Actor-singer Lee Jun-young to begin military service, leaving behind packed roster of projects
Korean actor and singer Lee Jun-young will enlist in the military on July 21, temporarily sidelining a surging television career that has made him one of the country's most popular young stars. Lee, 29, shared the news Sunday in a handwritten letter posted to his social media accounts, writing that he wanted his fans to hear about the enlistment directly from him. Conscription is mandatory for nearly all able-bodied Korean men, who must serve roughly 18 to 21 months, depending on the branch of the armed forces. The announcement comes at a creative high point for Lee. He is currently starring in the hit JTBC weekend drama, "The New Employee, Chairman Kang," which began with a modest 3.7 percent viewership rating but has steadily broken its own audience records each week. In the series, Lee plays a young man navigating a body-swapping mishap, a performance that local critics have praised for its grounded nuance despite the outlandish premise. While military service typically stalls a rising actor's momentum — a phenomenon known locally as the "military hiatus" — Lee has meticulously st
