K-pop supergroup BTS has made it official that all seven members plan to go to the military to fulfill their mandatory service. The first one to go is Jin, the latest decision puts an end to years of debate over a possible exemption for the group, our Shin Se-Byuck reports. K-pop sensation BTS will not be able to perform with its full seven-member lineup for the next few years as members of the supergroup are set to undertake military service. The oldest member Jin aged 29 will be first. According to the events Management Group Hype, Jin plans to start his Service as early as December, the others will follow suit in the coming years. In South Korea, all able-bodied men must serve in the Army for around two years by the time they are 28 years old. However, the seven members do have the opportunity to put off starting their military service.
In 2020 South Korea's parliament passed a bill allowing K-pop stores namely those who excel in popular culture and art to defer their duties until the age of 30. The issue has not been without controversy though, with heated debates on whether to exempt the band completely. With a boy band’s huge success on the global stage, some lawmakers suggested granting exemptions so they could keep performing. The move has some precedence with a number of globally recognized prominent athletes like Olympic medalists and artists being given dispensation. However, that has not yet been the case for pop culture figures.
“expected to reconvene as a group again around 2025.”
The latest announcement ends years of debates, Jin who will turn thirty this December has already canceled his request for a deferment. Following their service commitment, BTS is expected to reconvene as a group again around 2025. A few months ago, however, South Korea's defense minister hinted at the possibility of the group being able to perform while enlisted saying there would be a way to give them a chance to practice and perform together. Unless that happens, we can expect a quite few years from the K-pop superstars’ news.
Questions:
Part 1: Comprehension
Watch and summarize the video thinking of who, what, when, where & why.
Part 2: True or False Questions
a) True or false –All members of the group BTS will go to the military. T/F
b) True or False – Jin doesn’t want to do military service. T/F
c) True or False – All Korean men must do mandatory military service. T/F
d) True or False – The group might be able to perform even though some will be serving in the army. T/F
Part 3: Guess the meaning of unknown vocabulary.
a) “Mandatory" (0:07 min)
b) "Sensation" (0:22 min)
c) "Able-bodied" (0:49min)
d) "Dispensation" (1:38 min)
Part 4: Dictation
a) Fill in the blanks (0:38 - 0:47 minutes)According ____________________________________________________years.
b) Fill in the blanks (1:14 - 1:31 minutes)The ____________________________________________________________ completely.
c) Fill in the blanks (1:54 - 2:00 minutes)Following ______________________________________________________2025.
Part 5: Talking Points
Part 6: Role play Scenarios
Scenario 1: Military Service Decision
A BTS member talks with a fan about their military service, discussing the impact on the group and plans to stay connected with fans.
Scenario 2: Exemption Debate
A South Korean lawmaker and a BTS fan debate whether BTS should be exempt from military service, discussing the impact on their career and the pros and cons of mandatory service.
Scenario 3: Postponement Decision Roles
The BTS member is interacting with a South Korean citizen after announcing their decision to postpone their military service until after the age of 30. The citizen expresses opinions about the mandatory military service requirement in South Korea and asks the member about their reasons for postponing. The member shares their thoughts and experiences on the decision and discusses their plans for the future.
Part 7: Writing Activity
Do you think military service should be mandatory for all able-bodied men in your country? why or why not?
Part 8: Critical Thinking - Mandatory Military Service.
Objective: Debate the following statement: 2 year military service should be mandatory for all able bodied people in your country.
Team A agrees with the statement and team B disagrees.
In groups come up with a debate strategy and reasons for and against the statement. Then come back as a class and reach a consensus on the topic.
Answers:
Part 1: Comprehension
This is a new report from the Arirang news channel based in Korea. Shin Se-byuck reports on the popular K-pop BTS and their plan to fulfill their mandatory military service. She states that Jin will be the first member to sign up and that he won’t be able to perform with the group for at least two years.According to the report, Jin is the oldest BTS member and will most likely start service in December with the other following sometime after. The report then talks about how all able-bodied men in South Korea must serve in the army for 2 years but that some famous artists or those who excel in popular culture and art can postpone their service until they are 30. The reporter states that in Korea there is some debate surrounding mandatory military service and some believe BTS should be treated like successful athletes and be exempt from the service. The reporter expects that BTS will resume their work as a group in 2025.
Part 2: True or False
A: True B: False C: False D: True
Part 3: Guess the meaning of unknown vocabulary or phrases.
a) "Mandatory" Answer: I think mandatory means required by law because in the video the reporter is talking about South Korean men being required to do military service by a certain age, and there are not many exemptions.
b) "Sensation" Answer: I think it means a person or group that has created a lot of interest because in the video the speaker refers to BTS as a sensation and refers to them as popular and a supergroup.
c) "Able-bodied" Answer: I think this term refers to someone who is healthy with no medical conditions or illness because in the video the reporter is talking about the men who must serve in the military, we can assume Korean men with medical conditions would be exempt.
d) "Dispensation" Answer: I think this means to be exempt from something because in the video the speaker reports that Korean Olympians have been exempt from military service in the past.
Part 4: Dictation
a) Fill in the blanks (0:38 - 0:47 minutes) According to the events Management Group Hype, Jin plans to start his Service as early as December, the others will follow suit in the coming years.
b) Fill in the blanks (1:14 - 1:31 minutes) The issue has not been without controversy though, with heated debates on whether to exempt the band completely.
c) Fill in the blanks (1:54 - 2:00 minutes) Following their service commitment, BTS is expected to reconvene as a group again around 2025.
Part 7: Writing (example)
As a 25-year-old male from Japan, I think it's better not to have mandatory military service. Japan has a history of peace after World War II, so forcing people to serve in the military might worry both Japanese people and other countries. We should focus more on our economy and social issues, like our aging population. Also, being forced to join the military could harm our relations with nearby countries. I believe we should have the freedom to choose our careers without being required to serve in the military. However, some people think we might need a stronger defense in today's world.
