K-pop star Jin from BTS begin im military service

Jin, wey be di oldest member of K-pop mega-band BTS, don enter military service - di first of di group wey go do so.

Di 30-year-old bin post foto of imself wit im new military haircut before enlisting on Tuesday. "E look cuter dan I expect," e tok.

As South Korea still dey technically for war wit im hostile neighbour North Korea, all able-bodied men dey required to serve for di army. 

Jin don begin five weeks' training for one bootcamp near di North Korean border.

Afta dis, e go dey reportedly assigned to one frontline unit. Dis news send im millions of adoring fans into frenzy.

So, wetin Jin fitexpect from im time for di frontline?

For di Yeoncheon bootcamp, wia Jin don enrol, recruits sleep on top mats for floor, im rooms wit 30 pipo. Dem dey teach dem how to handle weapons and fire live ammunition before dem go put dem through demanding wartime scenarios.

Cadets bin tell us say di most challenging tasks dem dey face be make dem dey sealed for gas chamber, to experience di effects of CS gas, and make dem detonate live grenade.

"I bin dey pretty nervous to hold di grenade and shock to learn how powerful e be," 22-year-old Yang Su-yeon, wey complete im training for Yeoncheon last year tok.

"E be physically demanding, but mentally e dey okay. All di drill sergeants dey friendly," Yang tok.

Afta training, Jin go reportedly dey stationed near di North Korean border, wit one frontline unit.

North and South Korea dey separated by one 4km (2.5-mile) wide strip of land, wey run along di length of dia border, wey dem sabi as Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Both sides dey fenced off wit barbed wire and dey heavily armed.

Yang bin spend im service as one out-post guard for di DMZ, wit di 5th Infantry Division, wey be one of di most frontline positions. E go keep watch through di night, and constantly dey survey di North Korean soldiers for di other side, e go use thermal imaging equipment.

"Sometimes I dey see di North Korean soldiers dey chop beating, either kicked or slapped for face," e tok.

"Dey ghatz do manual labour sake of dem no get nice equipment like us to help dem."

Yang say to watch di North Korean soldiers make am feel grateful for im own experience. "When I see wetin dem ghtaz do, I realise, 'Wow, I dey so much more comfortable.' I dey feel sorry for dem."

But BTS Jin go need witstand di cold winter wey dey come . Yang remember days wey e spend dey shovel snow as temperatures fall below -20C.

"When we go outside, our eyelashes go freeze," e tok.

Yang praise di culture of im unit: "Sake of say we carry guns wey dey loaded wit ammunition, we ghatz remain calm, so no harassment or beatings go dey."

Yang bin volunteer to dey deployed as frontline guard, as dis position dey come wit perks, including more time off base.

E dey more likely say Jin go dey sent to one base set further back from di DMZ, like 26-year-old Heo Sungyoung, wey spend im service wit di 6th Corps Command Centre from 2018 to 2020.

For di first six months e bin guard di entrance to di command centre.

"E dey so long and boring. I get nothing to do but dey look di sky," Heo tok. From there, e dey moved to di logistics team, where e dey responsible for ordering of supplies like tissues and socks.

South Korea compulsory military service be di source of grievance for many young men, wey no happy say e take dem away from dia studies, work and friends.

For months e dey rumoured say di goment fit allow di members of BTS to skip di service, on di basis say dey already serve dia kontri by earning am billions of dollars, and e go dey more beneficial to allow dem to carry on doing so.

But for October, di members of BTS bin announcesay dem all dey plan to enlist, wit Jin, wey be di oldest, to go first.

Even so,di reports say e go dey sent to di front line surprise some fans, wey don assume say dem go give am less risky role.

E bin get one special unit for celebrities, where dey fit continue to work as entertainers and dey given privileges. But one public outcry happun when dem find say some of dem dey abuse di system, by leaving dia barracks more often dan e dey allowed. For 2013, di two-tier system bin dey scrapped.

"If I say e no feel like waste of time, I go dey lie," Yang wey dey stationed for di guard post tok. "If I get di choice again, I no go do am. I for don  learn so much more inside 18 months for di real world.

"My advice to Jin be to just wait im time and pray say e pass quickly."

But Heo, from di logistics team, get better memories. Initially e bin say e questioned, like many men for dia 20s, why im suppose dey there, but e end up to learn some valuable lessons.

"For school, I bin don only mix wih pipo from di same background, but inside di army, everyone dey so different. I realise how much bigger and more diverse di world be."

Im advice for Jin be to enjoy dis experience. "As one top star, e for no get much opportunity to meet normal pipo. Dis go be good for am, I think."

Online, tens of thousands of fans don already message Jin to offer dia own advice and tell am how terribly dey go miss am.

"Please take care and bring enough warm clothes and medicine," Maliah Leah write. "I hope your colleagues treat you well. We go dey wait patiently for your comeback."