With BTS members RM, Jin, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook all discharged from their respective military duties, the clock is now ticking for Min Yoongi - best known as Suga - to wrap up his public service stint.
When he officially completes his mandatory service on June 21, BTS will, for the first time since June 2022, stand together again.
The band's comeback, slated for March 2026, is easily one of the most anticipated returns in global pop culture.
But while anticipation runs high, so do murmurs and at the centre of that cautious buzz is Suga himself.
Unlike his bandmates, who kept ARMYs engaged with solo music, public events and variety appearances during enlistment, Suga went almost completely off the radar. No surprise livestreams. No new music drops. No tell-all interviews. Just silence punctuated by one unfortunate twist: a DUI scandal that has cast a long, troubling shadow over what was meant to be a moment of celebratory reunion.
As the group prepares for their return, the big question now is: will Suga's misstep leave a lasting impact on the group's image, or will it be absorbed into the larger-than-life legacy of BTS?
Suga's Absence From Public Eye During Military Enlistment
During the last 18 months, Suga might have been the most elusive BTS member. RM gave us Right Place, Wrong Person, V crooned his way through jazz lounges, and Jungkook served up Billboard hits with his global debut album Golden.
J-Hope delivered military selfies and dropped Jack in the Box and later Hope on the Street Vol. 1, before beginning his enlistment, while Jin and Jimin tugged heartstrings with Face and Astronaut, respectively.
Suga, however, was largely absent. After his triumphant D-Day album in April 2023, a powerful finale to his Agust D trilogy, he disappeared.
No social media presence, no post-tour content, no new music. He was serving his time as a social worker due to pre-existing injuries - a shoulder surgery and other health complications rendered him unfit for active duty. And in this quiet, off-grid mode, he nearly succeeded in fading into the backdrop.
Until August 2024 changed everything.
The DUI Scandal That Started It All
On August 6, 2024, Suga was caught driving an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol near his residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul.
His blood alcohol content was 0.227% - almost triple South Korea's legal limit. He fell off the scooter, and police at the scene immediately detected alcohol on his breath. What began as a quiet service term erupted into national controversy.
Suga posted a written apology the next day, acknowledging his lapse in judgment. He wrote, "After drinking at dinner, I rode an electric scooter home, thinking it was close. I violated traffic laws. I bow my head in apology."
The statement, while sincere, didn't calm the storm. Protest trucks, demanding his dismissal from BTS, soon circled HYBE headquarters with scathing banners like "7-1=6" and "The Army will fill the gap, drunk driver Suga out!"
Online fan wars erupted. But interestingly, the outrage wasn't just from within the BTS fandom.
Initially believed to be angry fans, later reports revealed that the protests were possibly fuelled by rival fandom members, especially one associated with SM Entertainment's boy group NCT.
HYBE issued a statement, confirming that Suga had been fully cooperative with the police. He was fined 15 million KRW (around $13,100), and the case was forwarded to the prosecution without detention. The Military Manpower Administration later clarified that no separate disciplinary action would be taken by the military, as the incident happened off-duty and did not breach military regulations.
...But That Wasn't All
Just as the dust was beginning to settle, Suga's military service came under scrutiny. A report by Sports Kyunghyang alleged that Suga had shown poor conduct during a 5-night mandatory training class for social workers.
An anonymous source claimed that he skipped group activities, was scolded by an instructor, and allegedly "acted like a classroom bully." He reportedly kept looking at his phone, slept during sessions, and "didn't take the training seriously."
Allegations painted him as distracted, disobedient, even "bully-like" in demeanour during sessions. While these accusations remain unproven and largely anecdotal, fans filed official complaints demanding CCTV reviews and disciplinary actions.
Big Hit Music responded, assuring fans that Suga would comply with any legal or administrative decisions. The military, for its part, stated that the incidents - if they occurred - happened outside working hours and didn't breach service regulations.
While the military again stated that no rules were broken on duty, the new allegations further muddied the waters, especially given the timing.
Does This Impact BTS's Comeback?
That's the million-dollar question, and the answer is layered.
For die-hard ARMYs, BTS has always been seven. Even as fan wars erupted online and hashtags trended both in defence and criticism of Suga, the core fandom remained steady with "OT7 always". Suga's brief public appearance at J-Hope's Hope On The Stage event only strengthened that resolve - the first real mini-reunion of all members, complete with a group selfie that went viral.
From an industry standpoint, however, image matters. In South Korea's conservative entertainment ecosystem, DUI cases - especially those involving celebrities - are serious and often career-altering. Though Suga wasn't detained, the stigma lingers. And with BTS representing not just a K-pop act but a global cultural brand, associated with UNICEF, the UN, and South Korea's soft power, any dent in public trust is taken seriously.
HYBE and Big Hit have kept things careful. There's been no overexposure, no redemption arc pushed in the media. The company is likely letting time do its work, allowing the controversy to cool before ramping up comeback promotions in late 2025.
BTS Is 7, Or It's Not BTS At All
The phrase "OT7" - short for "One True 7" - has long been the emotional backbone of BTS fandom. Fans have held onto it through every solo debut, every enlistment and every absence.
Suga's comeback, therefore, isn't just his own; it's the final piece clicking into place for BTS' full formation.
Pdogg, BTS's long-time producer, has already begun shaping the sound of their 2026 return. And while another familiar name, Slow Rabbit, won't be part of this project, having shifted focus to producing for Tomorrow X Together, there is immense confidence that the upcoming BTS album will be a sonic milestone.
The group, as always, remains at the centre of their creative process, and their stories - individually and collectively - will shape what comes next.
What Lies Ahead?
Suga is set to be discharged soon, becoming the final member to complete his military service. His return marks the completion of the group. And with March 2026 already marked for BTS's comeback, every move will be under scrutiny.
Will fans forgive and move on? Most likely.
Will critics linger on the controversy? Definitely.
But will it derail BTS's comeback? Unlikely.
BTS's strength has always been in how they handle adversity. They've dealt with racism, censorship, burnout, and now, their first major internal scandal. If the comeback is successful, musically and emotionally, Suga's controversy may become a footnote in a larger narrative of growth.
The Comeback Of The Century?
With all seven members set to reunite, BTS's 2026 comeback may very well redefine the K-pop landscape once again. Whether Suga's controversies will echo loudly or fade into the background remains to be seen.
But one thing is certain - the world will be watching. And perhaps, as always, BTS will rise.
In the end, it will depend on how Suga re-enters the public sphere, what BTS chooses to say (or not say), and whether the music, as it always has, speaks loud enough to carry them through.
After all, as ARMYs remind us time and again:
BTS is 7. It can never be 6.