South Korea enforces compulsory conscription for all able-bodied males between the ages of 18 and 28 to serve 18 months of military service. While the rule applies to all regular South Korean citizens, it does not exempt Korean celebrities from this rule.
Conscription has always been a contentious issue, particularly among Korean celebrities, who would need to take time off from the public eye to complete their military service. For many Korean celebrities, this could be nothing short of career suicide, as they would have to quit their lucrative jobs at their peak to apply. Also, they are typically unable to match their pre-Conscription Glory once they return.
the more you think about it, the crazier it sounds.
onf have banded together to shorten their hiatus and promote longer as a group. They had full activities a year before their enlistment and on top of that they were preparing an album that they will release while they serve… all for backup 🥹
the more you think about it, the crazier it sounds. onf have banded together to shorten their hiatus and promote longer as a group. They had full activities a year before their enlistment and on top of that they were preparing an album that they will release while they serve… all for backup 🥹
Many companies counted on BTS’ exemption as an entry point to change the exemption law for K-pop idols. In 2018, senior officials from various major companies such as SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, JYP Entertainment and others met with the Korea Management Association to discuss the hiring period and possible alternative services for Korean celebrities who are popular cultural assets.
Neither BTS nor their agency HYBE attended the meeting. However, it was attended by Jellyfish Entertainment, the former agency of VIXX’s Ravi, who is currently under fire for attempting to evade military service and was booked on those charges. Along with him, Mr. Gu, a well-known broker for Korean celebrities to evade recruitment, was also arrested.
Draft Dodgers: Korean celebrities who have attempted to drop out of military service
1) Steve Yoo
This is coincidental, but I’ve seen so much misinformation and ignorance lately as to what exactly happened with Steve Yoo, and recently the Head of the Military Administration, Mo Jong-hwa, succinctly laid out the specifics of Yoo’s case.
This is coincidental, but I’ve seen so much misinformation and ignorance lately as to what exactly happened with Steve Yoo, and recently the Head of the Military Administration, Mo Jong-hwa, succinctly laid out the specifics of Yoo’s case. https://t.co/D7xck3U7v1
One of the most famous cases of conscientious objection in South Korean history has to be that of Steve Yoo, a K-pop idol who gave up his Korean citizenship instead of American citizenship to avoid military service.
This was followed by a huge outcry from netizens as Yoo previously stated that he was completing his compulsory military service. However, as the date approached, he decided to take extreme measures to ensure his draft was annulled.
The incident caused his popularity in South Korea to decline. In addition, he was exiled from his homeland because the government saw his actions as a form of desertion and treason.
2) MC Mong
In 2010, MC Mong was accused of willfully attempting to evade conscription. He was then determined by the South Korean military administration for the same.
He was accused of deliberately having his teeth pulled to avoid military service. Dental problems, including braces, implants, or tooth decay, are some of the reasons military service may be postponed or waived.
Although he was acquitted of the charge of having healthy teeth pulled to avoid conscription, he was jailed for six months for attempting to deliberately delay his draft. Despite his comeback in the entertainment industry, his public image hasn’t improved as people continue to mistrust his actions.
3) Song Seung-heon
@FootballRamble In late 2004, it was revealed that actor Song Seung-heon had evaded conscription by taking medication to fail the military physical. Amid press coverage and public outcry, Song issued a public apology and agreed to serve out his two-year tenure in the [email protected] immediately. In late 2004, it was revealed that actor Song Seung-heon had avoided his draft warrant by taking medication to fail the military physical examination. Amid press coverage and public outcry, Song issued a public apology and agreed to serve out his two-year tenure in the military immediately
Model and actor Song Seung-heon came under fire in 2004 when it was revealed he had tried to evade military service by submitting contaminated urine samples to show he was unfit for military service because he has diabetes .
As the scandal grew, Seung-heon immediately turned himself in to the army to avoid further criticism. He was released in 2006 and kept a low profile for two years before making his comeback in 2008 with the drama Out of Eden.
4) Kim Mu Yeol
Actor Kim Mu-yeol came under public scrutiny in 2009 when his last call for hiring came, but he asked that it be postponed due to a knee injury he sustained. The public became concerned as Kim had postponed his military service since 2007 for various reasons, such as taking civil service exams or being accepted into a labor training institution, but none of these claims have turned out to be true.
140708 Kim Muyeol was quietly discharged from the military today, he spoke a little to the media. He was in the same unit as Teuk http://t.co/uqfrK5rm35
140708 Kim Muyeol was quietly discharged from the military today, he spoke a little to the media. He was in the same unit as Teuk http://t.co/uqfrK5rm35
However, due to his low-income background and the fact that he is the only breadwinner in his family, he was granted an exemption in 2010. The Korean Board of Audit and Inspection argued that because of his fame as an actor, his income was above the poverty line and that disqualification should not be provided for in his case.
In 2012, his public image suffered a lot of damage. The actor then decided to enlist in the army to restore his lost reputation, claiming he never lied or attempted to illegally evade conscription.
While some Korean celebrities try to evade their recruitment, many Korean celebrities who have been involved in scandals as civilians try to join the army to escape the aftermath of the scandal. This is also done to ensure they can improve their public image by serving the nation, as seen in the case of BIGBANG’s Seungri.
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