13 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Military Before Their Career Breakthroughs

Check out our list of Korean oppas who completed their mandatory military service prior to their rise to popularity

Janelle Roa Cabrera-Paraiso

<p><strong>Kang Tae-oh</strong> recently enlisted in the military. He is receiving basic training from a base located in Jeungpyeong County of North Chungcheong Province. His fans and supporters were saddened by the news, as he had to enlist just as his career is soaring following the success of K-drama <em><strong>Extraordinary Attorney Woo</strong></em>. </p><div><br/></div><p>On Instagram, he left a message for his fans and followers and showed off himself in a series of snaps with his head shaved as preparation for his enlistment. In the caption, he wrote: “Thank you for your support and excessive love. I&#x27;ll have a good trip. See you soon.” Kang Tae-oh carried out his scheduled activities for September before enlisting. At best, he will have delivered his military duties by 2024, when the second season of <em>Extraordinary Attorney Woo</em>, which he starred in with Korean actress Park Eun-bin, is expected to be released.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cir_inUvNyA/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cir_inUvNyA/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"> <div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"> <div 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style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"><br/></div> <div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"><br/></div> <div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"> <div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"><br/></div> <div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"> <div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"><br/></div> <div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"><br/></div> <div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"><br/></div></div></div> <div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"> <div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"><br/></div> <div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"><br/></div></div></a><div style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cir_inUvNyA/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by 강태오 (@kto940620)</a></div></div></blockquote> </div><div><br/></div><p>Thankfully, when these Korean actors in the gallery below soared to popularity, their fans did not have to get their hearts broken by a hiatus due to military enlistment. These oppas enlisted in the army before their career breakthroughs.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Browse through the gallery below:</strong></div><div class="article-content" itemProp="articleBody"><div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/2ce630cc-aea7-439c-8b6f-67547035229c_15 actors who served in the army landscape.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/b5dc5d47-ef50-42e5-9cc4-753a99610f2b_park seo-joon.jpg" alt="15 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Army Before Their Career Breakthroughs" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/d2ca4425-15fe-41b4-a8b8-96e8d69f463d_hwang in-youp.jpg" alt="15 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Army Before Their Career Breakthroughs" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/3052c197-5ead-4c3e-97e0-17bac3f13fcf_jung hae-in.jpg" alt="15 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Army Before Their Career Breakthroughs" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/9cde4473-332c-458a-bfe4-5be86043caaa_byun yo-han.jpg" alt="15 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Army Before Their Career Breakthroughs" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/c3c7939f-eabc-4835-a4eb-e7e232098e5d_ryu jun-yeol.jpg" alt="15 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Army Before Their Career Breakthroughs" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/0dc24f38-8117-450c-b9b1-5ca841af0283_kim jung-hyun.jpg" alt="15 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Army Before Their Career Breakthroughs" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/af129f8b-ddf1-4837-93ae-8ef03a2a3120_kim seon-ho.jpg" alt="15 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Army Before Their Career Breakthroughs" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/b78a207c-b474-4687-bd5b-b9212651e86e_yoon kyun-sang.jpg" alt="15 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Army Before Their Career Breakthroughs" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/3e1c3655-55d3-4da0-b886-c44f53d59d01_lee kwang-soo.jpg" alt="15 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Army Before Their Career Breakthroughs" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/819468a5-8674-4de7-824f-e44bbfb7c7f2_wi ha-joon.jpg" alt="15 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Army Before Their Career Breakthroughs" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/572cd856-25d1-4c80-bc8e-f455966b1ca0_jang dong-yoon.jpg" alt="15 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Army Before Their Career Breakthroughs" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/09fe17a3-d928-4e33-b528-2b8b6a34a65f_ahn jae-hyun.jpg" alt="15 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Army Before Their Career Breakthroughs" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/45c41a48-7af8-4495-9df0-3aac1f7b1532_yoo yeon-seok.jpg" alt="15 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Army Before Their Career Breakthroughs" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div></div><div class="media-content slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Park Seo-joon - Prior to his acting debut in 2011, Park Seo-joon had already been discharged from his mandatory service in the military in 2010. He rendered his time right after his high school graduation and headed to serve the South Korean government at the age of 19. Now a household name, he is considered as one of the cream-of-the-crop actors in the acting circuit. He also confirmed that he was cast for the American film franchise &#x27;The Marvels.&#x27;<cite>@awesome_ent_official</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Hwang In-youp - Before Hwang In-youp’s entry to the entertainment business in 2018 as an actor, his period in the army had already concluded. He also auditioned as a fashion model in 2017 after finishing his military commitments and kicked off his career thereafter. He took on his acting ambitions and is best known for his breakthrough roles in a roster of series such as &#x27;True Beauty,&#x27; &#x27;The Tale of Nokdu,&#x27; &#x27;The Sound of Magic,&#x27; and &#x27;Why Her.