Jin, the oldest member of K-pop supergroup BTS, has started his 18 months of mandatory military service at a South Korean boot camp.

Dozens of fans and journalists gathered near the base on Tuesday, but the vehicle carrying Jin did not stop to let him out to meet them.

On Tuesday morning, Jin wrote on an online fan platform, Weverse, that “it’s time for a curtain call.”

The 30-year-old posted a photo of his new military haircut, saying it “looks cuter than I expected.”

Six other members of the band will follow Jin into the military over the coming year.

Military service is mandatory for all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28 in South Korea, with exemptions made for athletes, traditional musicians and dancers.

The upper age was delayed for BTS in 2020, but it was announced in October that all members of the group will serve.

The band’s management agency has said the group will reconvene around 2025.

In June, the stars announced they were taking a break to pursue solo projects.

BTS, an acronym of Bangtan Sonyeondan – or Beyond The Scene – are a Grammy-nominated boyband formed in 2010.

In 2019, they made history as the first Korean group to play Wembley Stadium, with their first night selling out in 90 minutes.

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