韓國男足在亞運會奪冠后，隊長孫興慜笑容滿面，因為除了獎牌，他還收獲了一個大禮包---免服兵役，這樣他就能繼續回英超踢球了。于是，韓國民眾開始討論，同樣是為國爭光，在流行音樂界取得傲人成績的防彈少年團（BTS）為什么就不能免服兵役呢？

They may be the pride of South Korea after topping America’s Billboard 200 chart this week for the second time with their new album ‘Love Yourself’ but K-pop boyband BTS could still be cut off in their prime because of mandatory military service.

本周，韓國流行男團防彈少年團憑借最新專輯《愛你自己》再度稱霸美國公告牌專輯排行榜。他們或許是韓國的驕傲，但仍可能因為義務兵役制在演藝巔峰期中斷演藝事業。

韓聯社報道稱，迄今為止，一年內兩次登上公告牌榜首的歌手只有披頭士和貓王等超級巨星。韓國總統府青瓦臺和國務總理李洛淵等政界人物也紛紛在推特上發文送上祝賀。

All able-bodied South Korean men must serve for at least 21 months in the army.

所有身體強健的韓國男性都必須服至少21個月兵役。

However, the phenomenal global success of BTS, who have pulled off the rare feat of reaching No.1 in the US album chart twice in one year, has reignited a debate about who should be exempt from conscription.

然而，韓國男團防彈少年團在全球大獲成功，一年內兩次登頂美國專輯排行榜，實屬罕見。這也引發了關于哪些人可以免服兵役的激辯。

此事一經曝出，隨即引發公平性爭議。韓國總統府青瓦臺國民請愿公告欄相繼也出現了關于防彈少年團免服兵役的請愿帖。

Currently elite medal-winning athletes and a select list of classical musicians and ballet dancers can escape the compulsory duty as they are deemed to be raising the national image on a global stage.

按照韓國目前的兵役制度，杰出的獲獎運動員、一些古典音樂家和芭蕾舞蹈家可以免服兵役，因為人們認為他們可以提升韓國的國際形象。

The South Korean men’s football team, including Son Heung-min, the Tottenham Hotspur forward, were granted a reprieve last weekend after winning gold at the Asian Games.

而就在上周末，韓國男足在亞運會奪冠后，全體隊員也被免除了兵役，其中包括前鋒孫興慜，他效力于托特納姆熱刺足球俱樂部。

賽前，英國媒體《鏡報》指出，孫興慜若想免掉服兵役，最后機會就是亞運會，唯有幫助韓國隊拿到金牌，他才可以避開兵役，繼續為熱刺效力。

孫興慜服兵役這一熱門話題，導致韓國隊在很大程度上受到球迷關注，連孫興慜本人都倍感壓力，甚至在隊友踢點球時候，背身捂住臉不敢看，萬一隊友沒有踢進點球，那可是賭上了孫興慜的前程。

But music fans and politicians argue that the rules are out-of-touch with modern South Korean society and should be updated to benefit celebrities of contemporary pop culture.

但音樂愛好者和政界人士認為，這些規定已經與現代韓國社會脫節，應予以改進，將現代流行文化行業的明星包括進去。

"The general public, including young people, wonder what makes winning on the Billboard chart different from winning in other international competitions? Winning the former is likely to create bigger added value," politician Ha Tae-kyung told the National Defence Committee in July, reported Yonhap.

據韓聯社報道，政界人士Ha Tae-kyung7月份對國防委員會表示：“登頂美國專輯排行榜和在其他國際比賽中獲勝有何不同？包括年輕人在內的民眾對此都很費解。而且前者創造的附加值可能更大。”

"For example, Psy broke the world record with YouTube video hits, which is extremely difficult to achieve. It is the world's No. 1 and has huge influence over people around the world," he continued, referring to the musician who created the addictive dance ‘Gangnam Style’ in 2012.

他還說：“比如，鳥叔的音樂視頻在油管上的播放量破了紀錄，實屬罕見。這也是拿到了世界第一，而且對全世界的人影響都很大。”2012年，鳥叔打造的神曲《江南style》風靡全球。

In response to public disquiet on the issue, Lee Nak-yon, the Prime Minister, instructed the Cabinet on Tuesday to look at reforming the system.

