K-Artists Enlisted and to be Discharged from Military Service in 2022

South Korea is known for requiring its male citizens between the ages of 18 and 35 to perform their compulsory military service. As of the c...

South Korea is known for requiring its male citizens between the ages of 18 and 35 to perform their compulsory military service. As of the current time, all males, even Korean male artists, need to do so. 

This year, some fans may feel longing as some of their idols would need to be deployed. But cheer up! This article provides a list of some K-celebs scheduled to be discharged from the military this year.

Enlisted K-artists this year

1. Dowoon of Day6

Courtesy: reddit.com

On December 28, 2021, DAY6’s Dowoon officially announced his military enlistment during a live broadcast on Naver V Live with fellow Day6 member, Wonpil. He said, “Today will be my last schedule, and I will enlist in the military on January 17.” And true to his words, he was officially enlisted on January 17, 2022. According to the Korean media, Wonpil further revealed that Dowoon had chosen to enlist in the military earlier than required, to match up the timing of his military service with the band’s older members as much as possible, and in doing so, possibly minimize DAY6’s hiatus. Dowoon is expected to be discharged on July 16, 2023.

2. Jun and Byeongkwan of A.C.E

(Jun)

Courtesy: nme.com

Just this January 27, 2022, A.C.E’s agency, BEAT Interactive, formally announced A.C.E Leader Jun’s military enlistment the following month. According to the statement, “Jun has received his draft notice to enlist as an active-duty soldier on Monday, February 7. He will be enlisting for one year and six months.” Jun is expected to be discharged on August 6, 2023. Park Jun Hee is a leader, vocalist, and dancer, and has been with A.C.E ever since the group’s debut on May 23, 2017.

(Byeongkwan)

Courtesy: soompi.com

Just a month after Jun’s enlistment announcement, Kim Byeongkwan announced on February 17, 2022, his plan to enlist this year. He was recently enlisted on April 11, 2022, and is expected to be discharged from KATUSA (Korean Augmentation Troops to the United States Army) on October 10, 2023. Kim Byeongkwan was the fourth member of A.C.E to enlist in the military following Wow and Donghun, who enlisted in September 2021, and Jun, who enlisted earlier this month.

3. Hyunsoo and Yoojun of D1CE

(Left - Hyunsoo, Right - Yoojun)

Courtesy: allkpop.com

On March 18, D1CE agency, and D1CE Entertainment, officially announced Kim Hyun Soo and Jung Yoo Jun’s military enlistment. In a handwritten letter by Hyunsoo, he confirmed the announcement saying, “I've gone to do my military duty. Thank you for loving and caring for me during this time. Thank you for making many happy memories and being with us. I'll return to good health. I hope that our Don1y also takes good care of their health.” Yoojun also confirmed through his own letter saying, “I was called by the country to enlist in the military. It's a shame that I won't be able to see or communicate well with DOn1y for a while. When I think about how much I'll grow after going to the military, I look forward to it and am not sad. Thanks so much, and I love you always. I'll come back in good health."

 
The two members are both expected to be discharged on September 17, 2023.

4. Inseong and Youngbin of SF9

(Left - Youngbin, Right - Inseong,)

Courtesy: aminoapps.com

FNC Entertainment officially announced SF9’s Inseong’s military enlistment last February 5. Inseong was officially enlisted on March 21, 2022, and is expected to be discharged on September 17 next year. From the statement, the agency said, “On March 21, after receiving basic military training at a training center, Inseong will be fulfilling his military duty as a member of the military band. In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and minimize chaos, there will be no public event on the day of his enlistment.”

In a separate announcement, Youngbin’s enlistment was confirmed and enlisted just days after Inseong on March 29, 2022. Youngbin is expected to be back from the military on September 25 next year.

5. P.O of Block B

Courtesy: koreaboo.com

Last February 10, JTBC reported Block B’s P.O’s military enlistment into the Marine Corps, where he was accepted. He was officially enlisted on March 28, 2022, and is expected to be discharged on September 27, 2023. A representative from P.O’s agency, Artist Company, responded to the report by confirming it and said, “P.O recently applied to the Marine Corps, and he was accepted. He will enlist next month on March 28 and fulfil his military duty.”

6. Daeyeol of Golden Child

Courtesy: kpopmap.com

During Golden Child’s third solo concert and first face-to-face concert since the pandemic entitled, “2022 GOLDEN CHILD CONCERT – PLAY” held at the KBS Arena last February, Lee Dae Yeol emotionally shared the news with his fans saying that he would need to leave to complete his mandatory military service. Later on, the fans surprised him by sharing their messages and support with him through paper planes. While in tears, Daeyeol said, “Our biggest goal this year was having a concert, and I’m proud to think we finished it well. I’m most proud of my earnestness, and I will now apply this earnestness toward my duty of defending the nation. I hope that you will stick by Golden Child through the happy days ahead as well. Daeyeol was officially enlisted on March 29, 2022, and is expected to return by September 25, 2023.

K-Artists to be discharged this year

1. Chanyeol of EXO

Courtesy: annyeongoppa.com

Park Chanyeol officially enlisted on March 29, 2021, and will finally return from the military on September 28, 2022. Chanyeol received four weeks of basic military training before being assigned to a unit and has served as an active-duty soldier. Park Chanyeol is a rapper of the male idol group, EXO known for its famous songs and has received a lot of awards and recognition.

2. Taemin of SHInee

Courtesy: dazeddigital.com

Lee Taemin enlisted in the military on May 31, 2021, and is expected to be back on November 30, 2022. He is the last member of SHINee to be enlisted. But, in a statement by SM Entertainment last January 14, it is said that Taemin had already been suffering from symptoms of depression and anxiety before his enlistment in May and so he has been transferred from the military band to supplementary public service as he completes his military enlistment as a public service worker.

3. L of Infinite

Courtesy: asianwiki.com

On February 22, 2021, Kim Myung Soo of Infinite enlisted for his mandatory military service as a member of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps. He is expected to be discharged on August 21 this year. Myungsoo debuted as a vocalist of Infinite in 2010, and he was under Woollim Entertainment but left the agency in August of 2019 but was still a member of the group. Aside from this, he gained more recognition for acting in various Korean Dramas like ‘Royal Secret Agent’, ‘Welcome’, ‘Angel’s Last Mission’, and ‘Ms. Hammurabi’, ‘One more time’, and many more.

4. Hui of Pentagon

Courtesy: koreaherald.com

PENTAGON’s Hui officially enlisted in the military last February 18, 2022, and entered the Nonsan Army Training Center in South Chungcheong province where he underwent four weeks of basic military training before starting his duty as a public service worker. He is expected to return this year on August 20, 2022. In a farewell post he tweeted on Pentagon’s official Twitter, he said, “I’ll come back in good health. UNIVERSE (Pentagon’s fan club name), I hope you will be healthy too. I love you.”

Sources:
K-Pop Enlistment and Discharge Dates
Korean Stars Who Will Be Discharged From the Military in 2022!

This article is written by Cathrine Grace S. Alcachupas, a Digital Marketing Department Intern of PS Media Enterprise and an AB Communication student in De La Salle University-Dasmarinas.