J-Hope of BTS cannot get special treatment to host military cooking show, South Korea says
- Seoul is currently holding a cooking competition, which celebrates culinary talent among the South Korean, US and Singaporean militaries
- But J-Hope cannot be allowed to take part just because he is a celebrity, the defence minister says
A decision on allowing J-Hope to host the fourth edition of the international military cooking competition and making a video featuring other stars of the seven-member band to promote the contest was almost finalised.
But Defence Minister Shin Won-sik said he cancelled the plans following a review.
“I think that it is only right that [a person] carries out the military duties just like any other soldier, regardless of being BTS,” Shin told lawmakers on Tuesday. “I gave orders not to assign duties that fall outside their [military] positions to soldiers who were celebrities before joining the military.”
The cooking competition, which celebrates culinary talent among the South Korean, US and Singaporean militaries, is currently being held in Seoul.