Another issue that affected kdrama stars this year also crossed over into the kpop world. It involved the behavior of kdrama and kpop celebrities while they were serving in the military. All Korean males between 18 and 35 must serve two years of military duty, but until this year singers, actors and other celebrities enjoyed a special celebrity recruit status.
The celebrity unit was first formed 16 years ago and served as a public relations office.
Celebrity recruits were often assigned to the entertainment corps to perform for soldiers or on broadcasts. They also got better facilities and more privileges than the average soldier. Most celebrity recruits served honorably but a few took advantage of their status to have extra vacation time and engage in activities that were forbidden.
This summer some of those activities were exposed in a documentary that angered Korean citizens. The documentary created such uproar that the celebrity recruit status was abolished.
Several celebrities were involved in the scandal. Singers Se7en, Mighty Mouth's Sangchu and singer and "Full House" star Rain were spotted drinking and dining off base when they were supposed to be on active duty. Se7en and Sangchu were later caught at an adult massage parlor.
Se7en and Sangchu were punished and assigned to active duty. Rain, who did not visit a massage parlor, was cleared of all charges. But Rain had been criticized earlier in the year for taking time from his military duties to visit his girlfriend actress Kim Tae Hee. Although he was honorably discharged after the scandal, it has not completely died down. A few weeks ago a citizen filed a complaint about his behavior while serving in the military.
This year's newest round of recruits has been assigned to active duty. Yoo Seung Ho, who starred in "Missing You" and "Operation Proposal," has already refused special treatment and now serves as an assistant instructor in the training department. He chose to enlist at 19 while many actors and singers wait until they are older and have made more of a name for themselves.
Song Joong Ki, who starred in the dramas "Sungkyunkwan Scandal" and "Nice Guy" plus the films "A Frozen Flower" and "A Werewolf Boy" will serve in a search battalion. Song Joong Ki is 28.
Will future actor recruits be assigned to the most dangerous operations? Probably not, unless they have volunteered to do so. But even if there is no celebrity recruit status, celebrities will be more closely monitored now and have fewer privileges which Korean citizens feel is only fair.
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