A 21-year-old fan of the popular South Korean boy band BTS escaped getting robbed in Brazil, thanks to a picture of the septet member Jin. As per reports, a BTS fan was getting on a bus at night near São José dos Pinhais, in the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba. A robber tried to take away her cellphone but when he saw Jin's picture in the military uniform on its cover, he felt threatened and assumed the fan's boyfriend was in the armed forces. He returned the phone and ran away. The fan shared her ordeal on Twitter.
BTS' eldest member Jin aka Kim Seok-jin has been undertaking his mandatory military service in compliance with South Korean law. Also known as the "worldwide handsome hyung" of the group, Jin formally reported for duty on December 13, 2022. A front-line army division's boot camp in Yeoncheon, 60 kilometers north of Seoul, is where Jin has reportedly been receiving training.
The decision by BTS to enlist helped avert a sticky situation for South Korea's government. Military service is compulsory for all able-bodied males under 30 years old. The current system allows for some exceptions on the grounds of exceptional service to the country. Some top athletes and classical musicians have been excused on this basis, but pop artists have not.
Politicians have wrangled over making BTS the first K-Pop exception and even discussed some lighter form of military service in which they might still be able to perform. Last year, during a Korean-language interview, the band members said that they would be taking a "hiatus." But within hours, Hybe issued a statement saying that the word "hiatus" was an English mistranslation. Instead, they would be allowed time to pursue solo projects.
