BTS star Jin finishes South Korean military service

Yeoncheon, South Korea: K pop megastar Jin from BTS ended more than 500 days of South Korean military service on Wednesday, crying tears of joy, with...

Yeoncheon, South Korea: K-pop megastar Jin from BTS ended more than 500 days of South Korean military service on Wednesday, crying tears of joy, with bandmates embracing him and one belting out a group hit on the saxophone to celebrate.

The seven members of the world's most popular boy band have been on a self-described "hiatus" since 2022 due to their military service, which South Korea requires of all men under 30 due to tensions with the nuclear-armed North.

Jin, the oldest in the group and the first to enlist, emerged from the gates of his army base in South Korea's northern Yeoncheon county early Wednesday, where he was met by bandmates J-hope, V, RM, Jungkook and Jimin.

The K-pop stars, who have reportedly taken leave from duties to mark the day, presented a beaming Jin, still in his military uniform, with a giant bouquet of flowers, as they all hugged while RM played the saxophone, blasting out the hook of BTS's mega-hit "Dynamite".

Fans had hung colourful banners outside the base, with one reading: "Seok-jin you did so well for the last 548 days. We'll stand by you with our unwavering love," referring to the singer by his full first name.