Lee Min Ho Enters Military Service Amid Sea Of Supporters; #AlwaysLeeMinHo Trends Worldwide
After a long wait, Lee Min Ho has officially started his mandatory service for the Korean military. And because he is one of Korea's most famous celebrities, his enlistment came with much fanfare from the fans who wanted to send him off with their love and support.
The hashtag #AlwaysWithLeeMinHo trended worldwide as Lee Min Ho's fans sent their good wishes to their beloved actor as he ceases for entertainment-related activities for two years to complete his mandatory service. As he walked to the Gangnam office in Seoul to report for his first day as a public service worker, an ocean of fans waited to catch a glimpse of the "Boys Over Flowers" star who was clad in simple clothes and a face mask, Soompi reported.
Unlike other celebrities, Lee Min Ho was not required to report straight to Nonsan Military Training Camp but was instructed to proceed to the Gangnam Social Service Office because of a previous injury he sustained from a car accident. It can be recalled that in 2006 and 2011, the actor sustained severe injuries from separate car accidents that injured his leg.
Based on the order from the Military Manpower Administration, Lee Min Ho will be temporarily serving as a social worker before he is sent to training camp sometime within the year. Before enlisting for mandatory service, Lee Min Ho said that he was happy with his decision to hold off enlistment until this time because it afforded him the time and the opportunity to star in successful franchises like "Boys Over Flowers, "City Hunter", "Faith", "The Heirs" and most recently "Legend of the Blue Sea."
"I thought I would be all cool, all indifferent. But I feel sad," Lee Min Ho said to Hello Kpop about his enlistment. "I think it is more about my passing 20s rather than about enlistment itself. I feel sad about becoming 30s and getting old."
Lee Min Ho also said that he was sad to be separated from his fans for the time being but it was a natural feeling to have after years of being together. Prior to his enlistment, Lee Min Ho was able to complete the documentary "DMZ: Into The Wild" which will be aired in June, and a commercial for coffee brand Georgia Gotica.