BTS' J-Hope completes military service, returns to fans

J-Hope of BTS salutes fans and media after being discharged from military service at the 36th Recruit Training Battalion in Wonju, Gangwon Province, Thursday. (Yonhap)

J-Hope of K-pop sensation BTS returned Thursday as the second member of the group to complete his military service.

J-Hope enlisted in April last year and served as an assistant instructor at the 36th Recruit Training Battalion in Wonju, Gangwon Province. Around 10 a.m., he left his battalion, where fellow member Jin greeted him with a large bouquet. The two shared a warm hug to celebrate J-Hope’s discharge.

J-Hope smiled and expressed his gratitude to fans. "I completed my service in good health. I'm truly grateful. I was able to finish my time in the military safely thanks to all the fans."

While J-Hope shared his thoughts on his military experience, Jin knelt to hold the microphones for him.

J-Hope added, "For 18 months, all soldiers are working hard and sacrificing themselves to protect the country, and they are truly doing a lot for the nation. If the public shows them much interest and love, it would make their service even more meaningful."

Jin (left) and J-Hope greets each other at the 36th Recruit Training Battalion in Wonju, Gangwon Province, Thursday. (Yonhap)

J-Hope later appeared on a live broadcast titled "j-day" on the fan community platform Weverse, sharing his excitement.

"The third take of J-Hope's life has started. It might not be easy to tell, but I’ve gained a lot of weight. I will take good care of myself, work out, and I’ll return to show you a lot of cool performances," he said.

He then revealed a message board filled with notes from fellow soldiers and officers and photos taken with his comrades.

The singer also recalled how much strength he gained from the support of the residents around his battalion. "Every time we marched, the residents would cheer us on. Even the elderly would say, 'Thanks to you, we can live in peace,' and hearing that made my heart swell, even though I’m not a career soldier."

"I’ll return as BTS’s J-Hope, not Sergeant Jung Ho-seok," J-Hope concluded.

J-Hope is the second BTS member to be discharged from the military, following Jin, who completed his service in June. The next members set to be discharged are Jimin and Jungkook, who will finish their service on June 10, 2025. The following day, on June 11, RM and V are scheduled to be discharged. Suga, who is currently serving as a public service agent due to a shoulder injury, is expected to complete his service on June 21.

Jin kneels down and holds microphones for J-Hope in front of the 36th Recruit Training Battalion in Wonju, Gangwon Province, Thursday. (Yonhap)

By Lee Jung-youn(jy@heraldcorp.com)