JYJ, Super Junior members join Army

Kim Jae-joong and Sungmin, respectively, members of the popular K-pop trio JYJ and boy band Super Junior, enlisted in the Army Tuesday to begin their mandatory military service.

They quietly entered boot camps in Paju and Bucheon, both near Seoul, by car without having any special events for their fans or media interviews as they have shown intent through their agencies to make low-key enlistments.

As the car carrying Kim slowly passed by, his Korean and foreign fans who were gathered in front of the main gate of the boot camp in Paju, waved to bid farewell to their favorite star.

Sporting a black baseball cap, Super Junior's Sungmin briefly got out from a car on his way to boot camp in Bucheon to wave at his fans waiting to see him off. They were carrying banners and papers reading "We'll wait for two years. Good-bye."

He was accompanied by his actress wife Kim Sa-eun and employees from his management agency during the trip, according to his agency.

After going through the weeks-long basic training, the two stars will be sent to other bases to finish their remaining period of mandatory service.

All able-bodied South Korean men between the ages of 18 and 35 must serve in the military for about two years. The country remains technically at war with North Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War that ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. (Yonhap)