BTS singer Jimin hospitalised for appendicitis, tests positive for COVID-19

SEOUL: Jimin, a singer and dancer with the K-pop group BTS, has tested positive for coronavirus and also underwent surgery for acute appendicitis, his management agency Big Hit Music said on Monday.

Jimin, whose full name is Park Ji-min, went to hospital on Sunday after suffering from sudden abdominal pain along with a mild sore throat, Big Hit Music said in a statement.

He tested positive for the coronavirus, and underwent surgery for the appendicitis on Monday, the statement added.

"The surgery was successful and Jimin is currently recuperating after his procedure," Big Hit Music said, adding that he was making a "speedy recovery" from his COVID-19 infection.

The singer was due to receive several days of in-patient treatment for COVID-19 along with postoperative care, the statement said.

Jimin, 26, is at least the fourth member of the seven member group to test positive for the coronavirus.

Rapper RM, vocalist Jin, and rapper Suga tested positive in December, shortly after the group had returned from a series of live shows in the United States.

The concerts in the United States were BTS' first in the country since 2019, when they toured across Asia, Europe and North America.

Since their 2013 debut, BTS have spearheaded a global K-Pop craze with catchy, upbeat music and dances, as well as lyrics and social campaigns aimed at empowering young people.

South Korea has kept overall COVID-19 cases and deaths low with aggressive contact tracing and testing, but the Omicron variant became dominant this month, sending cases to a record daily tally of 17,532 on Sunday.