WONJU, South Korea — K-pop megastar J-hope from BTS ended eighteen months of South Korean military service Thursday, and hailed the 'sacrifice' of soldiers working to keep the country safe, as fans wept for joy at his return to the industry.
The seven members of the world's most popular boy band have been on a self-described 'hiatus' since 2022 due to their military service, which South Korea requires of all men under 30 due to tensions with the nuclear-armed North.