Lee Jong Seok Starts Promotions for Thriller Movie VIP and Requests Postponing Military Enlistment Date

Celebrities get their personal decisions pored over by fans much less career ones so it’s no surprise to hear the backlash after K-actor Lee Jong Seok updated that he will be asking for a postponement of his military enlistment. He received official notice last week and was supposed to enlist by the middle of August, but due to work commitments he is asking for a postponement which is perfectly fine to do. It’s not even guaranteed that he’ll get it, but simply by asking he’s incurred the wrath of K-netizens who see this as an attempt to get out of service or at least indicative of his intention to not do his civic duty meekly. Lee Jong Seok has been out promoting the upcoming thriller movie VIP with Jang Dong Gun, Kim Myung Min, and Park Hee Son, and he arguably is the supporting actor for that movie opposite three acting titans.

The movie is being released August 24th so he could still do most of the promos and enlist, but in doing so he won’t be able to do any promos for the SBS drama While You Were Sleeping which doesn’t air until September so promotions don’t start until late August. In that drama his promo presence would be more needed since he’s the male lead, and recent enlistees Joo Won and Im Shi Wan both finished promoting their dramas before shipping off. I don’t know why K-netz panties are in a bunch other than not liking Lee Jong Seok which is fine but don’t conflate that with ascribing improper behavior from him for this particular decision.


Comments

Lee Jong Seok Starts Promotions for Thriller Movie VIP and Requests Postponing Military Enlistment Date — 51 Comments

    • I thought he is serving as public servant not in the army unless its the basic training you are referring to or there’s a change?

      Just wondering how long will deferment normally be granted?

  1. he’s also just newly appointed as korean tourism ambassador and still pursuing his master degree. whether serving as a public servant or in the army, he still has many things unsettled. I really hope koala stop posting LJS related articles . its a click bait for haters in this website. I was shocked reading some unfortunate comments about him in the past articles. I think he is a nice person.

    • Master degree isn’t an excuse. Stop excusing an adult man, who has had more than enough time to do his duty to his country. Many men do this without complaining, and many celebrity men have completed their duty with honor too. LJS is going to public service anyway. He isn’t special who deserves exemption.

      • A request of delay isn’t an exemption. I don’t see why he shouldn’t have the the right to request a delay like anyone else.

  2. He is the LEAD in his movie alongside the other three veteran, and the title of movie refers to his role which is a VIP from North Korea.

    • He is 4th LEAD if you want to put it that way

      Did he do something to his nose again? The side profile looks weirder than normal.

      • yeah sure he did something to his nose it couldnt possibly be somthing like i dont know MAKEUP or LIGHTING maybe

      • Makeup and lighting can push your nose upwards? In that case, he should fire his stylist, along with his plastic surgeon.

      • yeah sure lets just assume he did something to his nose couldnt POSSIBLY be makeup or lights surely

      • @amb, his nose is really plastic. It looked okay before but in these pictures. you can clearly see how much he got his nose fixed. Looks like a silicone mold. So no, it’s not just lighting and make up. Also, he gotta go easier with that makeup.. he’s got so much bb cream/foundation that he looks whiter than his other co-sars or even his drama female leads. Whiter (and more feminine) than pretty Suzy who herself has naturally milky white skin…

      • Most big productions like New world or battleship island have multiple lead. So yup Jong Suk is a lead in this film . And he is the eponymous VIP, the movie is centred around him

        Stay salty honey

      • That was meant for @ceci.

        @prettyautumn

        Shoo shoo. Go away you pathetic troll.

    • I agree with Shelter, it’s obviously an ensemble cast. I don’t get the hate surrounding Lee Jong Suk, he’s a good actor imo. Kim Myung Min himself has acknowledged his talent.

    • Totally agreed, just look at prettyautumn bashing about Lee Jong Suk’s nose which has absolutely ZERO relevance to the news about him requesting for a postponement. Someone needs to look up the different between postponement and excemption. Anyway, I feel bad for the backlash he’s getting, but I also think he was prepared for it. It’s been a big issue recently with Yoo Ah In and Seo In Guk, so I doubt that he’d be unaware. He’s a hardworking and dedicated guy, I don’t find it hard to understand that he wants to settle some matters first. Sure not everyone does it, but it’s a personal choice and should be respected. People need to get a life. Period.

