In an ideal pacifist world, war wouldn’t exist. But sadly, that’s not the case. Its threat is always looming. As a result, in certain countries such as South Korea, mandatory military service is a very real requirement — all able-bodied males no matter how rich or privileged must fulfil conscription, including Korean celebrities.
But first, let’s learn a bit about this law.
North and South Korea have had tense relations for a very long time. There have been moments of escalation, situations of deterrence, and even silly feuds, such as the garbage balloons incident in May 2024.
As a result, the South Korean government decided it would be wise to have a readily available sect of people trained in the military arts.
The Military Service Act has existed since 1957, and according to Article 3, “Every masculine gender of the Republic of Korea shall faithfully perform mandatory military service, as prescribed by the Constitution of the Republic of Korea and this Act. A feminine gender may perform only active service or reserve service through volunteering.”
The military service is usually 18-21 months long, which means that quite a few popular Korean celebrities who had enlisted earlier will be done with their service by the end of 2025.
Korean celebrities scheduled to get discharged from the military in 2025
1. iKON’s Jay
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Enlistment date: 20 July 2023
Discharge date: 17 January 2025
Jay, aka Kim Jin-hwan, is the frontman, lead vocalist and dancer of the Korean pop group iKON. He’s been a part of the group since 2015, but it wasn’t until 2019 that he was appointed as the leader after B.I. left. Jay also made his solo debut in June 2023, a month before his military enlistment, with his single ‘Paradise’.
2. MONSTA X’s Joohoney
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Enlistment date: 23 July 2023
Discharge date: 23 January 2025
Lee Ji-hwan, who goes by the stage name Joohoney, is a South Korean rapper, singer and member of the group MONSTA X. Apart from making music with the group, Joohoney also made his solo debut in 2023 with his EP Lights.
Joohoney enlisted as an active-duty soldier and also met with his long-time friend RM from BTS during military service. The latter posted a picture of the two on his Instagram story in May 2024.
3. EXO’s Kai
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Enlistment date: 11 May 2023
Discharge date: 10 February 2025
Kim Jong-in, aka Kai, is a South Korean singer, dancer and actor. He is also a member of the South Korean boyband EXO and supergroup SuperM. In 2020, Kai made his official debut as a solo artist with his EP Kai and its lead single ‘Mmmh’.Being a fashion icon, Kai is the brand ambassador for Gucci and has also served as the muse for Yves Saint Laurent Beauty.
He assumed the role of a social service worker in the military after his basic training.
4. MONSTA X’s Kihyun
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Enlistment date: 22 August 2023
Discharge date: 21 February 2025
Kihyun whose full name is Yoo Ki-hyun is one of the Korean celebrities who will be discharged from military service in 2025. He is the main vocalist of MONSTA X with notable solo albums under his belt such as Voyager (2022), Fatal Love (2020) and more.
He enlisted in the military band with the 25th Infantry Division.
5. Kim Min-jae
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Enlistment date: 18 May 2023
Discharge date: 17 March 2025
Kim Min-jae is a South Korean actor and rapper who is widely known for his roles in TV shows like Dr Romantic (2016-2023), Tempted (2018), Guardian: The Lonely and Great God/Goblin (2016), and more recently in the web series Bloodhounds (2023).
Min-jae, after his five-week training programme, was moved to the Army Band. During his military service, he also reunited with his long-time friend V from BTS who reconnected with his friends while on a break from his duties. The duo’s first snapshot in eight years was posted by bodybuilder and trainer, Ma Sun-ho.
6. MONSTA X’s Hyungwon
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Enlistment date: 14 November 2023
Discharge date: 13 May 2025
Chae Hyung-won, mononymously known as Hyunwon, is a South Korean DJ, singer, model and member of MONSTA X. Aside from his music career, Hyungwon has also dabbled in acting projects, the most recent one being the web show CEO-dol Mart (2023).
In 2023, he became the brand ambassador for John Varvatos and was also selected by the luxury brand Givenchy to be the new model for Parfums Givenchy.
Hyungwon enlisted as an active-duty soldier and was promoted to corporal in June 2024.
7. Lee Do-hyun
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Enlistment date: 14 August 2023
Discharge date: 13 May 2025
Lee Do-hyun, aka Lim Dong-hyun, is one of the most popular Korean celebrities. An actor of great calibre, Do-hyun has appeared in some of the most popular K-dramas and movies of recent years. Some of his notable works are Sweet Home (2020-2024) and Exhuma (2024) amongst others. He is dating actress Lim Ji-yeon, his co-star from The Glory (2022-2023).
Do-hyun enlisted in the Air Force military band.
8. TEEN TOP’S Changjo
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Enlistment date: 20 November 2023
Discharge date: 19 May 2025
Changjo, aka Choi Jong-hyun, is the last member of Teen Top to enlist for military service. In October 2023, his agency announced that Changjo would be enlisting the following month.
He has been a member of Teen Top since 2010, but in 2023, he strayed to begin his career as a soloist by signing an exclusive contract with Beat Interactive. Despite the contract, Changjo still remains a part of the band.
9. BTS’ V
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Enlistment date: 11 December 2023
Discharge date: 10 June 2025
Another big name among Korean celebrities who will get discharged from military service in 2025 is V, aka Kim Tae-hyung.
