SM Entertainment’s Lee Taeyong will be the first NCT member to join the mandatory Korean military service. Recently, the agency has shared Lee Taeyong’s enlistment date and a special note for fans.
With six tracks, Lee Taeyong recently released his second extended play, Tap. The EP sold over 211,799 units within the first week of its release, peaking at number 3 on South Korea’s Circle Album Chart. The album also impacted Japanese music charts, ranking 46 on the Oricon Album Chart.
SM Entertainment confirms Lee Taeyong’s enlistment date.
NCT’s all-rounder Lee Taeyong will be temporarily away from the public eye as his agency has confirmed his enlistment date. The 28-year-old K-pop superstar will be officially enlisting on April 15 as an active member of the Korean Navy team.
SM Entertainment has shared a short statement informing fans of Taeyong’s joining day protocols. The label noted, “There will be no official events held on the day he enters the recruit training center, and we ask for your understanding as his enlistment will be held privately to prevent safety incidents due to congestion on site.”
While enlisting in the military is mandatory for all Korean non-disabled men between 18-35, Taeyong’s choice of service has intrigued fans. Instead of special forces or any other field, Taeyong chose the Korean Navy, a rare choice for K-pop stars.
Before Taeyong, Day6 member Wonpil became the first K-pop star to join the Korean Navy for mandatory military duty in 2022. Wonpil attended the Republic of Korea Navy’s 682nd training unit’s official training completion ceremony on May 6, 2022, making new history.
K-pop idols generally avoid Navy duties because of the duration of the service period. Reports claim mandatory training in the Korean Navy is usually two months longer than serving in the Army or Marines. So, professional idols skip the Navy to ensure their training finishes sooner.
While the Korean Navy has a more extended training period, fans are excited about Taeyong’s possible participation in the Navy’s military band concert. Many idols have previously participated in military band concerts, and Taeyong could join the Navy edition this year.
