BTS Nears Full Return as Jimin and Jungkook Finish Military Service, With Suga Due Back June 21

Six members are back, with one service deadline remaining

Jimin and Jungkook completed their military service on June 11, 2025, bringing BTS another step closer to a reunion after years of staggered enlistments. RM and V were discharged a day earlier, on June 10. With Jin and J-Hope already back in civilian life, Suga is the final member still serving, with his discharge scheduled for June 21.

For the seven members of the South Korean group and their worldwide fans, known as ARMY, June marks the closing stretch of a separation that began when the group committed to fulfilling its military obligations in 2022. Their return brings renewed attention to future music, concerts and the economic activity surrounding one of the country's most influential cultural exports.

The next event on the calendar is the 2025 BTS FESTA, scheduled for June 13 and 14 at KINTEX in Goyang, South Korea. Celebrating the group's 12th anniversary, the gathering is expected to provide an early public reunion moment. Its dates fall before Suga's scheduled discharge, while the end of all seven members' service obligations is expected by June 21.

HYBE has signaled the approaching return with a giant sign at its Seoul headquarters reading "WE ARE BACK." All seven members have renewed their contracts, giving fans another reason to anticipate the group's next chapter.

As of June 11, a release date for new group music and a world tour schedule have not been given. The immediate milestones are the anniversary celebration and Suga's scheduled return, followed by the work of preparing BTS to perform and record together again.

Why military service interrupted the group

South Korea requires all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28 to serve in the military for 18 to 21 months. The conscription system, which requires eligible citizens to serve, reflects continuing tensions with North Korea and is widely treated as a civic duty.

BTS's international success prompted a heated debate about whether the members should receive an exemption. Lawmakers and fans argued that their contribution to South Korea's international prestige deserved recognition. The military and some members of the public resisted, citing fairness and the importance of equal duty.

Athletes and classical musicians who win top international prizes can receive exemptions. Pop stars and entertainers, including BTS, are not eligible for those privileges. The law was amended to allow K-pop stars to delay enlistment until age 30, giving them more time before service while keeping the obligation in place.

In 2022, BTS's management announced that all seven members would fulfill their service requirements. Their enlistments led to a pause in group activities, with members entering and leaving service at different times.

How the seven members' service dates fit together

Jin, the oldest member, was the first to enlist and the first to finish. The sequence has stretched across several years, with the final scheduled discharge coming just over a year after his return.

• 2022: BTS's management announced that all seven members would fulfill their service obligations, leading to a group hiatus.
• June 2024: Jin completed his military service.
• October 2024: J-Hope finished his military duties.
• December 2023 to June 10, 2025: RM and V enlisted in December 2023 and were discharged together on June 10.
• June 11, 2025: Jimin and Jungkook, the youngest members described as the "maknae line," completed their service.
• June 13 and 14, 2025: BTS FESTA is scheduled at KINTEX in Goyang.
• June 21, 2025: Suga is scheduled to be discharged after serving as a social service agent, an alternative form of service.

Six members have therefore completed their duties as of June 11. Suga's alternative service has followed a different timetable, leaving his scheduled discharge as the final step before all seven are available again.

Fans crossed borders to welcome them back

Hundreds of fans gathered outside military bases to celebrate the members' discharges, despite requests from the group's label to avoid large crowds for safety reasons. The emotional reunions were livestreamed and received international media attention, allowing fans far from South Korea to follow the returns.

Fans traveled from countries including Mexico, Turkey, Brazil and Portugal. Their journeys brought the worldwide reach of ARMY into view at the places where the members were finishing their service.

Rosie Tanquilut, a 64-year-old fan from the Philippines, described the anticipation that had built during the wait:

We've been counting the days since they entered military.

Reina Lorena Quintero Sevilla traveled nearly 18 hours from Mexico City. She described how excitement about reaching South Korea and seeing the members return shaped her journey:

It didn't feel that long because we're so excited to be here, to watch the boys get released, excited to be in South Korea, in the hometowns of our boys, who we love, who we adore.

For these fans, the discharges were personal occasions as well as entertainment news. Their accounts connect the long wait with the chance to see the members begin civilian life again.

What the members said about serving

RM, BTS's leader, spoke after his discharge about the difficulties of service and the appreciation he developed for those responsible for protecting South Korea:

There were tough and painful moments, of course, but during our service, I came to deeply appreciate the many people who have protected this country.

V described feeling "remade in mind and body" and said he was eager to reconnect with ARMY as soon as possible. His comments paired a sense of personal change with anticipation about returning to the group's fans.

Jimin, speaking after experiencing military life himself, asked people to show kindness to soldiers:

After experiencing military life firsthand, I can say it truly isn't easy... if you happen to pass by a soldier, even a small word of kindness would mean the world to them.

