BTS members take final group photo with Jin at the boot camp as he begins his military service, see pic

(Pic courtesy: BTS/ Twitter)

The eldest member of South Korea's biggest boy band, BTS, Jin has left for his mandatory military duty leaving other members of his band and millions of fans emotional across the globe.

The 30-year-old South Korean popstar who is set to start his 18 months long mandatory military service, is the first member among the group who got enlisted for the service.

As per reports, 'The Astronaut' singer entered the boot camp at Yeoncheon, a town near the tense border with North Korea, for five weeks of basic military training with other new conscript soldiers. The oldest BTS member accompanied the others as he enlisted in mandatory service.

Several fans gathered near the frontline South Korean bootcamp to say goodbye to their favourite singing star, where Jin is supposed to kick-start his military service.

Later in the day, the official Twitter page of BTS shared a photo of the other six members of the band RM, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook as they sent Jin off to the recruiting centre.

"Our brother!! Come back safely!! Love you," read the caption of the post.

On Monday, BTS management agency BigHit Music had said Jin will enter the grounds of the recruit training ecentre in a vehicle without greeting the media or fans separately.

The Seoul-based company had also appealed to BTS fans, better known as ARMY, as well as mediapersons to not crowd the site.

There is "no separate waiting space for reporters", the BTS agency had said in its statement as reported by entertainment website Soompi.

Quoting military and industry sources, the Korean media said Jin will enter a boot camp of a front-line army division in Yeoncheon, 60 kilometres north of Seoul, on Tuesday.

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For the unversed, in South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18-28 are required to serve in the military for about two years. All BTS members had been allowed to put off starting their military service until they turned 30.

On Sunday evening, Jin had posted a selfie on Weverse, showing off his military haircut.

After reports of Suga enlisting as a public service worker in the South Korean military surfaced on Tuesday, a representative for the agency said: "BTS members plan to serve in the military sequentially according to their own plans. It is difficult to confirm the artist's personal information." The group, which debuted in 2013, is currently on a break as a unit with each of its members pursuing solo projects.

- With inputs from PTI