(CNN Spanish) — BTS, one of the most popular K-pop bands in the world, is back in the spotlight, although now the reason goes beyond music. Last June, the band became a world trend by reporting that its members would take a break from group musical activities to dedicate themselves to solo projects. However, the reason why BTS is being talked about now is because of a mandatory issue: the military service that the members of the band have to fulfill.
BTS members plan to serve in the military, the band’s record label confirmed on Monday. Jin, the oldest member of the group, is aiming to start the process later this month. Military service is compulsory in South Korea, where almost all able-bodied men must serve in the army for 18 months before their 28th birthday.
With BTS on the verge of military service, here is a list of other celebrities who did work in the Army of their country when they were enlisted.
Celebrities in military service
Diego Armando Maradona
Diego Maradona kisses the World Cup in Mexico 1986. (Photo: Bongarts/Getty Images)
Although it was a very short time, Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona was part of Argentina’s compulsory military service in 1979, the same year he was champion with the Albiceleste in the Youth World Cup in Japan.
According to a newspaper report BrandIn March of that year, several players from the youth team had to do their military service in Argentina (then governed by a dictatorship), including Maradona; however, “10”, who was already a national figure at only 18 years of age, only showed up one day to “raise the morale of the troops”.
Argentina won that youth World Cup in September. Although Maradona was excused from military service, on his return from Japan he was used to promote a good image of the country’s military junta, as shown Brand and also the academic article “Diego Armando Maradona and Youth Argentina in the World Cup in Japan (1979). The creation of narratives by the Argentine military dictatorship.”
Jimi Hendrix
American singer and guitarist Jimi Hendrix performs on May 24, 1967 at the Grona Lund in Stockholm, Sweden. (Photo: -/Svenska Dagbladet/AFP via Getty Images)
Jimi Hendrix enlisted in the US Army at age 18, but it wasn’t exactly his idea. He got into trouble with the law and was given a choice: jail or the Army, according to information in his biography on military.com.
Within a year, the Army honorably discharged Hendrix, despite his rebelliousness. From then on, his musical career exploded rapidly.
Bea Arthur
Bea Arthur in her US Marine Corps photo on April 15, 1943. (Photo: US Department of Defense)
Emmy-winning actress Bea Arthur – who died in 2009 – had activities in the Army, despite the fact that she had denied this, as revealed by the website Smoking Gun in 2010.
According to the website, Arthur—then Bernice Frankel—enlisted in the US Navy in 1943 and rose to sergeant first until his honorable discharge in 1945.
“She was one of the first members of the Women’s Reserve and worked as a typist and truck driver,” she said. Smoking Gun.
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner in a 2010 appearance on ‘Larry King Live.’
Years before creating his Playboy empire, Hugh Hefner joined the US Army as an editor of a military newspaper.
“After graduating in 1944, he enlisted in the Army as an infantry officer; during basic training he earned a sniper’s badge for shooting the M1 and made it through ‘Killer College,’ where troops maneuvered while throwing live grenades. Assigned to Camp Adair in Salem, Oregon, and Camp Pickett in Virginia, Hefner contributed cartoons to Army newspapers,” according to his biography on military.com.
He was honorably discharged from the service in 1946, and soon after launched Playboy magazine with $600.
Ice-T
Rapper Ice-T in 1989. He served in the military for four years. (Credit: Chris Buck)
While rapper Ice-T is widely known for his starring role as a police detective on Law & Orderin the 1980s he was a pioneer of gangsta rap, generating controversy with songs like “Cop Killer”.
However, before becoming Ice-T, Tracy Marrow enlisted in the US Army at the age of 19 to have financial resources to help his young daughter and his girlfriend, mentions military.com.
He spent four years in the 25th Infantry Division before launching his music career.
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash was part of the US Armed Forces. (Photo: PH1 GARY RICE/US Marines)
During his time in the United States Air Force, Johnny Cash intercepted Soviet military radio transmissions in Morse code. The musician — who died in 2003 — enlisted in 1960, according to his website.
According to the book Johnny Cash: The Life of an American Icon, Cash was following the fast pace of Soviet broadcasts at 35 words per minute. He said his time as a code translator helped influence his music.
