In 2025, the group BTS will return. All members currently serving in the military will be discharged and stand before their fans as a full group.
Except for Jin and J-Hope, all members of BTS are currently serving in the military. Jin was the first to be discharged last June. At that time, the members gathered to celebrate Jin's discharge, but it was brief. They then returned to their respective units or places of duty to continue their service. Subsequently, J-Hope was discharged last October.
The remaining five members are serving in different units and positions. Except for Suga, who is serving as a social service worker, all are active duty. RM is in the Army's 15th Infantry Division Military Band, Jimin is with the 5th Infantry Division Artillery Brigade, and Jungkook is serving as a cook in the same unit. V is dedicated to the country as a member of the special operations team in the 2nd Corps Military Police.
RM and V will be discharged together on June 10, while Jimin and Jungkook will become civilians a day later on June 11. Suga will follow suit with his discharge on June 22. With all members being discharged in June, fans are eagerly awaiting this month. The news of their discharge is expected to attract attention not only in the domestic music scene but also internationally.
There is no doubt that BTS is a top-tier global idol group. They first entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart with the songs 'DNA' and 'Mic Drop' from their mini-album 'Love Yourself' series released in 2017, and have since established themselves as global artists with every subsequent release, including 'Dynamite', 'Butter', 'Permission to Dance', 'Fake Love', 'Boy With Luv', 'IDOL', and 'ON'. Additionally, several non-title tracks have also charted, showcasing their exceptional musicality.
The perception that their popularity would wane due to their military service was dispelled early on. The members' solo activities have continued to carry the team's popularity and received positive reviews. Among them, the vocal line members' performances stood out. Jungkook's solo song 'Seven' and Jimin's solo song 'Like Crazy' both topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. V and Jin also made their mark on the chart, demonstrating their influence as solo artists. RM and J-Hope, among the rap line members, have also released solo albums, showcasing their unrelenting passion for music. Their music can also be found on the Billboard charts.
In this way, the members have consistently kept the name BTS in the spotlight and expanded their influence. The anticipation for the global power that BTS will once again showcase as a full group is high, especially since they could not be together in 2023, the 10th anniversary of their debut in June 2013, due to the absence of Jin (who enlisted in December 2022) and J-Hope (who enlisted in April 2023). It is also a point of interest to see what aspects they will reveal as a full group in their 10th year.
BTS is the representative group and face of their agency, HYBE. Another task that has fallen on them is the normalization of HYBE's stock price. Last year, HYBE faced an unexpected dark period due to conflicts with former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin and their affiliated group NewJeans. The legal disputes arising from these conflicts are still ongoing.
In particular, the rise of NewJeans, which has become a popular group both domestically and internationally, has dealt a significant blow to HYBE, especially after the members declared the termination of their exclusive contracts with Ador. Additionally, the group from another subsidiary, Pledis Entertainment, called Fromis 9, also ended their exclusive contract as of December 31 last year. This has led to critical views on the discord between HYBE and girl groups. At this juncture, the appearance of BTS is seen as a key factor in how much they can fill the gaps caused by these events.
In fact, HYBE's stock price has fluctuated significantly since April last year and remains unstable. It recorded its lowest price of 150,000 won on September 1, then sharply rebounded to 210,000 won on November 20. Currently, it is maintaining a range of 180,000 to 190,000 won.
The stock market predicts that with the full group comeback of BTS this year, along with the monetization of new groups and the paid service of the fan platform Weverse, HYBE's performance will improve. The target stock price for HYBE has also been raised to 300,000 won.
The important thing is whether BTS will make a full group comeback this year. It is uncertain whether they will immediately start working on music after all members are discharged. There is also a possibility that a comeback may not happen until early next year after a break. However, considering that Jin and J-Hope have actively engaged in various activities, including fan meetings, right after their discharge, there is a possibility that team activities will proceed swiftly.
The full group of BTS, poised to shake up the domestic and international music scene and restore order, is just around the corner. Attention is focused on the musicality of the members who will return even more mature.
