美国国家公共电台 NPR--Members of the K-pop band BTS announce Korean military service

Members of the K-pop band BTS announce Korean military service

Transcript¹

Members of BTS say they will perform their mandatory² military service. The move follows a debate in South Korea about whether pop stars should be allowed to defer³ service.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

The members of the world's biggest K-pop band, BTS, say they will perform their required service in South Korea's military. Their decision lays to rest debate there over whether they should get service deferrals or exemption⁵. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LEFT AND RIGHT")

JUNG KOOK: (Singing) Ever since the day you went away (someone tell me how)...

ANTHONY KUHN, BYLINE⁶: The band announced in June that they were going on a hiatus to top up their creative juices and do solo projects like this recent collaboration⁷ between BTS's Jung Kook and Charlie Puth. But all able-bodied Korean men over 18 have to serve in the military, and all seven members of BTS have always insisted they would when the time comes. CedarBough Saeji, a Korean studies professor at Pusan National University, explains.

CEDARBOUGH SAEJI: Because going to the military is considered such an important rite⁸ of passage in Korea, because it's a duty for all Korean men, just like getting an education or paying taxes or voting.

KUHN: But the law was changed two years ago to allow pop stars to defer enlistment⁹ until age 30. BTS's oldest member, Jin, got a deferral⁴, but he turns 30 in December, and he said yesterday he's ready to serve. The rest of the band members said they'd follow suit. CedarBough Saeji says South Korea's government has learned from the debate.

SAEJI: The government has been using BTS as a way to feel out public sentiment towards military service.

KUHN: The takeaway seems to be that fairly distributing civic¹⁰ duties is more important than topping the Billboard¹¹ charts. But BTS members may not like acting¹² as a sounding board.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WHAT DO YOU THINK?")

SUGA: (Rapping in Korean).

KUHN: In a 2020 song BTS rapper Suga insisted that BTS's members would do their military service when they had to, and those who are trying to cash in on BTS should shut up about the issue. BTS's management says the band plans to reunite in 2025 after completing their military duty.

Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WHAT DO YOU THINK?")

SUGA: (Rapping in Korean).

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

3 defer   

vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从

参考例句：

• We wish to defer our decision until next week.我们希望推迟到下星期再作出决定。
• We will defer to whatever the committee decides.我们遵从委员会作出的任何决定。

4 deferral   

n.延期，缓役

参考例句：

• It also calls for the deferral of a share of bonuses. 协议还要求一部分奖金延期发放。 来自互联网
• Even implementing the interest-deferral scheme for homeowners has proved inconveniently tricky. 甚至是对房主实行的推迟利息的方案，结果证明也是极不方便的。 来自互联网

5 exemption   

n.豁免，免税额，免除

参考例句：

• You may be able to apply for exemption from local taxes.你可能符合资格申请免除地方税。
• These goods are subject to exemption from tax.这些货物可以免税。

6 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

7 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

8 rite   

n.典礼，惯例，习俗

参考例句：

• This festival descends from a religious rite.这个节日起源于宗教仪式。
• Most traditional societies have transition rites at puberty.大多数传统社会都为青春期的孩子举行成人礼。

9 enlistment   

n.应征入伍，获得，取得

参考例句：

• Illness as a disqualification for enlistment in the army. 疾病是取消参军入伍资格的一个原因。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• One obstacle to the enlistment of able professors was that they had to take holy orders. 征聘有才能的教授的障碍是他们必须成为牧师。 来自辞典例句

10 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

11 billboard   

n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌

参考例句：

• He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。
• Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。

12 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。