There’s a word many K-Entertainment fans dislike hearing, and it starts with the letter ‘e.’ Anyone who follows male idol groups or K-drama actors—ARMYs are forever scarred by Weverse notifications that open with: ‘Hello. This is BIGHIT MUSIC’—are all too familiar with it, and we dread the day our favourites announce their inevitable hiatus to fulfill what is required of them by the South Korean government. It’s a difficult, respectable decision that these young men have to make at some point in their lives; enlisting in the military, regardless of what type of service they have to render, is no easy feat. Not only do they have to think very carefully about the timing of their conscription and its impact on their careers, but there is the matter of how this heavily regimented lifestyle change will affect their physical, mental, emotional, and psychological well-beings as well.
In 1953, a signed agreement between North and South Korea led to the creation of a demilitarized zone on the border. Because they are still technically at war and tensions are high to this day, the Constitution of the Republic of South Korea has deemed it mandatory for all able-bodied Korean men between the ages of 18 and 35 to serve in the military. Once a Korean male turns 18, his compulsory service takes effect, but this can be delayed until he turns 28. He must also undergo an Impairment & Disability evaluation to see what type of service he is suitable for, which can vary from enlisting as an active duty soldier to serving as a social service agent depending on their test scores. Length of service varies as well; those in the army and marine corps have the shortest conscription period at 18 months, while social service agents are discharged after 21 months. Celebrity exemptions from serving have been few and far in between, with some of the most notable ones being actor Jo Jung-suk, as he had been the sole financial provider for his family at the time of his father’s death, and e-sports gamer Faker, who’d earned it after his team defeated China at the 2023 Asian Games.
All this, of course, is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a lot more to military service—the good, the bad, and the grey areas in between—than what is publicly known.
The duties of an active duty soldier are, to put it simply, extremely demanding. They wake up at 6:30 AM every day, and work on assigned tasks until 5:30 PM. Training sessions include guerrilla drills for undercover attacks, field training exercises, and winter boot camps where they go for days sleeping in tents under freezing temperatures. Food options at the barracks are not necessarily the best, but the Defense Ministry is set to implement a modernization program come April that meets the soldiers’ preferences.
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Former enlistees shared to Business Insider and NYU greater global community student publication The Gazelle that the 5-week basic training was one of the most challenging moments of their lives, noting they even had to march for 30 hours straight carrying a 10kg bag plus equipment on little to no sleep. Because of all the hard work they must do, it’s inevitable that these gentlemen put on plenty of muscle, hence the heavy attention on the impressive physiques of celebrities during and post-enlistment.
Actor and 2PM rapper Ok Taec-yeon is one of the first names that come to mind when one thinks of celebrity enlistments. He gave up his American permanent residence—which would have exempted him from serving, as it did actor Ahn Hyeo-seop and The Rose vocalist Kim Woosung, who are Canadian and American citizens, respectively—and underwent surgery to be cleared for active duty, earning praise from the government as well as being lauded by the citizens as Captain Korea due to all the muscle he had packed on. BTS’ Kim Seokjin, the first of the septet to enlist, is also quite the achiever, having been promoted ahead of schedule and appointed a Special Class Warrior, an honor bestowed only to those who demonstrate exceptional physical endurance and mental fortitude. His fellow Bangtan member Jung Hoseok/J-Hope was also given the same prestige, and newly minted soldiers Kim Taehyung/V and Kim Namjoon/RM were among the six elite graduates in their batch.
Ok Taec-yeon Kpopmap Baeksang Arts awardee Kim Soo-hyun was also an exceptional performer during his conscription. Originally assigned public service duties due to a heart condition, he asked to be reevaluated and was eventually cleared for active duty. He, too, received early promotions for exemplary conduct. The dashing Hyun Bin was a frontline fighter for the Marine Corps at Baengnyeong Island before he was Crash Landing On You’s Captain Ri. This is a sensitive geopolitical location and was allegedly the site for an armed standoff between the two Koreas while he was serving. Lee Seung-gi, who also performed well, served for 21 months as part of the Special Warfare Command unit, and returned to public life with a strong physique that impressed his followers. He completed training regimens beyond what was required for enlistees, including a parachute descent drill conducted 730 meters above the ground.
Lee Seung-gi Koreaboo/Seunggiya.com Apart from the members of BTS, actors Lee Do-hyun, Nam Joo-hyuk, Kim Min-jae, and idols Minhyuk of MONSTA X and Jinyoung of GOT7, are currently fulfilling their required service. Expected to enlist this year are S.Coups and Jeonghan of Seventeen, and son of Netflix Song Kang, among others who are yet to be confirmed. As always, we wish them well and hope for their safe return.
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