“That Morse code rhythm had a lot to do with the rhythm I felt in my music,” he said. “After I got out of the Air Force, I could still hear it and when I started writing songs again I had that beat in my head.”
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy was in service until 1955. (Photo: John R. Ellis/The Milton Caniff Estate)
Best known for his portrayal of Spock in Star TrekLeonard Nimoy enlisted in the US Army Reserve in the early 1950s and was discharged in 1955 with the rank of sergeant, according to his biography on military.com.
During that time, he performed shows for the Army Special Services and starred in military training movies. Nimoy also had a role as a sergeant in the series Steve Canyon in 1959.
Heung-Min Son
Heung-Min Son, Tottenham’s South Korean striker, underwent military training for three weeks.
South Korean soccer star Heung-Min Son has a particular story: he avoided the military draft in 2018 after winning the Asian Games with South Korea.
However, exempt athletes are still required by law to perform four weeks of national service, or three weeks with the Marine Corps.
The Tottenham player opted for the latter option and ended his three weeks with the Navy in May 2020.
Shaggy
Shaggy entered the Navy after a difficult year of not finding a job. (Photo: US Marines)
Jamaican-born rapper Shaggy joined the United States Navy in 1988 to make ends meet after a difficult year without finding a job, according to his biography on military.com.
When his musical career began to take off, he was deployed to Kuwait in 1991 for Operation Desert Storm, also known as the Gulf War.
“The experience (of the Gulf War) made him reflect and Shaggy decided to commit himself even more to his music. In 1993, he released his debut album Pure Pleasureand the single ‘Oh Carolina’ became one of the biggest hits in UK history,” notes military.com.
Elvis Presley
Sergeant Elvis Presley at a press conference before leaving Germany in March 1960. (Photo: James Whitmore/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)
He is recognized as one of the biggest stars of the rock n roll that have existed, but also served in the United States Army.
Elvis Presley already had No. 1 songs, TV show appearances and even movies on his record when he was drafted into the Army for a service that would last from 1958 to 1960.
His service was carried out in Germany and he was later honorably discharged. So, he returned to the stage and finished building his legend.
With reporting from CNN’s Yoonjung Seo, Amy Woodyatt, and Matias Grez.
(CNN Spanish) — BTS, one of the most popular K-pop bands in the world, is back in the spotlight, although now the reason goes beyond music. Last June, the band became a world trend by reporting that its members would take a break from group musical activities to dedicate themselves to solo projects. However, the reason why BTS is being talked about now is because of a mandatory issue: the military service that the members of the band have to fulfill.
BTS members plan to serve in the military, the band’s record label confirmed on Monday. Jin, the oldest member of the group, is aiming to start the process later this month. Military service is compulsory in South Korea, where almost all able-bodied men must serve in the army for 18 months before their 28th birthday.
With BTS on the verge of military service, here is a list of other celebrities who did work in the Army of their country when they were enlisted.
Celebrities in military service
Diego Armando Maradona
Diego Maradona kisses the World Cup in Mexico 1986. (Photo: Bongarts/Getty Images)
Although it was a very short time, Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona was part of Argentina’s compulsory military service in 1979, the same year he was champion with the Albiceleste in the Youth World Cup in Japan.
According to a newspaper report BrandIn March of that year, several players from the youth team had to do their military service in Argentina (then governed by a dictatorship), including Maradona; however, “10”, who was already a national figure at only 18 years of age, only showed up one day to “raise the morale of the troops”.
Argentina won that youth World Cup in September. Although Maradona was excused from military service, on his return from Japan he was used to promote a good image of the country’s military junta, as shown Brand and also the academic article “Diego Armando Maradona and Youth Argentina in the World Cup in Japan (1979). The creation of narratives by the Argentine military dictatorship.”
Jimi Hendrix
American singer and guitarist Jimi Hendrix performs on May 24, 1967 at the Grona Lund in Stockholm, Sweden. (Photo: -/Svenska Dagbladet/AFP via Getty Images)
Jimi Hendrix enlisted in the US Army at age 18, but it wasn’t exactly his idea. He got into trouble with the law and was given a choice: jail or the Army, according to information in his biography on military.com.
Within a year, the Army honorably discharged Hendrix, despite his rebelliousness. From then on, his musical career exploded rapidly.
