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| Im Si-wan, an actor and member of boyband ZE:A, takes photo with his fans who visited the military center to celebrate his dismissal from two years military service. Yonhap |
By Jung Hae-myoung
Im Si-wan, a member of boy band ZE:A, was discharged from mandatory military service, Wednesday.
When Im stepped out of the Army base in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, more than 100 fans from Korea, Japan and China were there to greet him, showing continuing support.
"I still don't feel that I have been discharged from the military. It will come to me when I can sleep late in my bed without any roll call," Im said. "My colleagues and military officers have given me so much help while I was staying in the military. I am also grateful for my fans who have been waiting for me for years."
Im started his military duty in 2017 at a recruit training center based in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province where he received basic military training for five weeks. After this, he served at the center as an assistant instructor.
After two months of training, he received top scores for his skills and was awarded "special warrior" status ― a Korean military title reserved for high achievers.
Im's discharge ceremony was held behind closed doors, but he held a separate event for his fans at the Gamaksan Hall in Yangju. "We reserved a private space to not disturb other soldiers and their families," Plum Actors, Im's management agency, said.
Im is already on a tight schedule with his return to the entertainment industry ― he is soon to star in the television drama series "Hell Is Other People."
"Hell Is Other People" is a thriller based on a web cartoon by Kim Yong-key and revolves around suspicious people living in a "gosiwon," a low-cost residence with very small, basic rooms. Im will play Yoon Jong-woo, a job seeker who recently moved to Seoul.
"When the cartoon came out, my friends said I was perfect for the role. I was amazed when I actually got it," Im commented.
Im debuted as a singer for ZE:A in 2010, but grabbed attention from audiences and directors for his outstanding performances in multiple films and dramas since 2012. He is best known for his portrayal of Jang Geu-rae, an everyman office worker in the 2014 tvN drama "Misaeng: Incomplete Life," which drew empathy from young job seekers.
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