How K-drama’s Kim Soo-hyun stayed in touch with the K-pop news while in the army

Popular hallyu actor Kim Soo-hyun finished his military duty and left the 1st Infantry Division on Monday.

The star from SBS’ television drama My Love from the Star (2013), which became a huge hit in Asia, saluted to people waiting outside the military base in Imjingak in Paju – one of the South Korean military divisions closest to North Korea.

Kim’s “unofficial” meeting with hundreds of international fans and journalists took place in front of the Peace Bell at the tourism venue which is only a few kilometres away from the demilitarised zone in the inter-Korean border region.

He told the crowd he first worried about starting military duty at an older age, but then realised that he had made the right choice.

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He said that because he was older than others in the division, he bonded with those from other divisions who enlisted at comparatively older ages.

Kim, 31, started his military duty at the army division in October 2017. He had a cardiac problem when he was a boy and was denied a regular post in the army at first, and was advised to carry out civic service duty instead

He rejected the offer and, after his health improved, was granted permission to serve in the division’s search unit.

He said he had not had one visitor during his military service because the division’s visit registration process was “complicated”.

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Kim also said that he watched music videos of K-pop girl bands every morning from inside the compound and had not missed any new releases by the bands.

Kim said he did not have any plans for this year, but might return to acting next year.

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This article was originally written by Ko Dong-hwan for the Korea Times .