BTS's Suga's 21 months of deafening silence to end soon: Why his military service was longer than the other members

You can hear the global sigh of relief across the BTS fandom, called ARMY.  Four members of the global sensation have just wrapped up their military service. RM and V were officially discharged on June 10, followed by Jimin and Jungkook on June 11, 2025. Of course, Jin and J-Hope had already returned to civilian life in 2024.

And now, the final discharge notice has come, from Suga, the last member to complete his service. The rapper is set to be discharged on June 21, 2025. However, this reunion is a little more different, as while we heard from others, we still didn't hear a word from Suga throughout the 1.5 years.

According to South Korea’s Military Service Act, able-bodied men typically serve 18 months of active duty in the military. However, those who are assigned as public service workers—often due to health issues or injuries—are required to serve for 21 months, which is three months longer than active duty. Suga was designated for public service duty owing to a prior shoulder injury, explaining why his military service period is longer than that of his fellow members, who completed active duty. This distinction also means that Suga’s basic training was scheduled differently under the “pre-service post-entry system,” allowing him to begin training after starting his public service assignment.

On June 18, BTS’s agency, Big Hit released an official statement regarding Suga’s discharge date, too.

On June 18, BTS’s agency, Big Hit released an official statement regarding Suga’s discharge date, too.

Read the full statement below:

Hello.

This is BIGHIT MUSIC.

We are excited to bring you the news of Suga’s upcoming Social Work discharge.

Suga is close to completing his service as a Social Work Personnel and will soon be discharged.

No special events are planned on the day of Suga’s discharge. Overcrowding can pose safety risks, and we sincerely request our fans not to visit the sites in person.

Please convey your warm regards and encouragement in your hearts.

We are always grateful for your unwavering love and support for Suga. Our company will continue to put our utmost effort into supporting our artists.

Thank you once again for your continued love and support for BTS.

The rapper had bid a temporary farewell to fans in 2023, promising to return in 2025. ARMY got to see him sending hearts at J-Hope’s concert on June 13, which also coincided with the band’s 12^th anniversary.

Unlike the other BTS members, Suga's military enlistment unfolded largely away from the public eye. But speculation kicked in after Korean outlet Dispatch released a video titled "Military Enlistment BTS SUGA", showing scenes that resembled previous BTS enlistments. While neither SugA nor Jin—who was reportedly there to see him off—were visible in the footage, it was clear that SUGA had officially begun his military journey.

BIGHIT MUSIC sets the record straight

In response to the swirling speculation, Big Hit had issued a statement to Korean news outlet Osen, confirming that SUGA had started a three-week basic training program at the military base. The agency explained that Suga began his service as a social service worker under the "pre-service post-entry system," which allows for basic training to be completed after the initial assignment begins.