TOP KOREAN ACTOR THAT GET ARMY EXEMPTION

 We know that as South Korea is still on cold war with North Korea. Thus there is an army mandatory for any young healthy man of South Korea. While military service is not mandatory for women, South Korea does allow them to enlist. But what exactly does the South Korean military service entail?

Once a Korean male turns 18 (Korean age), his compulsory service in the military comes into effect. However, they do not have to start their service immediately. It’s possible to delay the starting date until the age of 28. Yet, there is revision for this such law. South Korea's parliament amended a law on Tuesday that would allow globally recognized K-pop artistes to postpone their mandatory military service to age 30. This bill was specifically created to provide exceptions for K-pop superstars who contribute to South Korea's economy and promote its culture.

It’s expected that all men of good physical health serve in active duty, however, it is possible to complete military service outside of active duty, such as with police duties. Those with debilitating diseases, such as diabetes or other conditions, can be exempted from military service altogether. Similar exemptions can also be granted to those with exceptional skills.

Over the years, especially since the early 2000s, there have been a few controversies surrounding Korean military service. Usually, these controversies and scandals have been directed towards Korean celebrities. As this topic is always a sensitive issues, let's take a look several K actor who get exemption from military enlistment. Check it out!

1. Kim Woo Bin

Kim Woo Bin went through a difficult period in his life when he was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer and took a long hiatus to recover from it. This sad news is occur when he is on his prime time, but fortunately, his girl friend shin min ah accompany him in this down time. At the same time, he was supposed to enlist in the military, but he was exempted owing to his condition. Thankfully he's all better now and will be returning to acting soon.

2. Seo In Guk

Seo In Guk enlisted in the military but was exempted from completing his duty after a few days. He delayed his military service twice, in 2015 and 2016, citing a medical condition called osteochondral lesions, which affected the cartilage in his ankle. he report suggested that despite knowing of the condition as early as March 2015, Seo In Guk did not take any treatment measures. He then enlisted in March 2017, but was promptly ordered to receive a re-examination. Ultimately, he was exempted from duty. However, the actor faced a huge backlash from K-Netizens for allegedly trying to get out of the military. They believed that the military was biased towards celebrities without being understanding of Seo In Guk's dire condition. 

"We were not aware that OCD could be a ground for exemption," said a spokesperson for Jellyfish Entertainment, Seo's former agency. "We neither neglected nor aggravated the condition on purpose."

3. Jo Jung Suk

Jo Jung Suk was granted an exemption from military service because, due to the passing of his father, he became the sole provider for his mother. As this a sensitive topic among Korea society, a representative of Jo Jung Suk's agency Dream Star Entertainment give official statement: 

"Due to family difficulties, Jo Jung Suk received an exemption from serving in the military. He is definitely not evading military service."

He had to quit college and took on acting jobs to make ends meet. His agency released documents that proved the military had done a financial audit of his family’s dire situation prior to issuing an exemption.

4. Jung Woo Sung

Jung Woo Sung was also exempted from the military due to an insufficient academic background. Jung Woo Sung grew up in difficult household circumstances, so he had no choice but to drop out of high school.

5. Jung Il Woo

Some actors would’ve qualified for military exemption. Due to a car accident, “Haechi” star Jung Il-Woo suffered severe bodily injury. He was also diagnosed with cerebral aneurysm, which would’ve exempted him from serving. However, he chose to enlist. Since he couldn’t qualify as an active-duty soldier, Jung worked as a public service worker at the Korea Elder Protection Agency, aiding senior citizens with dementia and other ailments.

6. Yoo Ah in

Yoo Ah In was exempted from military service because he was suffering from multiple injuries besides the persistent condition of his bone tumor. The military deemed him unfit for duty after multiple medical examinations. Thankfully, his agency revealed that he has been doing much better since then, and his tumor is also benign.

7. Jang Dong Gun

Jang Dong Gun suffered from pneumothorax when he was in high school which led him to be hospitalized for major surgery. Since his condition made it hard for him to even complete his studies, he was exempt from military service.

8. Kang Ho Dong

Kang Ho Dong, who was once a wrestler, was exempted from the military for exceeding their weight limit. Since he weighed around 130 kilograms at the time, he had to give up on serving in the military.

9. Jung Jun Young

Jung Joon Young, who’s an elementary school graduate, spent his childhood in Indonesia, so he went to a foreign school which was not acknowledged by the board. On Mnet’s Superstar K 4, Jung Joon Young confessed, “I took the physical to go to the military, but my education abroad couldn’t be acknowledged.”

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