Apart from his BTS work, V made his acting debut in 2016 with the TV series Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth. Additionally, he made his debut as a solo artist in 2023 with singles, ‘Love Me Again’ and ‘Rainy Days’. He is also the brand ambassador of Cartier and Celine among others.
He is serving in the Army’s Ssangyong unit of the 2nd Corps during his conscription.
10. BTS’ RM
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Enlistment date: 11 December 2023
Discharge date: 10 June 2025
BTS’ RM, aka Kim Nam-joon, enlisted in the military on the same day as his bandmate V. RM is a rapper, songwriter and record producer. He officially debuted as a solo artist in 2022 with his first studio album ‘Indigo.’
Known for his quiet luxury aesthetic, RM is the brand ambassador for the Italian luxury brand Bottega Veneta.
He is serving in the Special Task Force of the Capital Defense Command.
11. BTS’ Jungkook
Enlistment date: 12 December 2023
Discharge date: 11 June 2025
Endearingly called the it-boy of K-pop by his fans, Jeon Jung-kook is possibly the biggest K-pop idol of our time with his debut solo single, ‘Seven’ becoming the fastest song in 2023 to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify.
In 2022, Jungkook became the first Korean artist to release a song for the FIFA World Cup, titled ‘Dreamers’. He also performed at the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony.
One of the Korean celebrities whose discharge fans are most eagerly waiting for in 2025, he assumed the role of a cook during his military service.
Fans can’t wait for “Jung-cook’s” comeback!
12. BTS’ Jimin
Enlistment date: 12 December 2023
Discharge date: 11 June 2025
Jimin, aka Park Ji-min, enlisted for military service with his bandmate Jungkook. The duo, before starting their service, also launched a series, Are You Sure?! that documented their last days of freedom. Other BTS members like J-Hope and Jin completed their military service in 2024.
Jimin, one of the most popular members of BTS, launched his solo album ‘Face’ in 2023. He is also the brand ambassador for two LVMH labels, Dior and Tiffany and Co.
During his military service, he was assigned to the Artillery Fire Direction Centre.
13. Oh Hee–jun
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Enlistment date: 12 December 2023
Discharge date: 11 June 2025
Oh Hee-jun is a South Korean singer-songwriter and former member of the Korean boyband KNK. In 2021, after an almost six-year-long association with the band, Hee-jun decided to part ways to launch his solo career; he released his single on 16 October 2021.
14. Pentagon’s Shinwon
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Enlistment date: 21 December 2023
Discharge date: 20 June 2025
Shinwon is a Korean celebrity, former model, singer-songwriter and member of the K-pop group Pentagon. He is also one of the four remaining members of Pentagon with Cube Entertainment after five band members parted ways with the agency in 2023.
The remaining members’ contracts have been put on hold due to their military service.
15. BTS’ Suga
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Enlistment date: 22 September 2023
Discharge date: 21 June 2025
One of the most loved Korean celebrities, Min Yoon-gi, aka Suga, is a BTS member and a solo artist. A rapper and songwriter, Suga, who also uses the stage name Agust D, is the highest-charting South Korean solo artist of all time along with his bandmate Jimin.
He is also the brand ambassador for Valentino and the NBA, serving as a social service agent during his conscription.
16. EXO’s Sehun
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Enlistment date: 21 December 2023
Discharge date: 20 September 2025
Oh Se-hun or Sehun is a South Korean rapper, singer and actor. The EXO member is another popular name among Korean celebrities who will be discharged from military service in 2025.
Apart from musical gigs, Sehun has also found fame in front of the camera. Some of his popular works are All That We Loved (2023) and Now, We Are Breaking Up (2022).
He is also the brand ambassador for the popular luxury brand Dior.
17. Song Kang
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Enlistment date: 2 April 2024
Discharge date: 1 October 2025
Song Kang, the Korean heartthrob rose to fame and gained recognition for his roles in the Netflix series Sweet Home (2020-2024). Some of his other popular works include Nevertheless (2021), My Demon (2023-2024) and Forecasting Love and Weather (2022).
He is also the Asia-Pacific region brand ambassador for Bobby Brown Cosmetics. He is an active-duty soldier.
18. NCT’s Taeyong
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Enlistment date: 10 April 2023
Discharge date: 10 October 2025
Taeyong is a South Korean rapper and songwriter who debuted in 2016 with the group NCT. Since then, his career has had an upward trajectory. In 2019 he was introduced as a member of the K-pop group SuperM and in June 2023 he made his official debut as a solo artist with his EP ‘Shalala’.
Taeyong serves as the global brand ambassador for Spanish luxury brand Loewe and is the newest ambassador for Benefit Cosmetics in Korea.
19. Hwang Min-hyun
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Enlistment date: 21 March 2024
Discharge date: 20 December 2025
Hwang Min-hyun is a South Korean singer, songwriter and actor. He has been a member of the music groups Wanna One from 2017-2019 and NU’EST from 2012-2022. Apart from music, Min-hyun also found fame in acting. Some of his most popular TV series are Alchemy of Souls (2022-2023) and My Lovely Liar (2023) among others.
Which Korean celebrity’s comeback from military service are you most excited about?
(Main and featured images: Instagram/RM @rkive)
This story first appeared in Lifestyle Asia India.
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.