South Korea's National Assembly passed a revision of the Military Service Act that allows K-pop stars to postpone military service until they're 30!

That Boy Band from there is now a major Korean industry. Their taxes in Korea are probably funding the military, lol. They've exempted athletes and others before, though. Even Nazi Germany had exemptions.
 
Appears they view these bands as some sort of national resource that needs to be protected. Maybe related to the generation of economic activity, tourism, International relations etc.

I'm sure this will serve to generate animosity domestically. Do a little dancing, sing a song, most likely written by someone else; and you receive special privileges. How noble a pursuit is that?
 
Appears they view these bands as some sort of national resource that needs to be protected. Maybe related to the generation of economic activity, tourism, International relations etc.

I'm sure this will serve to generate animosity domestically. Do a little dancing, sing a song, most likely written by someone else; and you receive special privileges. How noble a pursuit is that?

Koreans treat economics success like warfare, have since the war at least, if not before. BTS has over 18 million Youtube subscribers and video 'watches of 2.5 billion times. Social media followers over 20 million. Maybe Taylor Swift is bigger, don't know but they're close. They're on top globally, which is a big deal for Koreans and the K Pop industry. Don't know about 'noble' pursuits, but how 'noble' is the peanut business or the burger joint business or any other, really?


"BTS (Korean: 방탄소년단; RR: Bangtan Sonyeondan), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a seven-member South Korean boy band that began formation in 2010 and debuted in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment.[3] The septet—composed of RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—co-writes and co-produces much of their own output. Originally a hip hop group, their musical style has evolved to include a wide range of genres. Their lyrics, often focused on personal and social commentary, touch on the themes of mental health, troubles of school-age youth, loss, the journey towards loving oneself, and individualism. Their work features references to literature and psychological concepts and includes an alternative universe storyline. The group has released several albums and performed on several world tours.

After debuting in 2013 with their single album 2 Cool 4 Skool, BTS released their first Korean-language studio album, Dark & Wild, and Japanese-language studio album, Wake Up, in 2014. The group's second Korean studio album, Wings (2016), was their first to sell one million copies in South Korea. By 2017, BTS crossed into the global music market, leading the Korean Wave into the United States and breaking numerous sales records. They became the first Korean group to receive a certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for their single "Mic Drop", as well as the first Korean act to top the US Billboard 200 chart with their studio album Love Yourself: Tear (2018). BTS also became the fastest group since The Beatles to earn four US number-one albums, doing so in less than two years. Love Yourself: Answer (2018) was the first Korean album certified platinum by the RIAA. In 2020, BTS became the first all-South Korean act to reach number one on the Billboard Global 200 and US Billboard Hot 100 with their single "Dynamite" and remix of "Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)".

Having sold over 20 million albums on the Gaon Music Chart, BTS is the best-selling artist in South Korean history and holds the best-selling album in South Korea with Map of the Soul: 7. BTS was ranked at number 45 on Billboard's Top Touring Artists of the 2010s, the only non-English speaking act on the list. During their Love Yourself World Tour, BTS became the first Asian and first non-English speaking act to headline and sell out Wembley Stadium and broke the record for the single highest-grossing engagement in Rose Bowl Stadium history. Featured on Time's international cover as "Next Generation Leaders", BTS has also appeared in the magazine's lists of the 25 most influential people on the internet (2017–2019) and the 100 most influential people in the world (2019), where they were dubbed "Princes of Pop". Forbes Korea named BTS the most influential celebrities of Korea in 2018 and 2020, and BTS ranked 43rd in the Forbes Celebrity 100 (2019) as one of the world's top-earning celebrities. As of 2019, BTS is purportedly worth more than $4.65 billion to South Korea's economy each year, or 0.3 percent of the country's GDP. They attract one in every 13 foreign tourists that visited South Korea and were cited as one of the key acts in boosting global music sales to $19 billion in 2018.

Following the establishment of their Love Myself anti-violence campaign in partnership with UNICEF, BTS addressed the United Nations 73rd and 75th General Assemblies and became the youngest ever recipients of the Order of Cultural Merit from the President of South Korea due to their contributions in spreading Korean culture and language."


...

BTS released their first English-language single, "Dynamite", on August 21. Its music video broke the YouTube record for the most viewed premiere, with more than three million viewers, and set a new record for the most viewed video in the first 24 hours of release. It also became the first music video on the platform to surpass 100 million views in less than one day.[307] "Dynamite" debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with over 260,000 pure sales—enough for it to become the fastest-selling single since Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do" (2017)—earning BTS their first chart topper and making them the first all-South Korean act (second Asian act overall) to earn a number one single in the United States."

Bold added by me. Amazing sales stats for a Korean language band. They're doing more for Korea as a Boy band than they would running around in circles with packs on.
 
Appears they view these bands as some sort of national resource that needs to be protected. Maybe related to the generation of economic activity, tourism, International relations etc.

I'm sure this will serve to generate animosity domestically. Do a little dancing, sing a song, most likely written by someone else; and you receive special privileges. How noble a pursuit is that?

