On May 6, MBC revealed a preview for next week's episode of the popular investigative journalism program, 'PD Note', which will be titled, "BTS and the Military Exemption Controversy". 

The brief preview for the episode, approximately 35 seconds-long, begins by highlighting K-Pop boy group BTS's global success. One individual can be heard commenting, "Receiving the praise of the entire globe with Korean songs. Will [Korea] ever have such an opportunity again?". 

Next, the preview asks the question, "It's okay for Son Heung Min, but not for BTS?". 

One tourism analyst answered, "It is discrimination against the genre of popular culture," while another individual stated, "You can give them presidential honors. But military exemption? Never." 

Lastly, one former military officer comments, "Even just one single case of exemption renders this whole process unfair and unequal." 

Soon after the preview was revealed, many netizens expressed their anger and frustration with the MBC program. 

Some commented,

"I'm so angry. This entire episode is clearly meant to attack BTS."

"Anyone with a brain can see that this is an episode aimed at getting views and views alone. Using the name of BTS, using the group's fans, using this sensitive topic that affects the nation... it's disgusting."

"This is ridiculous. ARMYs will not be watching. International ARMYs, please do not give this broadcasting station any views."

"What is most frustrating of all is that the BTS members themselves have no say in the matter. They have no voice. There is no freedom here."

"ARMYs are just so tired of BTS being the sacrificial lambs of this political issue that should have been addressed a long, long time ago. The folks in the government can talk about changing the rules for popular culture figures all they want in their debate rooms, without dropping the name BTS in every single phrase. This involves a lot of other figures as well, not just BTS."

"The politicians are about done using BTS for their own reasons now, and so the secondhand topic has been thrown to the reporters to have their way with it..."

"As of right now, it's very obvious to a lot of people that an 'exemption law' won't be able to go into effect for it to apply to BTS, no matter how fast it gets passed. So there's no point in bringing up BTS's name anymore."

"These boys do not want to be exempt from military service. They said so themselves. That's the end of the story."

Meanwhile, in June of 2021, a new military service law was put into place, allowing individuals in popular culture and the arts who have been recognized for prestigious cultural merits to delay their mandatory service, until the age of 30. BTS, who received the Presidential Order of Cultural Merit in 2018 (becoming the youngest ever popular culture figures to do so), fit into this category. Thus, according to this law, BTS's oldest member Jin, who was born in December of 1992, can delay his mandatory service duties until December 31, 2022.