Since all able-bodied Korean males must complete two years of military service, enlisting can result in some teary farewells. That's two years that recruits don't see much of their family, their friends or their girlfriend.
One k-drama couple that recently had a teary farewell is Lee Chung Ah and Lee Ki Woo.
Fortunately this farewell was just for a reality show. The couple said goodbye on on the TV program 'Real Men," which offers k-celebs a chance to experience military training. That includes saying goodbye to loved ones.
The actors met a few years ago when they both starred on the romantic comedy "Flower Boy Ramen Shop." When Lee Ki Woo appeared on the October 6 episode of the program "Taxi" he shared some details of how he and Lee Chung Ah began to date. In the drama, she wound up with her other co-star Jung Il Woo.
Lee Ki Woo said that they friendly while filming and both joined the same celebrity ski team but it was the fact that they lived in the same neighborhood that sealed the deal.
"I live in the same neighborhood as Lee Chung Ah. In the beginning when Lee Chung Ah said 'Let's meet some time in the neighborhood,' I misinterpreted the gesture and thought she was interested in me. This was because I already had feelings for her."
It turned out that she was just being friendly.
"Lee Chung Ah did not mean anything by those words. Nonetheless I asked her out and things turned out great."
He seems to be as fond of her as ever. When the couple were featured in a spread for Elle Korea, he spoke about the persuasive power of her gaze.
"The spectrum of emotions that Lee Chung Ah shows with her eyes is very wide. That's why when she gives me that look and asks me to do something, I can't refuse. I always lose."
In real life Lee Ki Woo won't have to say goodbye to Lee Chung Ah as he already completed his military service. He enlisted in November 2009, and after 22 months of active duty was discharged in September 2011, before he co-starred with Lee Chung Ah in "Flower Boy Ramen Shop."
Lee Ki Woo's last film role was in "Time Renegade" and his last dramas were "Miss Korea" and "Flower Grandpa Investigation Unit."
Lee Chung Ah's last film was 'Northern Limit Line" and one of her last dramas was "Wonderful Mama" in 2013.
