How It Works
What Military Service Does to a Korean Star's Career
Every able-bodied Korean man in entertainment must serve 18 to 21 months in the military by age 28, and how an agency times that gap can define, or derail, a career.
Topic
BTS
The group that made K-pop a global category — and what its members are doing now.
4 stories
Celebrity
What Happens to a K-Pop Group When a Member Enlists?
South Korean law requires nearly all male citizens to serve 18 to 21 months in the military, so K-pop groups have built a standard playbook of sub-units, solo work and staggered enlistment to keep operating instead of disbanding.
Music
Why K-Pop Idol Contracts Always Last Exactly Seven Years
A 2009 antitrust rule that caps Korean entertainment contracts at seven years explains why so many K-pop groups face a make-or-break renewal moment on their seventh anniversary.
Celebrity
Why South Korean Male Celebrities Must Serve in the Military
South Korean law requires almost every able-bodied man, famous or not, to serve 18 to 21 months in the military, and the country treats attempts by celebrities to avoid it as a serious offense rather than a private choice.
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