‘This made my heart sink’: SEVENTEEN’s DK and Vernon to begin military service, CARATs face unwelcome countdowns

There is a particular kind of heartbreak reserved for fans of Korean boy bands. You spend years cheering for your favourite members, memorising their inside jokes, celebrating every comeback, and then, suddenly, the military enlistment notice arrives to remind you that joy is temporary and South Korea has a mandatory service system.

SEVENTEEN fans are now staring down that familiar emotional cliff.

On July 27, PLEDIS Entertainment announced that DK and Vernon will soon begin their military service, meaning two more members of the group will temporarily step away from SEVENTEEN activities. Vernon will begin his alternative service on August 20, while DK is scheduled to enlist for active duty in the Army on September 8.

CARATs, naturally, are not taking the news particularly well.

“This made my heart sink,” one fan wrote.

“I can’t process this, going to miss you so much,” another said.

And, in perhaps the most concise summary of the collective mood: “so not ready”.

PLEDIS Entertainment confirmed the enlistment news in a statement shared on Weverse on July 27. According to the agency, Vernon will begin his military service on August 20 and will take part in all official SEVENTEEN activities scheduled before his service begins.

DK is scheduled to enlist for active duty in the Army on September 8. He will also participate in official activities before his enlistment.

The agency asked fans not to visit the enlistment ceremony in person. It noted that numerous enlistees and their families will be present at DK’s ceremony and also requested that fans refrain from visiting the location of Vernon’s alternative service.

Once their military service begins, neither Vernon nor DK will be able to participate in SEVENTEEN activities. PLEDIS, however, said the two members will continue connecting with CARATs through a variety of content prepared in advance.

In other words: fans may have content. They may have messages. They may have pre-recorded videos waiting in the wings.

But they will still be missing Vernon and DK.

And that is the strange sadness of loving a Korean boy band. Just when you’ve emotionally prepared yourself for a comeback, a concert, a new variety show appearance or another round of chaotic group content, military service arrives with a calendar date and takes two members away.

PLEDIS asked fans to continue sending their love and support to DK and Vernon until they complete their service and return in good health. The agency also said it will continue supporting both artists throughout their military service.

For CARATs, though, August 20 and September 8 are now looking less like dates on a calendar and more like two very unwelcome countdowns.