BTS: Jin to share 'light hugs' with ARMY in 2024 FESTA meet-and-greet after returning from military

Jin of BTS

It's a happy time for BTS ARMY as band member Jin will soon be meeting them in person. The group's eldest member has decided to gift fans with the ultimate gift-his return- after completing the mandatory military service for the country.

On June 2, BIGHIT MUSIC revealed details on the celebrations that will follow the return of Jin and the 11th debut anniversary of the band. The annual festivities take place at BTS Festa. The company confirmed that Jin, who was the first to commence his mandatory military duties will be attending 2024 Festa and interacting with ARMYs.

The boy group's label revealed an "in-person event led by BTS member Jin" will be held on Thursday, June 13, 2024, at Jamsil Arena in Jamsil Sports Complex, Songpa-gu in Seoul.

BIGHIT further wrote, "This event was prepared in order to fulfil Jin's wish to spend meaningful time with ARMY in person on BTS' debut day. We invite you to join us as we express our gratitude for your unwavering love for BTS."

Talking about Jin's meet and greet event, 1000 lucky winners will get the opportunity to meet Jin up close. The official announcement poster describes the first session as "a time for light hugs with Jin per request from the artist." It is expected to last three hours and will not be streamed online.

After Jin's session, the second event will commence at 8pm KST and last about an hour. The "Message from Jin" session will see the beloved performer showcase various performances for the fans. Weverse will exclusively stream the second session for ARMY Membership holders.

Meanwhile, in 2022, BTS members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook decided to take some time off as a group and focus on their solo projects. Formed in 2010, the South Korean boy band also took a break in December 2021, when the group said they needed some downtime to recharge.

Meanwhile, the boy band is currently busy with its mandatory military service. For those unversed, the decision by BTS to enlist in the military helped avert a sticky situation for South Korea's government. Military service is compulsory for all able-bodied males under 30 years old. The current system allows for some exceptions on the grounds of exceptional service to the country. Some top athletes and classical musicians have been excused on this basis, but pop artists have not.

Jin, the eldest member of BTS had enlisted for military services in December 2022. He is expected to return around June 10-15, 2024. J-Hope, also known as Jung Hoseok began his military service on April 18, 2023. He is expected to finish his service in mid-October this year. BTS' Suga began his military career on September 22, 2023, and is set to be discharged on June 21, 2025. RM aka Kim Namjoon enlisted in the military on December 11, 2023, along with V aka Kim Taehyung. Their discharge date is set for June 10, 2025. Jungkook enlisted along with Jimin under the military companion soldiers program. They are likely to return together in June 2025.