Sawt Falasteen - Two BTS megastars released from South Korea military

The seven members of BTS, South Korea's most lucrative musical act, have been on a hiatus since 2022 while they separately undertake mandatory military service, required of all South Korean men under the age of 30.

Hundreds of fans gathered near two army bases just outside of the capital Seoul where band leader RM -- recently named "Favorite K-pop Artist" at the American Music Awards -- and singer V were discharged.

"To be honest, there were many difficult and painful moments. But during my service, I truly felt how so many people were protecting the country in our place," RM told reporters.

V said military service was "a time for me to reset and rebuild both my body and mind".

"Now that I've done that, I truly want to run straight to ARMY as soon as possible," he said, referring to the band's official fandom name.

When asked by reporters what they wanted to do after discharge, both replied, "perform".

"What we want most right now is to perform again," said RM.

"We're working hard on the new album so we can return to the stage as soon as possible."

In total, four BTS members will complete their service this week. Two were discharged last year, and the final member SUGA -- who has been working as a social service agent for alternative non-active-duty service -- will be released later this month.

HYBE, the band's agency, urged fans not to go to the discharge location, citing safety concerns.

"With the safety of both artists and fans in mind, we strongly urge fans not to go to the location in person," the agency wrote on Weverse, its superfan platform.

Despite the warning, dozens of fans gathered outside V's military base, eagerly awaiting the return of their star.

"Honestly, I came here with such high expectations," Yang Ho-hee, 28, told AFP outside the base.

Fans had hung colourful banners to welcome the 29-year-old back to civilian life.

"Taehyung, let's never be apart again," one said, referring to V's real name, Kim Tae-hyung. "I'll follow only you, Taehyung. We are each other's strength," said another.

- Reunion tour? -

Near the bases, on a football field where the newly released BTS members spoke, hundreds of fans from around the world gathered hoping to catch a glimpse of their idols.

"Actually, it's mixed emotions. I feel like I'm crying already," said Arlene Mendoza, a fan from the Philippines.

"I've been travelling to Korea so many times, but this is actually the first time I'll see V."

In addition to the army releases, Friday is so-called FESTA -- a celebration that marks the anniversary of the group's debut and typically draws thousands of global fans to Seoul.

Mendoza told AFP she plans to attend fellow member J-Hope's concert on Friday, plus join other BTS FESTA events.

All the band members signed new contracts with HYBE in 2023, and once SUGA is released on June 21, analysts expect profit-driving reunion activities.

"In the case of HYBE share prices, the current market consensus is seen as not fully reflecting BTS's impact," Lim Soo-jin, an analyst at Daishin Securities, told AFP.

Despite an ongoing police investigation into the company chairman for suspected insider trading and a recent raid by authorities, analysts say HYBE's shares are up, rising by 10 percent over the past week through June 9.

- GDP impact -

Prior to their mandatory military service, the boy band generated more than 5.5 trillion won ($4 billion) in yearly economic impact, according to the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute.

That accounts for roughly 0.2 percent of South Korea's total GDP, according to official data.

HYBE has hinted at a BTS comeback this year, but has also said the members "need time for reflection and preparation".

"Normally, the process goes from song production to album release, then a tour," Lee Jae-sang, CEO of HYBE, told a shareholder meeting in March.

"But since BTS have already become global top-tier artists, we are continuing discussions about their vision and what's next," Lee added.

Outside HYBE headquarters in Seoul, banners from fans read: "Thank you for making even the waiting feel joyful."

The building was wrapped with the slogan "WE ARE BACK", the official logo for the upcoming BTS FESTA.

HYBE shares opened nearly three percent higher Tuesday morning, reaching their highest level in two years.

W.Mansour--SF-PST