In South Korea, all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28 are required to join the military. In this article, we list some of the famous oppas who have already enlisted for their military service.
In South Korea, there is one law that many devoted Hallyu fans love to hate: the Conscription or military enlistment law that has been around since 1957.
It requires all male citizens between ages 18 and 28 to perform military services for the country, this means that depending on the branch of the military they are in, Korea's male stars will be out of sight for a long period of time. Typically, men assigned under the Army and Marine will have to perform their duties for 21 months, those who are assigned in the Navy will serve for 23 months, while those in the Air Force will serve for 24 months.
Listed in this article are 10 of our favourite stars who went inside military camps to serve the country.
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1. Song Joong-ki
Name: Song Joong-ki
Military Enlistment: 2013-2015
Known For: His performances in Descendants of The Sun (DOTS), Vincenzo, and Sungkyungkwan Scandal.
Did you know? In a 2015 editorial of the Kookbang Daily, a newspaper published by South Korea's Defense Media Agency, Joong-ki revealed that he was afraid that his celebrity status would be "viewed differently" by his comrades. The DOTS star disclosed that an unnamed commander had given him a piece of advice that made him sweep his fears away.
“Living as a soldier made me more mature and I was able to gain valuable life’s experience,” he said.