HYBE refuses to confirm military enlistment details of BTS member J-Hope

HYBE declined to confirm rumors of BTS member J-Hope beginning his military service on April 18, as was reported by the local press Thursday. “We are unable to confirm [J-Hope’s] enlistment date and location. Thank you ...

J-Hope from boy band BTS [YONHAP]

HYBE declined to confirm rumors of BTS member J-Hope beginning his military service on April 18, as was reported by the local press Thursday.

“We are unable to confirm [J-Hope’s] enlistment date and location. Thank you for understanding,” the agency told local media on Thursday.

Local media, citing military sources, reported Thursday morning that J-Hope will be entering a frontline army recruit training center located in Gangwon on April 18, next Tuesday.

BigHit Music had announced on April 1 that its member J-Hope will be joining an army boot camp to complete his military service, without sharing the enlistment date or location.

“It’s not like I can go whenever I want, but the date [of the enlistment] has been set, and I think it’s about time I start preparing for it,” J-Hope said in a Weverse livestream on March 16.

“I thought I should complete [my military service] as soon as possible and return to my fans and show you guys a more mature version of myself.”

In Korea, all able-bodied young men are required to serve around one and a half years in the military.

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]