(NewsNation) — BTS fans could soon see the band reunite as four of its members are released from their mandatory military service in South Korea.
RM, 30, and V, 29, were discharged on Tuesday, and Jimin and Jungkook were released on Wednesday. Only one more member, Suga, is still in service. He is set to be discharged on June 21, and the BTS fan base, called ARMY, is excited for the upcoming reunion.
NewsNation’s Paula Froelich exclusively reported in March that the band would be recording an album this summer once all members were released from their military service. The group, which has seven members, had to put their music career on hold in 2022 when Jin started his mandatory service in December.
In South Korea, all able-bodied men between 18 and 28 years old are required to spend anywhere from 18 to 21 months in the military.
BTS members greet crowds as they return from military service
Jungkook spoke with journalists and fans on Wednesday as he and Jimin were discharged. He said, “Actually, it’s been so long since I’ve been in front of cameras, and I didn’t even put on makeup, so I’m a bit embarrassed… I don’t know what to say.”
RM and V saluted their fans on Tuesday, who were crowded near the band’s agency’s office as they returned in their army uniforms.
TOPSHOT – K-pop boy band BTS members RM (L) plays the saxophone while V looks on while holding flower bouquets at an outdoor sporting facility in Chuncheon on June 10, 2025, after their release from 18 months of South Korean military service. Hundreds of fans gathered near two army bases just outside of the capital Seoul where band leader RM — recently named “Favorite K-pop Artist” at the American Music Awards — and singer V were discharged. (Photo by Shin Yong-ju / AFP) (Photo by SHIN YONG-JU/AFP via Getty Images) 
K-pop boy band BTS member V looks on while holding flower bouquets at an outdoor sporting facility in Chuncheon on June 10, 2025, after his release with bandmate RM from 18 months of South Korean military service. Hundreds of fans gathered near two army bases just outside of the capital Seoul where band leader RM — recently named “Favorite K-pop Artist” at the American Music Awards — and singer V were discharged. (Photo by Shin Yong-ju / AFP) (Photo by SHIN YONG-JU/AFP via Getty Images) 
K-pop boy band BTS members RM (L) and V gesture at an outdoor sporting facility in Chuncheon on June 10, 2025, after their release from 18 months of South Korean military service. Hundreds of fans gathered near two army bases just outside of the capital Seoul where band leader RM — recently named “Favorite K-pop Artist” at the American Music Awards — and singer V were discharged. (Photo by Shin Yong-ju / AFP) (Photo by SHIN YONG-JU/AFP via Getty Images) 
Fans of K-pop boy band BTS members RM and V gather at an outdoor sporting facility in Chuncheon on June 10, 2025, after the two band members were released from 18 months of South Korean military service. Hundreds of fans gathered near two army bases just outside of the capital Seoul where band leader RM — recently named “Favorite K-pop Artist” at the American Music Awards — and singer V were discharged. (Photo by Shin Yong-ju / AFP) (Photo by SHIN YONG-JU/AFP via Getty Images) 
K-pop boy band BTS member RM gestures while holding a flower bouquet at an outdoor sporting facility in Chuncheon on June 10, 2025, after his release with bandmate V from 18 months of South Korean military service. Hundreds of fans gathered near two army bases just outside of the capital Seoul where band leader RM — recently named “Favorite K-pop Artist” at the American Music Awards — and singer V were discharged. (Photo by Shin Yong-ju / AFP) (Photo by SHIN YONG-JU/AFP via Getty Images) 
Fans of K-pop boy band BTS members RM and V pose at an outdoor sporting facility in Chuncheon on June 10, 2025, after the two band members were released from 18 months of South Korean military service. Hundreds of fans gathered near two army bases just outside of the capital Seoul where band leader RM — recently named “Favorite K-pop Artist” at the American Music Awards — and singer V were discharged. (Photo by Shin Yong-ju / AFP) (Photo by SHIN YONG-JU/AFP via Getty Images) 
K-pop boy band BTS members RM (L) plays the saxophone while V looks on while holding flower bouquets at an outdoor sporting facility in Chuncheon on June 10, 2025, after their release from 18 months of South Korean military service. Hundreds of fans gathered near two army bases just outside of the capital Seoul where band leader RM — recently named “Favorite K-pop Artist” at the American Music Awards — and singer V were discharged. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP) (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images) 
(Front L-R) Jimin and Jungkook of K-pop supergroup BTS speak to the media and fans at an outdoor sporting facility in Yeoncheon on June 11, 2025, shortly after their release from 18 months of South Korean military service. Two more BTS members were released from South Korean military service on June 11, bringing the K-pop supergroup closer to a reunion as they promised fans a “better version” of themselves soon. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP) (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images) 
