Watch BTS Bid Their Final Goodbye to RM, V, Jimin, and Jung Kook During Their Entrance Ceremony Before Enlisting in The Military

It was a somber yet powerful day for millions of fans across the globe. On December 11, 2023, BTS, the biggest boy band in the world, gathered. They gathered to send off the final four members, RM, V, Jimin, and Jung Kook. These members will officially begin their mandatory military service in South Korea. While enlistment is a duty all South Korean men must fulfill, the event transcended normal expectations. It was emotionally charged and deeply human.

Unlike past enlistments, where members had to say their goodbyes alone or with only staff present, this time was different. The group made a conscious decision to be there for one another. Jin, j-hope, and SUGA are already in service. Jin and j-hope were present in their military uniform while SUGA was in normal clothes. This was more than a routine enlistment. It was a farewell ceremony. It was a poignant, understated moment of solidarity. The moment quietly echoed through the world.

BTS is known for their grand stages and extravagant performances, but there was no flashing stage this time. No spotlight. Instead, in a quiet courtyard, military personnel and staff surrounded them. The members embraced each other with a rawness rarely seen in public. They arrived in simple clothes. They carried nothing but their personal belongings. They bore the weight of a temporary goodbye to the world they’ve lit up for over a decade.

The group’s leader, RM, was known for his poetic eloquence. Him and V offered a final salute. He looked both strong and fragile. His short cropped hair and calm demeanor stood in contrast to the emotional weight behind his eyes. He didn’t need to say much. RM had already reached out to ARMY, their dedicated fanbase. He did this through heartfelt letters and livestreams days before. He urged fans not to come to the base. “Please don’t worry about us. We’ll be back,” he wrote.

Jimin and Jung Kook, enlisting together, stayed close throughout the entrance process. Jungkook, often the group’s golden maknae (youngest member), leaned slightly on Jimin as they walked into the facility. His hyung guided him like he always had during tough times. V, always the enigmatic one, wore a gentle smile but couldn’t hide the tight clench in his jaw. The farewell wasn’t just a symbolic passing into military life. It marked the first time BTS would be on full hiatus. All members would be serving simultaneously.

The fans, known as ARMY, respected the group’s wishes. They stayed away from the enlistment site. This allowed the moment to remain personal and undisturbed. Still, across the internet, an emotional tsunami surged. Twitter, Instagram, and Weverse were flooded with well wishes, tearful messages, fanart, and promises to wait. Hashtags like #UntilWeMeetAgain and #BTSInOurHearts trended globally. Fans shared photos, memories, and journal entries. Some even created countdown calendars to mark the days until BTS would be whole again, expected sometime in 2025.

What made this moment especially meaningful was the maturity and unity displayed by the group. RM, V, Jimin, and Jungkook were entitled to stagger their enlistments. Instead, they chose to go in together. It was a sacrifice for both the group and the fans. The decision would delay individual projects. However, it would result in a faster reunion. The gesture wasn’t lost on ARMY. It was a promise: that the seven of them, as a group, would return together.

As the gates closed behind the final four, fans knew they were witnessing history. Few global superstars enlist as a collective, and fewer still do so without media spectacle. It wasn’t just about duty to country. It was about duty to each other.

In the days that followed, fans and media outlets across the globe paid tribute in a multitude of ways. In Seoul, fans donated to youth shelters and planted trees in the group’s name. In cities like Tokyo, New York, and Manila, digital billboards played silent tribute videos. They reminded passersby that the world’s biggest group may be temporarily out of the spotlight. However, they are never out of hearts.

V revealed that each member had left behind something meaningful before their departure. It was as if they had all left behind pieces of themselves to help fans through the long wait.

Despite the physical separation, BTS’s connection with ARMY continues. The group shared pre-scheduled content. They also posted letters and updates through BigHit Music. This ensured that fans wouldn’t be left completely in silence. These small but intentional gestures reminded everyone that this pause was temporary, and full of purpose.

As winter passed into spring, fans began organizing online projects. They aimed to count down to Festa 2025. This is the group’s annual celebration traditionally held in June. While an official comeback date remains unconfirmed, the anticipation is already building. And while the wait feels long, there is comfort in knowing that every day brings them closer together again.

For now, the world watches and waits. It carries the warmth of seven hearts who gave everything. They gave even their time for each other and the fans who love them. The gates of the military base may have closed. However, the bond between BTS and ARMY remains wide open. It is full of love and memory. There is the unshakable belief that the best is yet to come.