Navigating your K-pop boy’s military enlistment

Enlistments naturally sting as many beloved groups such as Seventeen and NCT are gradually sending their members off to the barracks

A common term in K-pop spaces would be “military wife era” or when fans have to endure their favorite idol’s mandatory service in South Korea’s armed forces. When enlistment notices drop, hit posts along the lines of “Don’t take him away, he’s already served enough!” fill our algorithms, all while fans mourn the thought of not seeing their bias for a year and a half.

South Korea is not the only country with mandatory military service, so in theory, the process should not feel as disorienting. However, the sheer amount of content pumped out by the K-pop industry makes a year and a half of “no activity” feel much longer than it really is. 

I personally expected to start worrying about my bias’ enlistment after my graduation from college in 2025 because we technically still had a year or so left prior to the maximum age for delays. That expectation was shattered on Sept. 26, when I got the notice that NCT’s Jaehyun would be enlisting for the military band on Nov. 4 this year.

To say I was flabbergasted was an understatement. Jaehyun was one of the first idols I’ve “stanned” since getting into K-pop nearly six years ago, and while I’ve kept up with many more idols since then, none have quite matched up to him. 

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It was safe to say I was left in a state of shock and disarray the entire week after the notice came out. As I dug deeper into my feelings, I started wondering why enlistment felt like such a heavy thing to me. Most dread their idols’ enlistment periods because they won’t be hearing from them as often anymore, but it’s not like Jaehyun was the type of idol to update daily. In fact, he’s built a reputation for being “chronically offline,” as he’d only post on Instagram and Bubble (a popular paid messaging app to mimic chatting with your idols) a couple times a month. 

Thus, we’ve been trained not to miss him as much and build healthier parasocial relationships with him, if any at all. Nevertheless, I quickly realized that these heavy feelings existed because of how enlistment in South Korea is conventionally perceived and treated.

Contrary to popular belief, however, enlistment no longer equates to a year and a half’s worth of radio silence from your favorite idols. BTS’ conscription process in particular kickstarted a new culture of enlistment where it would still be normal to get “new” music and updates. Jimin and V are just some of the members who’ve had albums drop while still being in active military duty. While idols are not allowed to participate in income-generating activities while enlisted, pre-recorded content is permissible, as long as any earnings made from them are not accessible until after military discharge. 

Staying in the public eye despite being under conscription is a growing pattern that extends well past the record-breaking boy group. Popular actor Lee Dohyun, who began his military service in August 2023, has appeared in variety programs and award shows while having his film “Exhuma” release and garner domestic acclaim in 2024 despite still being a conscripted soldier. Jaehyun’s fellow NCT bandmate Taeyong, who enlisted earlier this year, is part of the navy band, which makes his primary service duties revolve around idol-esque activities in music and performance. Since his enlistment in April, Taeyong’s pre-shot magazine covers and brand campaigns kept fans company throughout his service thus far.

With a disclosed admission into the Republic of Korea’s army band, Jaehyun is expected to follow a similar path, as members of the military band often perform for various local and national events in South Korea. Lately, being in the military can also boost a celebrity’s fame, especially through unique performances.

Despite debuting nine years ago, Korean band Day6 are still able to top domestic charts, and they once again rose in popularity due to a performance of their song “Time of Our Lives” in uniform during their military service. Most recently, Woodz, a soloist and former member of groups Uniq and X1, experienced personal career highs in domestic charts upon performing his song “Drowning” in uniform.

It became clear to me that the idea of a military hiatus was a thing of the past. In any case, it can be reframed as a period of growth for both the idol and their fans. Idols often talk about the challenges they’ve faced during their service and how they’ve been able to come out stronger, with the same, if not more, love for their careers and their fans. 

Similarly, while a year and a half passes by quickly, it’s still more than enough time for people like myself to grow. Jaehyun’s military discharge date is slated for 2026, a year that still feels so far away despite 2025 being two months away. By then, it would have been a year since my college graduation, which speaks volumes as someone who’s been a fan since my high school years. It’s natural to wonder and look forward to how much I would’ve changed as well as how I can be a better fan by then.

On the day his enlistment news dropped, Jaehyun went to Bubble to pen an earnest message telling fans to take care of themselves while promising to miss them and stay healthy amid his service. He ended the lengthy Korean text with an English line: “We’re unconditionally timeless,” serving as a reminder of his commitment to go at his own pace and his fans’ ability to endure this period of absence while loving him all the same. While I can’t say that sending him off won’t feel disorienting, words like these bring comfort. 

As more fans like myself inevitably go through the often-dreaded idol enlistment process, I can only hope that we’re able to make space for the same level of love and admiration we hold for our favorite artists. The feelings and experiences brought by the seemingly mere state of being a fan are immense beyond expectation and also have the capacity to shape our real lives—hopefully all for the better.