  3. His nose looks so scary unnatural and plastic. Looks like it will melt down in his older days… he should just do his duty to his country without delaying it for another two years..

      • so it’s ok to give praise to someone who is beautiful but not to someone who looks unnatural? his nose looks weird to me too… why can’t we tell the truth??

      • yes its not alright there is a saying if dont have anything nice to say just dont say anything at all. everyone has differnt opinions but there’s a difference in expressing your opinion and making fun of someone. If you dont like his acting or personality then thats another thing but making fun of someone for their face is simply rude and immature.

      • I am not totally disagreeing with you. But calling someone immature for a comment is a fact of “immaturely” to yourself! In my culture, we are open to criticisms whether it is good or bad, take it or leave it… can we all speak our minds instead of being faked? Isn’t this the reason for the “Comment” section? Calling someone “immature” is also a mean of making fun of someone and be rude. do you know?

      • The person i am calling immature is an LJS hater but literally comments on every single one of his articles saying bad stuff about him over and over again, like isnt once enough? just count the number of comments she wrote just about his nose in THIS ARTICLE ALONE (which is about his code of conduct and not about his looks). I dont care to call someone immature over the internet but if calling this person that makes me immature as well, then so be it. ✌

    • i dont mind. his nose looks mighty fine to me plastic or not. I’m also glad he postpone his enlistment. I want him to act as many dramas as possible before that.

  4. I don’t understand what’s the fuss about it…Lee Jong Suk is a 89′, he should still have time (like 1/2 years) before enlisting. For instance, Lee Min Ki has enlisted rather late for someone born in early 85 (August 2014/ Song Joong Ki who was born the same year enlisted in 2013 for comparison!)Did he get flack for it? No.

  5. Why are we complaining about a country’s response to their own stars enrolling into compulsory military service or in this case public service? With the crazy NK dictator next doors, it is understandable he is getting flack for delaying his service until whenever. He can’t even man up to say exactly when he will be entering the service???

  6. I don’t understand why everyone is getting into a tizzy over this. It seems to me this has to be the norm for celebrities. Joo Won, Ji Chang Wook and Lee Min Ho are 87’s and they just enlisted. SMH over all of this self-righteous indignation.

  7. I knew the moment I read about possible delaying enlistment that he will get a lot of hate, because the reason to the delay is not due to something like health but related to work and school and to many this sound like an execuse. As for work he is not the only actor on both projects there are other actors and actress that can do the promo, as for his master he will be able to continue after his enlistment, is not something that if he does not do it now he will never do ever in the future. Anyway I wish him the best and when he does enlist hooe he stay safe and healthy.

  8. I think it also has to do with his company. YG artists (actors, idols, models) had had a lot of scandals before or during the enlistment, that people will think the worst. When I first read anout this my fisrt thought was, “Wow, they must be stupid, because the tons of backlash he’ll face will be doubled because of YG”… TOP scandal is still currently hot.

    • Big I D I O T! what has YG have anything to do with their actors decision. LGS just stated his own decision related to his personal commitments, did he ever say his company forced him to postpone his duties?? you’re a hateful fantard from other actors in other agencies, how immature you’re looking, shame!

      • @prettyautumn, you should look in the mirror, its real you who’s the real delulu hater here, you should just kill yourself if life is too sad for you, you’re pathetic!

  9. People should let people live and decide what they want to do with their lives. I don’t see any problem with his decision for postponement…it’s delayed that is all…it becomes a problem when people makes a big stink out of it.

    • People just being jealous or simply trolls who got nothing do or to say.
      Some people here even complaining as if they were korean citizens. lmao. Even knetizen were not complaining as much as many of 87’s has not been enlisting yet. LJS is 89’s, he can delay if he want like many others actors before him…

  10. I don’t see any issues that LJS is postponing his enlistment. An actor job does not finish when filming is over, it is their responsibilities to promote the film all the more he is one of the main actor. Supposedly, if LSJ enlisted and goes off,there will be backlash also. His face looks perfect ~ shows that he is a good person who has help others in the industry or not in the industry. Sometimes people says mean things it is because they had been hurt before.

