The past year or so has been tough for ARMYs as they’ve watched all the BTS members enlist in the military.
BTS when Jin enlisted | @bts_twt/Twitter BTS when J-Hope enlisted | @bts_twt/Twitter BTS when RM and V enlisted | @bts_twt/Twitter BTS’s J-Hope and Suga when Jungkook and Jimin enlisted | @bts_twt/Twitter
Yet, it seems like BTS’s enlistment could’ve gone very differently.
Recently, BTS’s new documentary BTS Monuments: Beyond The Star came to an end, with ARMYs loving all the new and exclusive content from the members over the past few years.
The poster for BTS’s documentary
In one of the clips from the last episode, Suga spoke about the members’ enlisting. Of course, this was recorded before any of the members announced their enlistment, but it seems like the pandemic truly changed the group’s plans.
In the clip, Suga revealed that the group was meant to take a break from November 2020.
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He explained that BTS was meant to have been on a break for about two and a half years, but they didn’t expect the pandemic to last as long as it did.
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Suga added that after their ON tour, the idol was due to enlist in November 2020.
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When the clips were shared online, many were shocked at how different things could’ve been and shared moments that pointed out Suga’s allusion to the changed plans in previous schedules.
it still blows my mind that if mots tour went on they would’ve enlisted 4 years ago https://t.co/pzSY7TgIvq
— Jung Kirk (@peachiikoo) January 10, 2024
This was another one of those “explicitly filling in a gap” things I’ve liked so much from the series. Yoongi previously implied 2020 enlistment plans during Festa 2022 — that part of convo had a few cuts that, even at the time, seemed likely to take out express refs to it. It’s+ https://t.co/dlEvXbrBbC pic.twitter.com/kZAXDzIn95
— Ren⁷⟭⟬⟬⟭(busy) (@renkiger_) January 11, 2024
Yet, while it is tough for netizens right now as the members are enlisted, Suga’s words about the group’s original plans and how they changed actually reassured fans. In particular, many ARMYs shared that it was during the pandemic that they found BTS along with others, adding that the music they released during this time helped them through.
1) if they had enlisted around nov 2020 early 2021, they’d all be back by 2023 for their 10th anniversary
2) but, they wouldn’t have received so many wonderful achievements that they did with not only dynamite, but also butter and PTD
I think everything works out for the best. https://t.co/CtxmrKDXu5
— ashy⁷⁼¹ (@MANGBharDo) January 10, 2024
If the pandemic didn’t happen… if they enlisted after MOTS tour… so many things would be different and that’s such a wild and somewhat terrifying thought. I’m in a way grateful but oh how different it would have been. https://t.co/ZJcNyoxUs7
— Otsukare ⓢ⁷⁼¹ (@DailyOtsukare) January 11, 2024
You know how they say everything happens for good, although I feel really sad for them for not having MOTS7 tour but I also feel happy somewhere knowing that they became bigger and brighter after MOTS7, we wouldn’t ever have gotten Dynamite or Butter or Grammy nom and much more https://t.co/wll5y3qcnD
— hobi’s sweat (@sugas_studio) January 10, 2024
it must have been such a frustrating thing to see their plans destroyed but i’m so glad they stayed as i only found them when i needed them most bc they were here…the thought of them not being in my life is terrifying and i can’t thank them enough for that choice to be with us https://t.co/ziL7i5Na28
— mel⁷yoongi’s top lip enthusiast (@sugaspilatesmat) January 10, 2024
man i know the pandemic is the worst thing to have happened to us and fuck covid but i always think about the silver lining that yoongi was able to get surgery during that time and eventually release dday and go on a solo tour and yeah, future’s gonna be okay https://t.co/Sn2hPH5uMm
— Anne⁷ (@yoongiggler) January 10, 2024
Whether it was always the plan for all the BTS members to enlist around that time or not, many ARMYs shared that it was BTS that helped them through the pandemic. For many, it is impossible to imagine that time without the group if they would’ve had their hiatus.