Jungkook turned toward the group's creative plans and the preparation still ahead:

Now that we've been discharged, I believe it's time for us to keep drawing the picture we've always envisioned. We'll make sure to prepare well and show you an even better version of ourselves.

Together, their comments connected gratitude for completing service with recognition of its demands. Jungkook's promise also put preparation at the center of the return, with the members looking toward what they want to create together.

The economic stakes behind the reunion

BTS generated an estimated annual economic impact of more than 5.5 trillion won, about $4.6 billion, before enlistment. That figure represented roughly 0.2% of South Korea's gross domestic product, the measure of the value of goods and services produced in the country.

The economic impact extended across music sales, streaming, tourism and other activity connected with the group. Fans buying albums, traveling to South Korea or attending events help explain why BTS's influence reaches beyond the music business itself.

HYBE, the group's management company, saw its share price drop 25% when the hiatus was announced. The fall showed how closely investor expectations were tied to BTS's ability to work as a group.

The return is expected to bring renewed activity through tourism, merchandise sales and media attention, alongside demand for recordings and performances. For South Korea, that means potential business for the industries that serve fans as well as for the company managing the group.

Yoo Sung-man of Leading Investment and Securities described the anticipated scale of the comeback in terms of a "massive global impact across all fronts—music streaming, album sales, and concerts." His assessment is a forecast of demand as BTS resumes group activities.

Solo releases kept BTS in the spotlight

BTS's group hiatus did not mean a complete break from new music. Members continued releasing solo projects during the period, maintaining their presence in the global music market while fans waited for all seven to return.

Jimin became the first Korean solo artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 with "Like Crazy." The chart ranks songs, making the achievement a milestone for an individual member as well as part of BTS's wider record of international success.

Jungkook's solo debut, "GOLDEN," peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, which ranks albums. The two achievements came on different charts, one for a song and the other for an album, and both kept attention on the members during the group pause.

Those solo careers gave fans new work to follow throughout the separation. They also maintained anticipation for a reunion in which the members could bring their individual experiences back into a shared creative project.

What FESTA and the renewed contracts mean

BTS FESTA on June 13 and 14 is intended as a major celebration for the group and its fans. Held at KINTEX in Goyang, it marks 12 years since BTS debuted in 2013 and arrives during the final days of the members' service period.

The anniversary timing makes FESTA a focus for fans looking for signs of renewed group activity. Suga's scheduled June 21 discharge remains the later milestone for completing the full service timeline.

All seven members' renewed contracts provide continuity as BTS moves toward working together again. HYBE's "WE ARE BACK" sign has reinforced that message publicly, while expectations build around new music, a world tour and special content for fans.

The reunion is also expected to bring new creative projects reflecting the members' growth during the hiatus. Their discharge comments, particularly Jungkook's promise to prepare carefully, place that creative work alongside the celebrations surrounding their return.

Why the return reaches beyond music

BTS debuted in 2013, rose to prominence in South Korea and then achieved international fame. Songs including "Dynamite," "Butter" and "Permission to Dance" topped charts worldwide, helping make the group a central part of K-pop's global reach.

The group became the first act made up entirely of South Korean members to reach No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and the Billboard Hot 100. BTS has received five Grammy nominations and won the top prize at the American Music Awards in 2021.

The members' musical versatility, dynamic performances and direct engagement with fans have helped build an audience across languages and cultures. Their music and social messages have also shaped how audiences around the world see South Korea and K-pop.

Their return is expected to bring fresh energy to the K-pop industry, inspire other groups and artists, and strengthen the relationship with ARMY after years of support through the service period. The prospect of new recordings and performances brings those cultural and commercial expectations together.

BTS's experience has drawn comparisons with Elvis Presley, whose return to stardom after military service opened another era in his career. For BTS, the immediate story remains the completion of national duty and the approaching opportunity for all seven members to work together again.

Key Points

• Jimin and Jungkook completed military service on June 11, 2025, one day after RM and V.
• Jin returned in June 2024 and J-Hope in October 2024. Suga's discharge from alternative service is scheduled for June 21, 2025.
• South Korea allowed eligible K-pop stars to delay enlistment until age 30, while retaining their service obligation.
• BTS FESTA is scheduled for June 13 and 14 at KINTEX in Goyang to celebrate the group's 12th anniversary.
• All seven members have renewed their contracts. New music, concerts and special content are anticipated.
• BTS's estimated annual economic impact before enlistment exceeded 5.5 trillion won, about $4.6 billion or roughly 0.2% of South Korea's GDP.
• Solo achievements by Jimin and Jungkook kept the members in the global spotlight during the group hiatus.