[Aju News DB]
South Korean actor-singer Lee Seung-gi will begin two years of mandatory military service from February 1 after releasing his last single about conscription, his agency, Hook Entertainment, said Thursday.
The 29-year-old promised to come back after becoming a "manly man" and described his song "I Am Joining the Military" as a ballad about himself and other young Koreans waiting for military service, as well as their families and friends.
Lee, who debuted in 2004, has been a fixture on variety shows, starring in hit shows like "Brilliant Legacy".
All able-bodied South Korean men aged 18-35 are required to serve in the military for about two years, because the Korean peninsula is still technically at war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice with no peace treaty signed between the two Koreas.
The military relies heavily on a compulsory military service system. Exemptions are rare, with some Olympic gold medalists are not required to serve.
Charles Lim
아주경제 임장원 기자 = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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