there, making contributions to this country and elevating its status,” Lee said.

The defense minister was clearer in his opposition to any rule change that could grant BTS any exception, like allowing them to enter into the country’s alternative service program.

“We need public consensus before proceeding to look into it,” he told a parliamentary audit Wednesday. He said allowing BTS file for a delay in draft was okay.

But the culture minister disagreed at the same audit, saying the matter needs to be “looked into positively,” adding there were many voices in favor of pop artists’ admission to the alternative program. 


Public evenly divided

The public stands split, with the rating for and against granting pop artists the new privilege standing at 31.3 percent and 30.5 percent, respectively, according to the latest poll commissioned by local outlet Kuki News on Sept. 21.

Those against the privilege argued that there would be no uniform standard to the rule on pop artists’ admission to the alternative program.

“Classic musicians, dancers and athletes have their own competitions – local or international – to win and prove their exceptional performance so as to qualify for the service,” a Seoul resident who asked only to be identified by his surname Kim said. “How are we going to gauge pops artists’ performance?”

Those in favor of the alternative service spoke of how BTS enhanced Korea’s image abroad and contributed to its economic growth through tourism, for instance, but said there is a long road ahead before coming to agreement that pop artists too deserve to join the alternative program.

“We’ll have to come up with a just and fair means based on merit to really determine whether K-pop artists qualify for the alternative program,” said Diane Han, a Seoul-based freelance writer.

BTS has repeatedly said they are willing to fulfill their duty, just as every Korean man takes part in the civic duty. 

“Someday when duty calls, we’ll be ready to gear up and do our best,” Jin said in an interview with CBS show “Sunday Morning” last year.

By Choi Si-young (siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com)