South Korean actor Nam Joo-hyuk has started his mandatory military service, his talent management agency, Soop, said in an Instagram post on Thursday.
According to the post, Nam enlisted in the military on March 20 and is currently undergoing basic training.
The actor, who has starred in multiple hit Korean dramas like Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo, Twenty-Five Twenty-One, and Start-Up, has a huge fan following around the world.
The post soon went viral, and K-drama fans took to the comments section to wish him well.
Instagram user @elmira.512's, like other fans, commented: “I wish you great service. This is a new experience in life… you will succeed! Take care of yourself. Your fans will always support you!”
In May last year, the agency announced that Joo-hyuk had applied to the Capital Defence Command Military Police.
Following his enlistment, he will have five weeks of basic training at a military training center, after which he will be assigned to his post.
In the post, Soop also asked fans not to send letters and gifts to the actor.
"Nam Joo Hyuk enlisted in the military on the 20th of March and is currently receiving basic training. We kindly ask our fans that: Please refrain from sending letters and gifts by mail while the actor is serving his mandatory military service. We appreciate and thank you for your support, however, if a large number of letters and posts arrive at once, they might not be delivered.
“We kindly ask you to send letters or anything else by mail to the management company while Joo Hyuk receives military training and after he is assigned. Thank you,” the note on Instagram read.
The actor’s fans took to the comments section to say that they will miss him during his training and military service.
Instagrammer @kdrama.oppa22 shared a video montage of some roles done by Joo-hyuk and wrote: “I will really miss his dramas this year, his dramas are always so good.”
Like many others, Joo-hyuk’s fan @simply_gee23 commented: “Good luck Nam Joo-hyuk, sending lots of love and good wishes on your enlistment take good care and stay healthy. We will wait for you with prayers and love.”
“Could you please post some photos [of Joo-hyuk]? We haven’t seen him for a long time,” requested another fan @goorooluu.
Conscription (compulsory enlistment for state service) in South Korea has existed since 1957 and requires male citizens between the ages of 18 and 35 to perform compulsory military service. Women are not required to perform military service, but they may voluntarily join the military.
