K-pop’s Xiumin is back! Exo member returning to public life after serving in the South Korean military
- Xiumin, the eldest member of Exo and thus the first to report for military service, will leave uniform shortly, group’s management SM Entertainment says
- All South Korean males must serve in the armed forces, and three of Xiumin’s band mates – Suho, Chen, and D.O. – are still enrolled in the military
Exo member Xiumin is set to return to public life on December 6 after the K-pop star served in the South Korean military for 18 months.
The label said Xiumin would keep his military status until December 6, however.
Following the announcement, several hashtags related to Xiumin trended worldwide on Twitter as fans of Exo, known collectively as Exo-L, celebrated his informal discharge.
All able-bodied South Korean men are required to serve in the country’s armed services for a period of nearly two years. But because of the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s enlistments and discharges have been adjusted.
Xiumin, whose real name Kim Min-seok, is the eldest member of Exo and was accordingly the first to enlist in May 2019. His Exo bandmates members Suho, Chen, and D.O. are now completing their military service.