Koreans treat economics success like warfare, have since the war at least, if not before. BTS has over 18 million Youtube subscribers and video 'watches of 2.5 billion times. Social media followers over 20 million. Maybe Taylor Swift is bigger, don't know but they're close. They're on top globally, which is a big deal for Koreans and the K Pop industry. Don't know about 'noble' pursuits, but how 'noble' is the peanut business or the burger joint business or any other, really?


"BTS (Korean: 방탄소년단; RR: Bangtan Sonyeondan), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a seven-member South Korean boy band that began formation in 2010 and debuted in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment.[3] The septet—composed of RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—co-writes and co-produces much of their own output. Originally a hip hop group, their musical style has evolved to include a wide range of genres. Their lyrics, often focused on personal and social commentary, touch on the themes of mental health, troubles of school-age youth, loss, the journey towards loving oneself, and individualism. Their work features references to literature and psychological concepts and includes an alternative universe storyline. The group has released several albums and performed on several world tours.

After debuting in 2013 with their single album 2 Cool 4 Skool, BTS released their first Korean-language studio album, Dark & Wild, and Japanese-language studio album, Wake Up, in 2014. The group's second Korean studio album, Wings (2016), was their first to sell one million copies in South Korea. By 2017, BTS crossed into the global music market, leading the Korean Wave into the United States and breaking numerous sales records. They became the first Korean group to receive a certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for their single "Mic Drop", as well as the first Korean act to top the US Billboard 200 chart with their studio album Love Yourself: Tear (2018). BTS also became the fastest group since The Beatles to earn four US number-one albums, doing so in less than two years. Love Yourself: Answer (2018) was the first Korean album certified platinum by the RIAA. In 2020, BTS became the first all-South Korean act to reach number one on the Billboard Global 200 and US Billboard Hot 100 with their single "Dynamite" and remix of "Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)".

Having sold over 20 million albums on the Gaon Music Chart, BTS is the best-selling artist in South Korean history and holds the best-selling album in South Korea with Map of the Soul: 7. BTS was ranked at number 45 on Billboard's Top Touring Artists of the 2010s, the only non-English speaking act on the list. During their Love Yourself World Tour, BTS became the first Asian and first non-English speaking act to headline and sell out Wembley Stadium and broke the record for the single highest-grossing engagement in Rose Bowl Stadium history. Featured on Time's international cover as "Next Generation Leaders", BTS has also appeared in the magazine's lists of the 25 most influential people on the internet (2017–2019) and the 100 most influential people in the world (2019), where they were dubbed "Princes of Pop". Forbes Korea named BTS the most influential celebrities of Korea in 2018 and 2020, and BTS ranked 43rd in the Forbes Celebrity 100 (2019) as one of the world's top-earning celebrities. As of 2019, BTS is purportedly worth more than $4.65 billion to South Korea's economy each year, or 0.3 percent of the country's GDP. They attract one in every 13 foreign tourists that visited South Korea and were cited as one of the key acts in boosting global music sales to $19 billion in 2018.

Following the establishment of their Love Myself anti-violence campaign in partnership with UNICEF, BTS addressed the United Nations 73rd and 75th General Assemblies and became the youngest ever recipients of the Order of Cultural Merit from the President of South Korea due to their contributions in spreading Korean culture and language."


...

BTS released their first English-language single, "Dynamite", on August 21. Its music video broke the YouTube record for the most viewed premiere, with more than three million viewers, and set a new record for the most viewed video in the first 24 hours of release. It also became the first music video on the platform to surpass 100 million views in less than one day.[307] "Dynamite" debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with over 260,000 pure sales—enough for it to become the fastest-selling single since Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do" (2017)—earning BTS their first chart topper and making them the first all-South Korean act (second Asian act overall) to earn a number one single in the United States."

Bold added by me. Amazing sales stats for a Korean language band. They're doing more for Korea as a Boy band than they would running around in circles with packs on.

Just as I figured. Thanks for the info.
 
That Boy Band from there is now a major Korean industry. Their taxes in Korea are probably funding the military, lol. They've exempted athletes and others before, though. Even Nazi Germany had exemptions.


Here in America, during WW2, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra were excused from the draft as well.
 
If anybody here is into 'weird tourism', off the wall type rather than the standard beaches and volcano stuff, go vist the Korean shipyards at least once in your life while they're busy.
 


With the country still technically at war with North Korea, the South has a military draft. Draft exemptions are only granted to famous athletes and musicians who won certain awards. Forty-five years ago, the United States ended conscription and embarked on the experiment of the all-volunteer force. South Korea should put an end to its military draft, too. Xenophobic nationalism is all the rage in South Korea due partly to the military culture embedded in Korean society, which is similar to what Imperial Japan once had. It is odd to have the draft after 50 years from the Korean War, even with the threat from North Korea, which is a state sponsor of terrorism. The presence of 30,000 American troops in the South is good enough.
 
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