Entertainment
MONSTA X’s Shownu will enlist in military this month
Shownu will begin his service later this month (Picture: The Chosunilbo JNS/Imazins via Getty Images)
MONSTA X star Shownu will begin his military service later this month.
The 29-year-old confirmed via a letter posted to the group’s official fan cafe that he will be taking a ‘short hiatus’ from the band to fulfil his mandatory military duties.
His training will begin on July 22 – less than two weeks from now.
Shownu wrote: ‘From July 22, I will be taking a short hiatus as I fulfil my national defence duties. It feels like just yesterday when I made my debut, but now it’s time for me to go to the military.
‘As I worked hard until now, I have experienced both joy and hardship and various meaningful moments with the members and the fans. The love and support that I’ve received from fans is not just the love between one person and another but something much bigger than that. There were times when I unconsciously began to take it for granted and times when I realised that I shouldn’t.
‘Thank you for letting me feel and experience so many things through MONSTA X. I will do my best to repay you, so please continue to have fun with MONSTA X and Shownu. Thank you so much for letting me realise that I am able to live through new things each day.
‘The life I’m living now. The path I chose could have been worse than what had been originally there, or it could be better, or it could be an excessive life beyond the point of words, I don’t know. I think that happiness is living while feeling things like gratitude and thankfulness and love and disappointment and regrets. Regardless of whether I’m living a good or bad life, I think I’m just a happy person.
‘Since I started talking about life just because I won’t be able to promote for a little bit, I must be nervous. Anyway, thank you and stay happy and healthy.
The singer will take a hiatus from MONSTA X (Picture: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for iHeartMedia )
‘Letters should end abruptly, right? Love you always. Yes, I love you, and let’s meet again soon.’
Starship Entertainment confirmed that Shownu would enter the military training centre on July 22 and undergo basic training for three weeks before fulfilling the rest of his mandatory military service as a public service worker.
This is due to his medical history, which includes surgery for retinal detachment in his left eye and a dislocated shoulder.
The time and location of Shownu’s enlistment will be private and there will be no special events, to keep fans safe from Covid-19.
Leader Shownu is the first member of MONSTA X to enlist, as the eldest of the group.
More: K-Pop
Minhyuk, Kihyun and Hyungwon are all 27, while Joohoney is 26 and I.M. is 25 years old.
All men in South Korea must enlist in the military between the ages of 18 and 28, although a recent revision to the Military Service Act states that ‘a pop culture artist who was recommended by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism to have greatly enhanced the image of Korea both within the nation and throughout the world’ is allowed to postpone their military service until age of 30.
Monsta X’s ninth EP One of a Kind was released last month alongside the lead single Gambler.
It had been announced that Shownu would not be participating in promo activities due to resurfacing issues of retinal detachment.
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