BTS Star Jin Reunites with Band Members After Being Discharged from South Korean Military
The singer completed his mandatory military service on June 12
Jin of BTS has officially completed his mandatory military service in South Korea.
The 31-year-old appeared to be in happy spirits as he made his exit from a military base in Yeoncheon on Wednesday, June 12. Dressed in uniform, the K-Pop star was greeted by his bandmates J-Hope, Jimin, Jungkook, V and RM, who played a saxophone in celebration of his return. (Bandmate Suga, who is doing alternative service because of an injury, was not pictured.)
The singer later reunited with all six members of BTS in a photo posted by the band on X (formerly known as Twitter). The image showed him sitting in the middle of the group on a couch in front of a wall decorated with tinsel and balloons that read, “Jin Is Back.”
“I’m home!” the group captioned the photo, which has garnered over one million likes on the platform.
Jin also appeared on a Weverse livestream for a 19-minute broadcast as he spoke with fans and thanked them for their continued support while he was away.
He also posted a message to his fans on the platform, writing, “Thank you so much to the reporters and the ARMY who came to the company for my discharge from the military. I couldn't say hello properly because I was afraid it would get crowded, but thank you so much. Our ARMY is the best.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Jin’s return home comes a day ahead of the group’s 2024 Festa festival in South Korea, celebrating the band’s 11th anniversary and Jin’s homecoming.
Jin became the first BTS member to enlist in the service under the requirement of able-bodied men in South Korea after enrolling in late 2022. The band has taken a break as the remaining members fulfill their mandatory service.
Related: BTS' J-Hope Begins Process to Join South Korean Military After Legally Deferring for Years
In January, BTS released a pre-recorded video on YouTube of Jin celebrating the New Year with fans as he continued his military service.
“Ta-da everyone! Hello! Seok-jin came to say hi for the new year,” he said in the clip. “It’s January, everyone. The new year has come. I will become a year older in January. I’d be in my mid-30s by now.”
“I miss you all. I miss you a lot,” Jin continued. “Guys, please wait a few more months. Now that it’s the new year, we have a few months left. Make a lot of snowmen and think of me as you make them.”
BTS confirmed they have plans to reunite by 2025 after fulfilling their military duties.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.