Military service and exemption from m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ service are always a hot topic in kσrєα. This issue has received even more attention since many politicians proposed considering exemption from m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ service for BTS and it even became a topic throughout the kσrєαn and international press for a long time.

Recently, this topic was mentioned again on SNS after Kpop fans discovered that the kσrєαn government would exempt professional esports athletes from m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ service. This is considered unfair for Kpop superstars like BTS when only the bill to exempt esports athletes from m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ service was approved.

Below is the situation that Kpop fans are discussing in the context of the kσrєαn LOL team competing at the Asian Games:

As all fans know, in kσrєα, men are required to participate in m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ service before the age of 30. However, there are some cases where m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ service will be exempted according to government regulations. government such as disabled people, people with mental illness, people unable to work, people with infectious ďïṩệäṩệs, etc. In particular, there is an often controversial case of athletes who win gold medal at the Olympics or ASIAD.

In particular, recently, this topic has become an even more notable topic when Kpop fans pointed out that esports athletes will enjoy this privilege when they compete in the Asian Games, Hangzhou this year. This year, eSports is a medal event for the first time, meaning top kσrєαn players including team captain Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok will potentially be exempt from m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ service if the team won the gold medal.

Military exemptions for elite athletes or cla̾s̾sical musicians are based on enhancing national prestige. But despite generating billions of dollars for the economy, helping bring K-pop to the global aud̾i̾e ̾nce, and receiving the Order of Cultural Merit, Kpop superstars like BTS are still not recognized.

Since December last year, Jin has enlisted in the army while j-hope continued to follow in March this year. Even SUGA became the third member of BTS to enlist a few days ago. The remaining members are expected to enlist at least before the first quarter of 2024.

With eSports first debuting as a medal competition at the Asian Games, the debate has returned to a more heated debate about whether it is fair to K-pop artists or not. Even the national team's head coach Kim "Kkoma" Jeong-gyun faced this question from reporters. He was quick to brush off questions about that, saying the "sense of responsibility" to represent kσrєα would be the only motivation for the players.

But fans say m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ service exemption is a "very important issue" for young athletes and Kpop artists because of the unfairness:

- Are u kidding me?!!! we all know no one, no one deserves it better than BTS.

- it doesn't say he had the exemption he’s supposed to get it if he gets gold in gaming & even if he gets it we shouldn’t make fuzz cause GP will make fun of 875 & if we respond we’ll make it bigger, we should just päṩṩ & just be proud that 875 served like real honorable soldíєrs

- If it's BTS it's bad, but if it's someone else, then it's good, that's hypocrisy in ̾k̾o̾r̾e̾a

- as much as I hate that bts has to enlist, this situation shows exactly why they DID enlist. Had they been given exemption, they probably would have been under much more pressure to be at the gov's beck and call. as ppl have said before, I think the reason they're enlisting

- WTF? Are they for real? The one who legitimately brought prestige to their country & billions of money did not get one? Gamers?!

- At least bangtan won't be in debt to the government and can tell them to f*ck off at any time

- It will ALWAYS нυят me that BTS has done so much for that country, not only music related but humanitarian stuff too, only for that govt to never acknowledge them and instead reward ppl that DONT deserve it.. bc what exceptional stuff are esport gamers doing to deserve exemption?

- It seems that Esport player ia more important to s korea than bts 

- Didn't ̾k̾o̾r̾e̾an govt officials recently beg to get BTS out of the m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ to perform and save them from the boy scout fiasco? What is an eSport gamer gonna do, päṩṩ level 45 in a game for the sake of their country? I just need to shut up on these matters; it makes me upset.

- Asian games?? The bar is low.. not even against the whole world?? IJBOL

- Do what? Encourage young people to sit at pc cafes and play video games 24/7. Meanwhile BTS out here doing more than any “esport” player or athlete could do