Bea Arthur
Bea Arthur in her US Marine Corps photo on April 15, 1943. (Photo: US Department of Defense)
Emmy-winning actress Bea Arthur – who died in 2009 – had activities in the Army, despite the fact that she had denied this, as revealed by the website Smoking Gun in 2010.
According to the website, Arthur—then Bernice Frankel—enlisted in the US Navy in 1943 and rose to sergeant first until his honorable discharge in 1945.
“She was one of the first members of the Women’s Reserve and worked as a typist and truck driver,” she said. Smoking Gun.
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner in a 2010 appearance on ‘Larry King Live.’
Years before creating his Playboy empire, Hugh Hefner joined the US Army as an editor of a military newspaper.
“After graduating in 1944, he enlisted in the Army as an infantry officer; during basic training he earned a sniper’s badge for shooting the M1 and made it through ‘Killer College,’ where troops maneuvered while throwing live grenades. Assigned to Camp Adair in Salem, Oregon, and Camp Pickett in Virginia, Hefner contributed cartoons to Army newspapers,” according to his biography on military.com.
He was honorably discharged from the service in 1946, and soon after launched Playboy magazine with $600.
Ice-T
Rapper Ice-T in 1989. He served in the military for four years. (Credit: Chris Buck)
While rapper Ice-T is widely known for his starring role as a police detective on Law & Orderin the 1980s he was a pioneer of gangsta rap, generating controversy with songs like “Cop Killer”.
However, before becoming Ice-T, Tracy Marrow enlisted in the US Army at the age of 19 to have financial resources to help his young daughter and his girlfriend, mentions military.com.
He spent four years in the 25th Infantry Division before launching his music career.
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash was part of the US Armed Forces. (Photo: PH1 GARY RICE/US Marines)
During his time in the United States Air Force, Johnny Cash intercepted Soviet military radio transmissions in Morse code. The musician — who died in 2003 — enlisted in 1960, according to his website.
According to the book Johnny Cash: The Life of an American Icon, Cash was following the fast pace of Soviet broadcasts at 35 words per minute. He said his time as a code translator helped influence his music.
“That Morse code rhythm had a lot to do with the rhythm I felt in my music,” he said. “After I got out of the Air Force, I could still hear it and when I started writing songs again I had that beat in my head.”
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy was in service until 1955. (Photo: John R. Ellis/The Milton Caniff Estate)
Best known for his portrayal of Spock in Star TrekLeonard Nimoy enlisted in the US Army Reserve in the early 1950s and was discharged in 1955 with the rank of sergeant, according to his biography on military.com.
During that time, he performed shows for the Army Special Services and starred in military training movies. Nimoy also had a role as a sergeant in the series Steve Canyon in 1959.
Heung-Min Son
Heung-Min Son, Tottenham’s South Korean striker, underwent military training for three weeks.
South Korean soccer star Heung-Min Son has a particular story: he avoided the military draft in 2018 after winning the Asian Games with South Korea.
However, exempt athletes are still required by law to perform four weeks of national service, or three weeks with the Marine Corps.
The Tottenham player opted for the latter option and ended his three weeks with the Navy in May 2020.
Shaggy
Shaggy entered the Navy after a difficult year of not finding a job. (Photo: US Marines)
Jamaican-born rapper Shaggy joined the United States Navy in 1988 to make ends meet after a difficult year without finding a job, according to his biography on military.com.
When his musical career began to take off, he was deployed to Kuwait in 1991 for Operation Desert Storm, also known as the Gulf War.
“The experience (of the Gulf War) made him reflect and Shaggy decided to commit himself even more to his music. In 1993, he released his debut album Pure Pleasureand the single ‘Oh Carolina’ became one of the biggest hits in UK history,” notes military.com.
Elvis Presley
Sergeant Elvis Presley at a press conference before leaving Germany in March 1960. (Photo: James Whitmore/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)
He is recognized as one of the biggest stars of the rock n roll that have existed, but also served in the United States Army.
Elvis Presley already had No. 1 songs, TV show appearances and even movies on his record when he was drafted into the Army for a service that would last from 1958 to 1960.
His service was carried out in Germany and he was later honorably discharged. So, he returned to the stage and finished building his legend.
With reporting from CNN’s Yoonjung Seo, Amy Woodyatt, and Matias Grez.
