BTS members RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook are following their group mates Jin, J-Hope and Suga into the Korean military. V posted a message bidding goodbye to the group's legions of fans, known as ARMY, over the weekend.
V said in a message to fans written in Korean, according to a translation, "I think I'll miss you so much. Actually, I have a lot of regrets about not being able to spend happy memories with ARMY for a while, so if you take that one thing out, it's okay, but not being able to see ARMY is the hardest part."
"18 months is a long time, and I will come back much healthier, so please take care of your health and if you are looking for something to be happy about every day, voila ... I'm here!" he continued. "And I've prepared a lot of things within those 18 months. Please look forward to it."
"Let's go back and make precious memories like we always did," he concluded. "I really miss you and I love you so much. So you have to wait until then. I’ll be back soon!"
V released his debut album, Layover, in September.
All able-bodied South Korean men must serve in the military for 18 months before they reach a certain age. BTS plans to get back together in 2025, when all of them will be done with their service.