There was two big K-ent star military enlistment news today so I’m reporting it together. First up is the very expected news that cancer-recovering male actor-model Kim Woo Bin is officially exempt from military service. Like, d’uh. He spent the last 8 months undergoing chemo treatment for throat cancer and is currently in recovery, with his agency confirming the exemption today and also that he hopes to return to his activities sometime this year. Apparently Kim Woo Bin got his enlistment notice shortly after his cancer diagnosis last year and went in for his physical and ranked grade 6 which is a fail.
On the other side of the spectrum is news that scandal plagued singer-actor Jung Yong Hwa will be enlisting for his military service in early March 2018, a little over a month away. All his overseas concerts have been cancelled and he is enlisting shortly after the scandal with his preferential acceptance into graduate school at Kyung Hee University, with the impetus being to defer his military enlistment. By enlisting now it’ll do double duty in staving off more criticism and also leave the public eye for two years to let the scandal die down. All in all I agree with both enlistment decisions.
It looks like netiziens have already get what they wanted. I don’t think what Yong Hwa did was right,it would be necessary knowing his company’s advices,I don’t think they were to happy being CNBLUE so sucessful but anyway, he would enlist to avoid more criticism.
In less than 2 months,Jonghyun committed suicide because he was to depressed because he thought he wasn’t good enough and couldn’t stand the pressure. I see netiziens should learn something and let idols to live a bit because between them and the pressure of their owns companies, it’s too much for people so young.
I’m sorry if the rest don’t agree with me.
I am more surprised that he knows his enlistment month. Because the scandal just broke out. The military is the military they are not dictated by the idols schedules. That means the notice to enlist went out before all the news broke.
Your right. There is something fishy about all his enlistment news, dates, PhD study and concert cancellations. Don’t know what is the truth but it doesn’t matter anymore. He is going to do his military service for his country.
Maybe he used his deferment??? …if he did then he would know the month,even though the rules on deferment have changed I believe they still exist only over a shorter period…
@Virginia, well just wondering in your opinion he shouldn’t have enlisted? No matter how you twist and turn it, military service is mandatory but you make it sound that netizens are forcing him to enlist. I don’t think public pressure would make much of a difference with something he has to do anyways, no?
I know it’s obligatory in Korea even if it isn’t very useful. What I mean is that they love idols to death but they pressure too much in some cases. It looks like we they are against someone, you can’t do anything. I saw some Super junior fans,asking for some members to leave and like this,you can read more.
Sorry to say this. You can’t say the obligatory military service is not useful when you don’t live in a country that is always under the threat of war from their northern neighbor.
I hope KWB recovers well. Cancer is no joke. The radiotherapy not only kill the cancer cells but the adjacent healthy tissue. Meaning his pharynx might not be functioning properly, therefore he needs constant surveillance and medication. Not to forget that he has to regularly take anti-cancer drugs and do checkups.
Good that JYH is enlisting. It’s mandatory anyway so better now than never. It will hopefully deter most of the critique and 2 years pass pretty fast too. It was bad luck that he couldn’t get into that doctorate program like some other celebs got to get into (like Jang Guen Suk and Lee Jong Suk). But if he is determined to get that PhD, he could do it after military service too…
Kim Woo Bin’s military exemption is indisputable.Pretty much everyone even the nets have nothing negative to say about that.I wish him a speedy recovery.
@virginia I respectfully disagree.Yong Hwa is not being witch hunted or receiving unnecessary hate.He was wrong and he was called out for it.The criticism he is receiving, has forced him to face the responsibilities he was trying to run away from.
And if you think people are being hard on him.Ask that Steven Yoo or something.The idol who was banned from entering Korea.Even actors who supposedly have it easier than idols in terms of netizen criticism like: Jang Hyuk, Son Seung Hun.Especially JH had to work his ass off to regain the public respect again.Even sick ones like Seo In Guk, Yoo Ah In.
Him enlisting is exactly what he needs to save his career.So wish him well and hope he serves peacefully without any more scandals.And please stop bringing up Jong Hyun to excuse/shield idols mistakes.I have seen people even defending idols Kim Hyun Joong and Park Yoon Chun using Jong Hyun.Even if am not Jong Hyun fan, this is tarnishing his legacy.
Thank you for this comment. I completely agree.
I am more surprised that he knows his enlistment month. Because the scandal just broke out. The military is the military they are not dictated by the idols schedules. That means the notice to enlist went out before all the news broke.
All the Yonghwa story is not really clear. The university told very different things. It’s not fair that Yonghwa took all the blame. Now the other members will have to enlist soon because they wanted to be in the same time and come back together as CNBLUE.
Can someone enlighten me why the military sent KWB his enlistment shortly after him being diagnosed for cancer? And why would he need to go for physical when there should be a doctor’s report on his cancer to submit for exemption?
So, pretty sure the systems automated. For example, the government really only knows you by your name and SIN number, birth date, etc. There are probably lots of KWB like there are lots of John Smiths. I’m only assuming in KWB case, they sent the notice regardless (the system probably doesnt know and I doubt employees manually enter this information because that would be favouritism). It doesn’t matter if he’s a celebrity or not, the government needs proof you can’t perform military duty. Yes, he could provide hospital records to prove he had cancer, but I know a couple of people who had or are dealing with cancer in the army right now. There’s multiple types of cancer, and depending on which one, he could still technically serve. So that’s probably why he had to get tested. You gotta get tested to be exempt. And people would probably curse his name if he didnt get tested citing celebrities get away with a lot of things.. etc etc
Thanks! I guess in Singapore, our population is small and all government and hospital systems are consolidated that with entry of your ID number, they can tell everything about you. But I guess it makes sense to have him officially tested since it’s such a huge issue of evading national service by the rich and famous. This will help dispel rumours to a certain extent.
I remember that students who died in the ferry accident receveid their enlistement notification. The families were very angry (with reason). And I think it would be to easy to pay a doctor to say that you can’t do it, so you have to be examine by a military doctor.
Good decision by Jung Yong Hwa to enlist and let the scandal die down. Great to hear that Kim Woo Bin is recovering, hope he is not lynched online if he indeed resumes work in the second half of the year. Thought k-stars who are exempted from service tend to lie low during the 2 year period…
Not really, Yoo Ah In has been working non stop on film and Seo In Guk is considering a drama. At the end of the day if the drama/movie is good, people don’t really care about the actor’s scandal. Lee Santa is an example.
Yeah I very much doubt anyone could expect a cancer patient in the process of treatment to serve in the army. Kim Woo Bin might have finished his treatments for now but he’ll have to watch his health very carefully for the next few years to see that the cancer doesn’t come back or he doesn’t develop other health conplications, I wish him nothing but luck and good health.