The Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation (KOMSCO) said in a statement that a total of 87,777 commemorative medals were released on December 16. Two numbers that symbolize the group's debut year and its 10th anniversary -- 2013 and 2023 -- are imprinted on both sides. KOMSCO said a special coining method was used to make the number "10" engraved on the back of the medal shine like a mirror.
"To celebrate the 10th anniversary, we have adopted high-tech coining technology accumulated more than 70 years to create the best commemorative medal that matches the status of world-class band BTS," KOMSCO president Ban Jang-sik said in a statement. An exhibition that displays medals will be also held on December 16 for 10 days at Hyundai Department Store in southern Seoul.
Starting with Jin, the eldest member of BTS who joined a frontline army boot camp on December 15, all BTS members will fulfill their service in South Korea which is still technically at war with North Korea. All able-bodied males who are 18 and older must serve their mandatory military service unless they have a valid reason for exemption. During their service, the members will be allowed to participate in limited group activities such as concerts outside barracks if top commanders make an exceptional judgment that their reunion will promote national interest.