Some boys from a famous music group in South Korea called BTS are going to join the army. Their music company told fans to keep loving the boys while they are away. Two other boys from the group already joined the army before. All the boys will be done with the army by 2025.

People talked a lot about if these music boys should not have to join the army because they are very famous. But they still have to go. The group stopped making music together for a little while so the boys could go to the army. They did this after they became very popular in America.

In September, all seven boys said they would stay with their music company. Some of them will not make music for a bit because they will be in the army. But when they all come back, they will make music together again.

Original news source: BTS’s RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook begin military enlistment process (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Read the article aloud to the students or have them read it silently.
2. In pairs or small groups, have the students summarize the main points of the article in their own words.
3. Each group or pair can then share their summary with the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions:
1. Select 5-10 vocabulary words from the article (e.g. music group, army, famous, popular, company).
2. Write each word on a separate piece of paper or index card.
3. Divide the class into two teams.
4. One student from each team will come to the front of the class and choose a word.
5. Without speaking, the student must draw a picture to represent the word and their team must guess the word within a time limit.
6. The team that guesses the most words correctly wins.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions:
1. Write the following question on the board: “Do you think famous music artists should have to join the army?”
2. Divide the class into small groups.
3. Have each group discuss their opinions and reasons for or against the question.
4. After the discussion, each group can share their opinions and reasons with the class.
5. As a class, tally the number of students who agree and disagree with the question.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions:
1. Ask the students to think about the following question: “What do you think the members of BTS will miss the most while they are in the army?”
2. Pair up the students and have them discuss their thoughts with their partner.
3. After a few minutes, have the pairs share their ideas with the class.

– Future Predictions
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into small groups.
2. Ask each group to imagine that they are music producers and the members of BTS have just finished their army service.
3. In their groups, have the students discuss and make predictions about what kind of music BTS will create after they come back.
4. Each group can share their predictions with the class and explain their reasoning.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Who are the boys from the music group BTS?
2. What did their music company tell the fans to do while the boys are away?
3. How many boys from the group have already joined the army?
4. When will all the boys be done with the army?
5. Why did people talk a lot about whether the music boys should join the army or not?
6. What did the group do so the boys could go to the army?
7. What did all seven boys say they would do in September?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Some boys from a famous music group in (1)______ Korea (2)______ BTS are going to join the army. Their music company told fans to keep (3)______ the boys while they are away. Two other boys from the group already (4)______ed the (5)______ before. All the boys will be done with the army by 2025.

People (6)______ a lot about if these music boys should not have to join the army because they are very famous. But they still have to go. The group (7)______ making music together for a little while so the (8)______ could go to the army. They did this after they became very (9)______ in America.

In September, all seven boys (10)______ they would stay with their (11)______ company. Some of them will not (12)______ music for a bit because they will be in the army. But when they all come back, they will make music together again.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is BTS?
2. How do you think the boys feel about joining the army?
3. How would you feel if you had to stop doing something you love for a while?
4. Do you think it’s fair that famous people have to join the army?
5. Why do you think the music boys decided to stay with their music company?
6. Do you like BTS’s music? Why or why not?
7. How do you think the fans feel about the boys joining the army?
8. What do you think the boys will do after they finish their army service?
9. How important do you think it is for famous people to serve in the army?
10. Do you think it’s hard for the boys to leave their fans and go to the army?
11. What would you do if you were a famous singer and had to join the army?
12. Why do you think the music boys decided to make music together again after their army service?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. boys
2. army
3. music
4. famous
5. company
6. together
7. popular
8. America

Meanings:
(a) A group of people who protect a country
(b) Sounds and songs that people enjoy
(c) A group of young males
(d) A group of people who work together
(e) Well-known and recognized by many people
(f) Liked by many people
(g) In the same place or at the same time
(h) A country in North America
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the famous music group from South Korea?
(a) BTS
(b) EXO
(c) BLACKPINK
(d) TWICE

