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
Military Service
Eighteen months offline in the most attention-driven industry on earth.
3 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.
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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