- Call her savvy? Harris unleashes unconventional media blitz
- Lucian Freud 'masterpiece' fetches £13.9 million at London sale
- SoFi Stadium to hold next two CONCACAF Nations League finals
- McIlroy and DeChambeau set for PGA-LIV 'Showdown' in Vegas
- Fed minutes highlight divisions over rate cut decision
- Steve McQueen debuts new WWII film at London festival
- Run blitz edges India and South Africa closer to World Cup semi-finals
- Zelensky to court European leaders in drive for military aid
- Israel captain says 'difficult' to focus on football in time of war
- Macron to host Ukraine's Zelensky after meeting Ukrainian troops
- Root says 'many more to get' after England Test runs landmark
- India pile up World Cup high to rout Sri Lanka
- One year later, Israeli hostage family learns of loss
- Texans receiver Collins, Pats' safety Peppers out for NFL clash
- Biden-Netanyahu talk as Hezbollah, Israeli forces clash
- Musk's X available again in Brazil after 40-day ban
- Reddy stars as India crush Bangladesh to clinch T20 series
- Nobel winners hope protein work will spur 'incredible' breakthroughs
- What are proteins again? Nobel-winning chemistry explained
- Arch rivals Ghana, Nigeria drawn together in CHAN qualifying
- AI steps into science limelight with Nobel wins
- Trump lauds India's Modi as 'total killer'
- Wall Street, Europe rise as Chinese shares tumble
- Hunkering down for Hurricane Milton at Disney -- but first, a few rides
- Reddy, Rinku power India to 221-9 in second Bangladesh T20
- Overshooting 1.5C risks 'irreversible' climate impact: study
- Time running out in Florida to flee Hurricane Milton
- Demis Hassabis, from chess prodigy to Nobel-winning AI pioneer
- The long walk for water in the parched Colombian Amazon
- Biden-Netanyahu to talk as Hezbollah, Israeli forces clash
- France vows to step up drugs fight after police vehicles torched
- Air France says jet flew over Iraq during Iran attack on Israel
- Activists target Picasso work to protest Israel arms sales
- Let 'Emily in Paris' remain in Paris, Macron says
- Global stocks diverge as Chinese shares tumble
- Time runs out in Florida to flee Hurricane Milton
- Chad issues warning ahead of more devastating floods
- Record-breaking Root helps England dominate Pakistan in first Test
- German govt sees economy shrinking again in 2024
- Ex-UK soldier denies passing secrets to Iran intelligence
- Creator's death no bar to new 'Dragon Ball' products
- Three Kosovo Serbs on trial over 'secession plot' attack
- Van Gogh museum to launch Impressionism show
- French minister ups ante in Eiffel Tower Olympic rings row
- Japan PM calls snap election to 'create a new Japan'
- German police shut pro-Palestinian camp over Thunberg invite
- Chinese stocks tumble on lack of fresh stimulus
- Trio wins chemistry Nobel for protein design, prediction
- SE Asian summit urges end to Myanmar violence but struggles for solutions
- Wimbledon replaces line judges with electronic system
RBGPF | -2.48% | 59.33 | $ | |
RYCEF | -1.01% | 6.9 | $ | |
CMSD | -0.17% | 24.81 | $ | |
RIO | -0.54% | 66.3 | $ | |
CMSC | 0.04% | 24.65 | $ | |
VOD | 0.77% | 9.735 | $ | |
SCS | 1.92% | 13.03 | $ | |
NGG | -0.33% | 65.685 | $ | |
JRI | 0.34% | 13.205 | $ | |
BCC | 0.45% | 142.66 | $ | |
RELX | 0.28% | 46.77 | $ | |
BCE | -0.52% | 33.337 | $ | |
BTI | 0.71% | 35.472 | $ | |
GSK | 5.82% | 40.37 | $ | |
AZN | 0.82% | 77.505 | $ | |
BP | 0.02% | 32.035 | $ |
BTS' J-Hope becomes second band member to enlist for military service
BTS star J-Hope was set to start his mandatory South Korean military service on Tuesday, local media reported, becoming the K-pop juggernaut's second member to enlist, prompting an outpouring of well-wishes from fans.
The septet has become a global cultural phenomenon, selling out stadiums around the world and dominating key US charts while raking in billions for South Korea's economy and building an international legion of fans known as ARMY.
But all able-bodied men in South Korea must serve at least 18 months in the military, and after a years-long debate about whether BTS deserved an exemption, Jin, the oldest member of the group, enlisted in December.
J-Hope -- whose full name is Jung Ho-seok -- was set to begin his five-week basic training at an army boot camp in Gangwon province on Tuesday, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The 29-year-old posted pictures of himself on Weverse late Monday, with his newly shorn, military-approved buzzcut.
"I love you, ARMY. I'll go and come back safely!" he said.
The post attracted thousands of comments from fans, with many expressing sorrow over the group's ongoing hiatus.
"Be careful and stay healthy. ARMY will do its best to stay positive by streaming and supporting the things you love and enjoy! Say hi to Jin for us, please? We will miss you so much!" one wrote.
"It suits you so well," another wrote of J-Hope's buzzcut. "With much respect, I salute you. For your loyalty, honour, and sense of duty to serve your country."
Band member Jin, who is currently serving in the military, left the comment "D-1♡" on one of J-Hope's Weverse posts on Monday -- a nod to the fact he had one day left before enlistment.
The septet's agency HYBE had confirmed on April 1 that J-Hope would be enlisting, but did not disclose details "to prevent any issues that might occur from crowding".
"Please note that there will be no official event on the day of his entry," the agency said at the time.
"The entrance ceremony is a time to be observed by military personnel and their families only... Fans are advised to refrain from visiting the site."
F.Schneider--AMWN