Bye for a While: These K-Drama Oppas are Enlisting This Year
Jun 3, 2020 • Ina Louise Manto
If you’re a fan of K-dramas or K-pop, you probably know that there is an inevitable event in an idol’s life: enlistment. Yes, the big e-word we wish we could all avoid because it means we won’t see them for about two years. However, military service is mandatory in South Korea for men aged 18-28. Being a celebrity isn’t an exception. So brace yourselves friends, because by the end of the year, we would have already said “see you again soon” to these oppas:
Park Bo Gum
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Park Bo Gum is one of the biggest K-Drama actors right now, with millions of fans who have swooned over his charms and smile. He’s known for his lead roles in Love in the Moonlight (2016) and Encounter (2018) where he was paired with K-Drama unnie Song Hye-Ko. We can’t also forget how adorable he was in Reply 1988, where he played the role of Choi Taek, the Baduk (Go) genius who always seems to be clueless. Park Bo Gum has already applied for the Navy, and is expected to enlist by August.
Woo Do Hwan
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Although Woo Do Hwan has been in the industry for nine years already, he’s gaining more popularity now (more than ever) from The King: Eternal Monarch, where he acts alongside OG oppa Lee Min Ho. Fans can’t seem to can’t get enough of his two roles in the show: cute and funny Jo Eun Sub, and uptight and serious Jo Young. Ugh, the duality. Some of his popular roles include a movie with Park Seo Joon in 2019, Mad Dog.
Yang Se Jong
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If you’re a fan of medical dramas, you’ve probably seen Yang Se Jong in the hit series Dr. Romantic in 2016. That was his acting debut ,and chances are you eventually developed a crush on him as the show progressed. In 2017, he took the lead role in a drama, Temperature of Love, with Dr. Romantic co-actress Seo Hyun Jin. He also starred in a period drama with Woo Do Hwan, My Country: The New Age, in 2019. Yang Se Jong has actually already enlisted as an active soldier on May 12.
Seo Kang Jun
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You probably remember Seo Kang Jun as Baek In Ho from the Webtoon-turned-drama, Cheese in the Trap in 2016. He played the role of a troubled pianist with striking brown eyes you’d want to get lost in. Kang Jun had his breakthrough role in the 2014 drama Cunning Single Lady and also appeared in Are You Human Too? (2018), The Third Charm (2018), and Splendid Politics (2015).
Ji Soo
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Ji Soo is an actor that would give you a bad dose of second-lead syndrome. Why can’t he have all the good things in these dramas?! He’s known for his roles in Strong Girl Do Bong-Soon (2017), Glory Day (2015), Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (2016), and Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016).
Jang Ki Yong
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Come and Hug Me (2018) star Jang Ki Yong is also enlisting this year. He also appeared in My Mister (2018) with IU, Confession Couple (2017), and Touch Your Heart (2019). If you’re looking for a new drama to binge-watch, Jang Ki Yong has an ongoing series, Born Again.
Yook Sung Jae
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If you’re a fan of the 2016 drama Goblin, you might have been shookt with Yook Sung Jae’s role, Yoo Deok Hwa. He’s actually an idol-turned actor; he’s a member of K-pop group BTOB! He made his acting debut in Monstar (2013), and has appeared in dramas like Guardian (2016) and All the Butlers (2017). He has an ongoing drama on Netflix, Mystic Pop-Up Bar, with new episodes on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Sung Jae enlisted on May 11.
Infinite L
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Kim Myung-soo, popularly known as L is a member of K-pop group Infinite. He’s another idol-turned-actor and has appeared in dramas like The Emperor: Owner of the Mask (2017) and Angel’s Last Mission: Love (2019). L is in the fifth member of the group to enlist.
You know what this means — time to binge-watch these oppas’ dramas again!