  11. When we atudy for a master degree there are research group projects etc, ti stop these and go for the army is being irresponsible ~ it will interrupt the group project as well as his own thesis he has research and wasted the efforts of the professors as well. LJS is acting responsibly taking into consideration of others including his drama and film ~ it is reasonable to deferred

    • 100% agree with you. Jongsuk shows that he does not take the effort of others slightly, knowing that even he would win the contempt of many for is decision.
      Thus, in addition to proving that he is an excellent actor, he shows that he is an ever better person.

    • really? he is doing masters? didn’t he graduate already? lol. considerate my ass, that arrogant speech he gave when he got a daesang in MBC awards (well, it was fanvoted anyway) and that nasty airport incident prove you otherwise. pinocchio saved his ass and popularity after that airport incident.

      • You have axe to grind. so be it. It is getting too personal. Chill and enjoy your Sunday.

      • wow.. you really really hate him. I have never seen any anti-fan like you before…but if talking bad about him make you feel good about yourself then go ahead, then loathe him to your heart content.

  12. I can see why he wants to grab this opportunity for himself. Yes he can finish his schooling while in the military…this delay is a want and not a need. He isn’t anymore special than anyone else who has to serve. Wrong decision…guess he figures the flack will blow over soon enough. S. Korea needs a show of solidarity and national pride….tensions are so high right now.

    Wonder how the other actors feel about this negative press?

    • This may all be media play… didn’t his agency tell the media he received the enlistment notice? Why can’t they keep things quiet until a firm date has been set?

    • there is nothing negative about it, he just postponing the enlistment no big deal. moreover he’ll be serving as public servant. most commenting on the article on naver were butthurt males who already served and felt bitter, lmao. I just got back from korea, high tension no… low tension yes…smh

  13. Most people in entertainment industry in Korea supports esch other they don’t bite each other over military,

    I like the speech he gave ~ short n sweet n grateful ~ and after all it is an award for him, he has the right to says he way he wants
    As for the airport, hope u are not the girl, don’t feel bad he does not mean it, it is an misunderstanding, he was not well known then and could not have expected a fan to give him present n he was also rushing ~ dear girl, can forget n forgive?
    Prior to enlistment to military, despite his busy schedule, he would have gone for numerous physical test n screening ~ nothing was reported. Nothing unusual for celebrity to deferred military for reasons that he owns to production of dramas n films that costs millions ~ this costs affectsnot just him staffs n other co stars as well as investors of the film n drama
    To finish his master is a need not want money time hard work is spent not only on himself but the work others do together with him including professors
    Basically Jong Suk is a good guy next door type ~ we all like some people we may not like certain people its normal but i do go bashing those i don’t like, i spent time looking out forthose i like

  14. Lmaoo dying because of these comments. I’m getting all my nutrients from the salt and tears lol. The fact is that LJS’s peak (and best acting, looks and charisma) was in his I Hear Your Voice days. I actually liked him then when most of the times I was neutral because I couldn’t get into him. Unfortunately, his acting is average but his fans keep putting him on a pedestal, in the expense of his co-stars. I still remember how rude some of his fans was to Kim Woo Bin.. then they were terrible to PSH, saying that she learned acting and kissing from him. Uhmm nope, it was definitely the other way around. But delulus still keep believing that bs. And finally how they kept saying how their precious LJS solely pulled off W because HHJ was lackluster. Uhm.. did you forger Kim Ui Sung? apparently. Lol

  15. A touch of humor
    If LJS does not postpone his enlistment, the situation would be according to the title of the film, he would continue to be the VIP sought by all. True?
    (I sincerely hope that LJS can get it, deserves to enjoy the fruit of his hard work)

  16. Hahaha..no tears n salt, a true fans will never bash other people’s favorites, n if someone bash others in the name of his fan, it is not his fault right? Well, true, JS did well in IHYV, he gain more recognition from the other dramas that followed. Fans do not have power to put him where he is, it is his hard work n good nature n writer n directors who knows what he can achieve for them that puts him where it is. Surgery or not ~ doesn’t matter ~ if you are not marrying that person, let’s live n let live ~ cheers

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