Fans react after the departure of Jungkook and Jimin of K-pop supergroup BTS at an outdoor sporting facility in Yeoncheon on June 11, 2025, shortly after their release from 18 months of South Korean military service. Two more BTS members were released from South Korean military service on June 11, bringing the K-pop supergroup closer to a reunion as they promised fans a “better version” of themselves soon. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP) (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images) 
TOPSHOT – (L-R) Jungkook and Jimin of K-pop supergroup BTS share a happy moment at an outdoor sporting facility in Yeoncheon on June 11, 2025, shortly after their release from 18 months of South Korean military service. Two more BTS members were released from South Korean military service on June 11, bringing the K-pop supergroup closer to a reunion as they promised fans a “better version” of themselves soon. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP) (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images) 
YEONCHEON-GUN, SOUTH KOREA – JUNE 11: K-pop band BTS’s members Jungkook (L) and Jimin (R) are discharged from a mandatory military service on June 11, 2025 in Yeoncheon-gun, South Korea. Four members of the K-pop group BTS’s RM, V, Jimin and Jungkook will be discharged from their mandatory 18-month military service next week, the boy band’s agency said. RM, the leader of the group, and V completed the 18-month mandatory military service, which is required for all able-bodied male citizens in South Korea before they turn 28, followed by Jimin and Jungkook the next day, according to BigHit Music. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images) 
YEONCHEON-GUN, SOUTH KOREA – JUNE 11: K-pop band BTS’s members Jungkook (L) and Jimin (R) salute after being discharged from a mandatory military service on June 11, 2025 in Yeoncheon-gun, South Korea. Four members of the K-pop group BTS’s RM, V, Jimin and Jungkook will be discharged from their mandatory 18-month military service next week, the boy band’s agency said. RM, the leader of the group, and V completed the 18-month mandatory military service, which is required for all able-bodied male citizens in South Korea before they turn 28, followed by Jimin and Jungkook the next day, according to BigHit Music. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images) 
YEONCHEON-GUN, SOUTH KOREA – JUNE 11: A general view of atmosphere during BTS’s members Jimin and Jungkook discharge from a mandatory military service on June 11, 2025 in Yeoncheon-gun, South Korea. Four members of the K-pop group BTS’s RM, V, Jimin and Jungkook will be discharged from their mandatory 18-month military service next week, the boy band’s agency said. RM, the leader of the group, and V completed the 18-month mandatory military service, which is required for all able-bodied male citizens in South Korea before they turn 28, followed by Jimin and Jungkook the next day, according to BigHit Music. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images) 
YEONCHEON, SOUTH KOREA – JUNE 11: Jung Kook and Jimin of BTS attend a discharge ceremony held at Yeoncheon Public Stadium in Yeoncheon-gun on June 11, 2025 in Chuncheon, South Korea. (Photo by The Chosunilbo JNS/Imazins via Getty Images)
PEOPLE reported that V said his time in the army gave him “time for me to reset both physically and mentally.”
V addressed the crowd, saying, “To all the ARMYs who have waited for us in the military, I want to say I am truly, truly grateful. Please wait just a little longer, and we will return with a really cool performance.”
RM played the sax for his fans at the military base before saying, “(Members) would feel the same, but stage performance, I want to perform the most. I’ll work hard to make an album soon and come back to the stage.”
He also said, “Now, I’m ready to hit the ground running again as RM of BTS. Thank you to everyone who waited and looked after us.”
Fans travel to see BTS members discharged from military
Fans from around the world came to see the members released, with Philip Darbyshire, a 72-year-old Australian fan, saying, “It is just absolutely joyful… It is just wonderful.”
According to the Associated Press, members of the ARMY fanbase were aware there could be backlash, as the band’s label had discouraged fans from showing up for safety reasons. However, some fans, like Anaesi, who is from Portugal, said the trip to Yeoncheon, South Korea, was worth it.
“Portugal is a small country, but inside of Portugal, BTS is a king,” she explained.
Anaesi had found BTS on YouTube and said that the group had saved her from depression. “So for me, BTS is my angel,” she said.
BTS members Jin, J-Hope released last year
Jin and J-Hope were discharged from the military last year and have been performing solo while waiting for their fellow bandmates.
“After pursuing our own little ventures, we are now coming back together, and I love that for us,” J-Hope told a magazine outlet.
The entertainment group that manages BTS, HYBE, is planning an event called BTS FESTA so fans can celebrate the band’s 12th anniversary. Jin attended the event last year, but it isn’t known if members will be attending this year’s fest.
BTS became a band in 2013 and has been nominated for five Grammy Awards since then, according to PEOPLE. Six of their songs have been on the Billboard Hot 100 list.