&#x27;<cite>@keyeastofficial</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Jung Hae-in - When he was in college, Jung Hae-in’s compulsory mandate to join the military came about. After enlisting, he eventually arrived at his acting aspirations and it was during his service that it dawned on him to pursue the path. In 2010, he completed the service and signed a contract with his acting agency. He then debuted in the television series &#x27;Bride of the Century,&#x27; which starred Lee Hong-gi and Yang Jin-sung.<cite>https://www.fncent.com</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Byun Yo-han - It was in 2006 when Byun Yo-han signed up for enlistment. He started in the army at the age of 20, and fulfilled his duties first before entering the entertainment business. He is popular for his breakthrough project &#x27;Misaeng,&#x27; where his role as Han Seok Yul led him to recognition. He also appeared in independent films including &#x27;Socialphobia&#x27; and &#x27;The Book of Fish.&#x27;<cite>@sarament_official</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Ryu Jun-yeol - Before he began his career in acting, Ryu Jun-yeol had already completed his mandatory military service. He started in 2007 and was discharged in 2009. After his duty, he traversed the acting track and made his way to the 2015 movie &#x27;Socialphobia,&#x27; which was also his debut appearance. The &#x27;Reply 1988&#x27; star rose to popularity for his role as Kim Jung-hwan in the period series. <cite>@cjes.tagram</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Kim Jung-hyun - Acting has always been Kim Jung-hyun’s passion. He was able to pursue his college studies at the Korea National University of Arts but cut it short when he went to the army at the age of 21. He was launched into an actor and landed his first role in the film &#x27;Overman.&#x27; His moving performance in &#x27;Crash Landing on You&#x27; alongside celebrity couple Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin also made him popular. He also earned nods of approval for his performance as King Cheoljong in K-drama &#x27;Mr. Queen.&#x27;<cite>@storyjcompany</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Kim Seon-ho - Kim Seon-ho has long been acting before he launched his career in the entertainment scene. He was able to complete his service requirements and started in the industry in 2017 through the television series &#x27;Good Manager.&#x27; He eventually landed projects like &#x27;100 Days My Prince,&#x27; &#x27;Welcome to Waikiki 2,&#x27; &#x27;Start-Up,&#x27; and of course, his famed character in &#x27;Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.&#x27;<cite>http://www.saltent.co.kr</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Yoon Kyun-sang - In the beginning, Yoon Kyun-sang marked his entry to the world of entertainment as a model. Before he debuted as an actor in 2012, he was discharged from the army in 2010 and eventually established roots in the industry through the important roles that he played in his projects. He starred in the historical series &#x27;The Rebel,&#x27; where he was cast as the lead character.<cite>@management_am9</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Lee Kwang-soo - Lee Kwang-soo got into the army after his graduation from high school. He did not hesitate to enlist and was able to end his military journey in 2007. He first made it to the industry as a model and fared as an actor after partaking in multiple projects, where his tender talent was honed. He starred in the SBS variety show &#x27;Running Man&#x27; where he rose to stardom, and the rest was history. <cite>@kkbyss</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Wi Ha-joon - &#x27;Squid Game&#x27; star Wi Ha-joon served in the army at the young age of 20. Even before his entertainment pursuits had unfolded, his passion for acting has always been something that he bears with him, so he studied at Sungkul University as a Theater and Film student. He is popular for his noteworthy performances in &#x27;Something in the Rain&#x27; and the huge Netflix hit &#x27;Squid Game.&#x27;<cite>@msteamenter</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Jang Dong-yoon - From 2012 to 2014, Jang Dong-yoon served his time in the military. He studied at Hanyang University in 2015, and took on multiple roles right after drawing attention from the public. He was discovered in the past through a robbing incident that roamed the news in Korea. His name became known because he came to help the clerk who is being threatened by a burglar.<cite>@dongyicompany.official</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Ahn Jae-hyun - In 2012, Ahn Jae-hyun decided to carry out his duties for his country. He served as a soldier and right after rendering his time in the military, he tailed his dream of becoming an actor and braved the dark. After his acting stint in the hit series &#x27;My Love from the Star,&#x27; he was able to reap recognition from across the world. He also starred in &#x27;Blood&#x27;and appeared in &#x27;Reunited Worlds,&#x27; &#x27;The Beauty Inside,&#x27; and &#x27;Love With Flaws.&#x27; <cite>@aagbanjh</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Yoo Yeon-seok - Yoo Yeon Seok&#x27;s first film showcase was entitled &#x27;Oldboy.&#x27; The success of the movie made him popular, but his acting pursuits were cut short when service has called upon him. He had a long hiatus from his career, but has made a comeback upon fulfilling his duties. His flair for acting hasn’t paled one bit, and he was offered projects after his break from show business. <cite>@kkbyss</cite></p></div></div></div></div><div><br/></div><p>Lead photos from <strong>OCN </strong>and <strong>Netflix</strong></p><p>Gallery cover photos from <strong>Koreaboo</strong><br/></p><div><br/></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

13 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Military Before Their Career Breakthroughs | ABS-CBN

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13 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Military Before Their Career Breakthroughs

13 Korean Actors Who Enlisted In The Military Before Their Career Breakthroughs

Janelle Roa Cabrera-Paraiso

Published Sep 29, 2022 11:56 AM PHT

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Updated Oct 01, 2022 08:13 AM PHT

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