Award-winning South Korean boy band BTS will release their new album next month.
The K-pop superstars made up of V, J-Hope, RM, Jin, Jimin, Jungkook and Suga have confirmed details of their upcoming record ‘Map of the Soul: 7’, which will follow last year’s EP ‘Map of the Soul: Persona’ as the second in the series.
In an email sent to fans, the group confirmed the album will be available on February 21st 2020, with pre-orders starting on Thursday (09.01.20).
Meanwhile, more details will be available to users on both BTS Weverse and the Fan Cafe.
The exciting news comes after it was revealed last year that the band members will not be exempt from military service in their native South Korea as reported by The Sauce.
Since 1957, the East Asian country has had compulsory conscription for male citizens between the ages of 18 and 28 due to the tensions with neighbouring North Korea.
Not one of the seven members of the K-pop group – V, J-Hope, RM, Jin, Jimin, Jungkook and Suga – are yet to serve and as Jin turned 28 in December, it appears he may soon have to begin his service, which lasts between 18 and 22 months depending on what part of the military the individual enters.
Under new legislation introduced last year, exceptions which previously only applied to athletes or artists who win international competitions on behalf of the country – can also be made with special permission for over 27s to engage in promotional overseas work which helps “spread Korean culture” in lieu of service.
This can only be granted by South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) can grant this permission.
As reported by The Sauce in August 2019, BTS announced that they will be taking an “extended” break from performing following a concert in Seoul. This is the first time BTS took time off since their 2013 debut.