2. How many boys from the group BTS are going to join the army?
(a) 2
(b) 5
(c) 7
(d) 3

3. When will all the boys be done with the army?
(a) 2020
(b) 2022
(c) 2025
(d) 2023

4. Did the music group stop making music together when the boys joined the army?
(a) No
(b) Yes
(c) Maybe
(d) I don’t know

5. Why did the group stop making music together for a little while?
(a) They didn’t want to make music anymore
(b) They were too busy with other projects
(c) They didn’t like each other anymore
(d) So the boys could go to the army

6. When did the group become very popular in America?
(a) After they joined the army
(b) While they were in the army
(c) They were never popular in America
(d) Before they joined the army

7. Will all seven boys stay with their music company?
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) Maybe
(d) I don’t know

8. Will the boys make music together again when they all come back?
(a) No
(b) Maybe
(c) Yes
(d) I don’t know

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The boys will not be done with the army by 2025.
2. Some boys from a famous music group in South Korea called BTS are going to join the army.
3. In September, all seven boys said they would stay with their music company.
4. Two other boys from the group have not already joined the army before.
5. People talked a lot about whether these famous music boys should have to join the army.
6. When they all come back from the army, they will not make music together again.
7. The group stopped making music together for a while so the boys could not go to the army.
8. They did this after becoming very popular in America.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. Who are the boys from South Korea that are going to join the army?
2. What did their music company tell the fans to do while the boys are away?
3. Have any other boys from the group already joined the army?
4. Why did the group stop making music for a little while?
5. What did all seven boys say they would do in September?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who are the boys from the music group BTS?
The boys from the music group BTS are a famous music group from South Korea.

2. What did their music company tell the fans to do while the boys are away?
Their music company told the fans to keep loving the boys while they are away.

3. How many boys from the group have already joined the army?
Two boys from the group have already joined the army.

4. When will all the boys be done with the army?
All the boys will be done with the army by 2025.

5. Why did people talk a lot about whether the music boys should join the army or not?
People talked a lot about whether the music boys should join the army or not because they are very famous.

6. What did the group do so the boys could go to the army?
The group stopped making music together for a little while so the boys could go to the army.

7. What did all seven boys say they would do in September?
In September, all seven boys said they would stay with their music company.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) South
(2) called
(3) loving
(4) join
(5) army
(6) talked
(7) stopped
(8) boys
(9) popular
(10) said
(11) music
(12) make
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. boys
Answer: (c) A group of young males

2. army
Answer: (a) A group of people who protect a country

3. music
Answer: (b) Sounds and songs that people enjoy

4. famous
Answer: (e) Well-known and recognized by many people

5. company
Answer: (d) A group of people who work together

6. together
Answer: (g) In the same place or at the same time

7. popular
Answer: (f) Liked by many people

8. America
Answer: (h) A country in North America
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the famous music group from South Korea?
Answer: (a) BTS

2. How many boys from the group BTS are going to join the army?
Answer: (b) 5

3. When will all the boys be done with the army?
Answer: (c) 2025

4. Did the music group stop making music together when the boys joined the army?
Answer: (b) Yes

5. Why did the group stop making music together for a little while?
Answer: (d) So the boys could go to the army

6. When did the group become very popular in America?
Answer: (d) Before they joined the army

7. Will all seven boys stay with their music company?
Answer: (a) Yes

8. Will the boys make music together again when they all come back?
Answer: (c) Yes
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The boys will not be done with the army by 2025. (Answer: False)
2. Some boys from a famous music group in South Korea called BTS are going to join the army. (Answer: True)
3. In September, all seven boys said they would stay with their music company. (Answer: True)
4. Two other boys from the group have not already joined the army before. (Answer: False)
5. People talked a lot about whether these famous music boys should have to join the army. (Answer: True)
6. When they all come back from the army, they will not make music together again. (Answer: False)
7. The group stopped making music together for a while so the boys could not go to the army. (Answer: False)
8. They did this after becoming very popular in America. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