Korean boy bands, soccer stars march to different beats
SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of — Boy band BTS hit the top of the charts not long after Son Heung-min and his South Korean soccer team stepped atop the Asian Games podium.
The performers and athletes brought plenty of acclaim to the country, but it has sparked a national debate on military service.
Son Heung-min, who plays for Tottenham in the English Premier League and is the country’s most recognizable sports star, helped his team win a gold medal at the Asian Games. All players on the squad were rewarded for it by getting exemptions from 21 months of military service that South Korean men must start by the time they are 28.
A total of 42 athletes won military exemption by winning gold medals in various sports in Indonesia. The government offers the same incentive for any athlete who wins a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.