BTS Members To Undergo Painstaking ‘Gas Chamber’ Training During Military, Concerned Fans Say “It’s Awful”

All seven members of the South Korean pop band, BTS, are currently enlisted for their mandatory military enlistment. While Jin, Suga, and J-Hope have already been serving their compulsory time, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook bid a somber farewell to their fans last week. Recently, the first picture of Jungkook and Jimin from their training camp in the 5th Infantry Division in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, went viral on social media, which shows Jikook attending a lecture for reading and educational training.

As more details related to BTS’ mandatory military service continue to unfold, fans are shocked to learn that the group will undergo rigorous practice throughout their training. As per multiple media reports, soldiers are required to go through chemical, biological, radiological, and grenade drills. The most grueling of all, as pointed out by many netizens who have served in the South Korean military, is the gas chamber challenge, also known as ‘The Hwasaengbang’ in Hangul. In January of this year, BTS’ eldest member Jin‘s pictures of him participating in the training had gone viral.

During the infamous Hwasaengbang training, military trainees practiced putting on gas masks in a live gas chamber. It first gained notoriety among the general public after it was featured on variety shows like Real Men and Infinite Challenge. BTS fans, especially foreigners, are shocked to learn that the members will be undertaking such intense tasks, which, as previously seen, even result in many soldiers fainting. However, since all the members of BTS have expressed their desire to enlist as normal people, they will have to adhere to all the challenges imposed during their 21 months in the army.