When BTS‘s Jin enlisted in the Korean military, entering the training center on the afternoon of December 13, 2022, it was one of the saddest days for ARMY in the world, knowing they wouldn’t be able to see his activities for 18 months. Despite their own worries for how they would deal with his enlistment, many ARMY were praised for their respect and support for him as the first member of the group to begin his mandatory military service.
BIGHIT MUSIC and Korean military officials prepared heavily in advance for the global superstar’s enlistment and what that may mean in relation to BTS’s millions of fans. Ahead of his entrance ceremony, BIGHIT MUSIC and Jin formally requested that fans send their support via words instead of showing up to the training center in person. ARMYs widely respected the request, earning praise from the Korean media.
International ARMYs were mindful of respecting Jin’s wishes and remained proactive in protecting his privacy and the experience of his fellow military recruits through communication and education about best practices on social media.
This led to various Tweets with conflicting information about whether or not it would cause an issue to send Jin fan mail during his service. Due to this, Korean military authorities released a statement clarifying expectations about sending fan mail to Korean celebrities during their military service.
The Camp is a website and app that loved ones of those in the Korean military can use for updates. The app provides official photos uploaded by the military, information about their daily meals, and a place where letters can be sent virtually.
During enlistment, military trainees are allotted 30 minutes a day to use their phones, during which they can read any letters they’ve received if they choose.
An employee who works for the company that runs The Camp had made a public post dissuading ARMYs from sending letters to Jin. He reasoned that all recruits share the same internet server, and the expected influx of fan letters Jin may receive could disrupt the experience of other trainees attempting to read their mail. The manner in which his notice was posted led many to believe it was an official statement on behalf of military officials.
The employee’s request went viral, leading military authorities to release a statement to the Korean media outlet YTN Star that the employee’s post was untrue. The employee also came forward to clarify that he was not authorized to release an official statement or speak on behalf of The Camp or military officials while acknowledging his previous statements led to misunderstandings.
The Camp has since revealed its solution to the expected increase in letters, a separate page specifically for Korean celebrities.
The Camp is currently preparing to open a camp room exclusively for artists. We plan to provide a separate service for fans of BTS’s Jin and other celebrity soldiers who will enlist in the military in the future. The concept of a personal inbox will provide a better communication channel.
— The Camp
With their solution, they opened individual sections on their website for artists, where fans can leave their messages of support and prevent overflowing the general forums for regular civilians serving in the military.
