South kσrєα's mandatory m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ enlistment is a sensitive issue in the context of BTS. Therefore, any special treatment for Jin would likely attract major media attention and potentially cause a public backlash.
However, no one can object to the kσrєαn m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ reforming the communication system for conscripted sol∂ιєrs after Jin's great influence. He really shook things up in the m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ just a few months after his enlistment and as of now, the m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ is forced to revamp their m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ communication app "The Camp" because of him.
Below is a situation where Jin made changes in the m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ effective and received support from everyone:
As we all know that Jin enlisted in the army in December 2022. Since then, fans have been eager to hear news about him in the barracks and have been looking forward to sending letters of encouragement The spirit came to him. And the only way to do this is through the m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷'s dedicated communication channel called "The Camp".
This application was launched by technology company EnableOnSoft in 2018 as an integrated platform to meet m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ communication needs - from pre-enlistment to discharge. Its main feature allows family and friends to send letters of encouragement to practitioners. The total number of encouraging letters sent through The Camp up to now is about 55 million letters. In addition to letters of comfort, it also provides information about the duties of the conscript unit and life in the barracks, and operates a community where families and acquaintances of kσrєαn sol∂ιєrs can communicate.
But Jin is not an ordinary trainee. As one-seventh of the globally famous group BTS, since Jin enlisted in the army, a large number of fans have logged into the infrastructure of “The Camp”. According to EnableOnSoft, Jin received a staggering 320,000 letters from fans on the app in the past 10 months of his enlistment.
Not only that, they also received feedback from fans that limiting users to 1,500 characters per letter is not enough for ARMYs around the world. However, the character limit is not the only challenge to the app's capabilities. Ineffective interaction or errors when overloaded with visitors are also a major limitation of this m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ application.
Therefore, after evaluating the great potential of the unique application that connects fans with famous people who enlist in the m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ like Jin, EnableOnSoft has urgently improved "The Camp" to suit user needs, especially for ARMYs around the world. From February 2023, paid users can send letters of unlimited length to enlisted idols. Other upgrades, such as enhanced fan community features, are also in the works.
The director of EnableOnSoft said: "We plan to enhance the fan community function through an update early next year to create a channel for enlisted idols to communicate with fans. Additionally, currently, letters of comfort can only be sent during boot camp, but starting February next year, we plan to expand this so that they can also be sent after enlistment. Now, you can only use up to 1,500 characters, but we plan to increase the length to unlimited for paid members...”
For EnableOnSoft, monopolizing communication with enlisted idols is a shrewd business strategy. The company earns revenue primarily through advertising on “The Camp.” However, strict regulations prohibit the promotion of games and gambling — limiting its commercial potential. Targeting the ∂ιєhard fandoms of K-Pop stars allows EnableOnSoft to monetize its platform through subscriptions and merchandise. CEO Jang Cheol Min even plans to utilize Jin’s intellectual property for official goods and merchandise.
The army’s captive market of idol fans also provides leverage for EnableOnSoft’s e-commerce expansion. Its closed marketplace, “Camp Mall,” has already started selling popular m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ products. Scaling up inventory and logistics will grow revenues tremendously. However, this won’t happen without harsh PR challenges. For EnableOnSoft, the benefits seem to outweigh the risks. With BTS being on a hiatus as a group, now is the perfect time for the company to capitalize on ARMY’s demand for exclusive Jin content. The company’s revamped “The Camp” aims to become the go-to app for m̷i̷l̷i̷t̷a̷r̷y̷ communication and commerce nationwide.
