(LEAD) BTS' Jin gets buzz cut ahead of military enlistment

All News 14:31 December 12, 2022

(ATTN: UPDATES with statement from agency in last three paras)

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- Jin, the first member of the K-pop group BTS to serve in the military, has released a photo of himself with a military haircut ahead of his enlistment.

Jin took to Weverse, an online community platform for K-pop fans, on Sunday night to post the photo with a caption, "It's cuter than I expected," according to music industry sources.

The 30-year-old vocalist will enter a boot camp of a front-line Army division in Yeoncheon, 60 kilometers north of Seoul, on Tuesday, according to military and industry sources. After undergoing a five-week basic training program, Jin will be assigned to a local unit, they said.

The BTS member had announced his plan to serve in the military after the band's concert in the southern port city of Busan in October.

All able-bodied men are obliged to serve between 18 and 21 months in the military.

The BTS agency has requested fans refrain from visiting the boot camp to see him off, citing safety concerns possibly caused by congestion.

On Monday, it released a statement for journalists, asking them not to visit the scene for the same reason.

"In order to prevent safety incidents, Jin will enter the precincts of the boot camp in a car without having a special greeting for journalists or fans," the statement said.

The military said it will set up a situation room on the scene in cooperation with the local government authorities as the scene is expected to draw many fans and journalists despite the repeated requests from the agency.