為回應公眾熱議，韓國國務總理李洛淵本周二指示內閣考慮改革這一制度。

However, any changes will come too late for K-pop sensation Big Bang, which lost several members, including leader singer G-Dragon, to military service earlier this year.

然而對韓國流行男團Big Bang來說，所有改變都將為時已晚。今年早些時候，主唱權志龍在內的幾位成員已相繼入伍。

G-Dragon had to issue a plea to distraught fans to stop sending so many messages to his barracks as the office printer ran out of ink.

權志龍入伍后還給狂熱的粉絲們發信，請求他們不要再給其所在部隊發送郵件和慰問函，部隊辦公室的打印機的墨都用光了。

因為信件量過大，權志龍所在部隊的貨物供給受到阻礙，特別是其他新兵無法如期收到家人或朋友寄送的慰問信，除了打印機墨水大量消耗，A4紙也快用光。

The timing of conscription can be career-breaking. Historically, several entertainers have been accused of moving abroad, faking health conditions or even submitting tainted urine samples to medical examinations in order to avoid serving in the army.

服兵役的時間可能會打斷事業發展。之前，有數名韓國演藝人士被指控移居他國、健康狀況造假甚至在體檢時提交受污染尿樣以避免服役。

2002年，為躲避兵役，韓國明星劉承俊加入美國籍放棄韓國籍，這一舉動觸怒了韓國政府，劉承俊被驅逐出韓國，并永生不得踏入韓國領土。多年之后，劉承俊公開向韓國民眾道歉并下跪。但是依然沒有得到韓國民眾的原諒，劉承俊也就悲催的再也無法踏入韓國半步。

對明星而言，服兵役就像是一個魔咒，離開熒屏的幾年很有可能就此被觀眾們忘記，而被層出不窮的新人所取代。但除了客觀原因，明星服兵役期間的丑聞也會造成回歸后粉絲大量流失。

2011年10月至2013年7月，Rain以“文藝兵”身份在韓國軍隊服役，在服役期間他被舉報休假過多。2013年1月，Rain又被曝秘密戀上女星金泰熙，趁假期外出拍拖，更被揭曾多次外宿。隨后，Rain遭部隊紀律處分，在兵營里關禁閉7天。這些負面新聞不僅使Rain的粉絲大量流失，也給他的回歸之路帶來不少障礙。

但服兵役并不是一定會毀掉明星的事業。比如宋仲基在退伍后接演了人生之作《太陽的后裔》，這部劇不僅把他推向了亞洲巨星的寶座，還讓他娶到了韓國第一美女宋慧喬。

玄彬于2011年入伍，他放棄輕松的文藝兵，堅持到環境艱苦的海軍陸戰隊服役，當時立刻贏得了韓國軍方和民眾的好評。不少粉絲贊玄彬是“真男人”。于是，2012年底，完美退役的玄彬立刻成為各大廣告商瘋搶的對象。

On the other hand, some believe that the exemption policy should be abandoned altogether, given the subjective nature of determining who has raised Korea’s profile sufficiently internationally. More than 85% of South Koreans think that the current law governing exemption from military service needs to be overhauled to ensure fairness, according to a government survey conducted in 2015.

另一方面，也有一些人認為應徹底取消免服兵役制度，因為要評判哪些人在很大程度上提升了韓國的國際形象是非常主觀的事。根據韓國政府2015年開展的一項調查。超過85%的韓國人認為目前的免服兵役法規應全面修訂，以確保公平性。

“Some people are born with artistic or athletic abilities, but a large part of that is determined by their parents’ financial status, so I find it unfair that conscription is applied selectively,” said Park Hyung-jun, a 24-year-old male in Seoul.

首爾一位24歲的男子Park Hyung-jun說：“一些人生來就有藝術和體育天分，但大部分還得靠家長的財力去培養挖掘，所以我覺得有些人因此免服兵役，并不公平。”

來源：每日電訊報、qz.com、中新網

翻譯&編輯：yaning