[Talk of the town]Actor to fall in step with military

Gong Yu

Westerners say that death and taxes are the only things in life that can’t be avoided.
For Korean males, the aphorism can be modified to death, taxes and military service. Actor Gong Yu is slated for conscription this October, joining the ranks of men, famous and unknown, who have served their country.
According to the Office of Military Manpower Administration, Gong, 28, will serve at a station in Uijeongbu-dong, Gyeonggi, starting Oct. 9. He will undergo the six weeks of bootcamp required for new conscripts.
He said previously that he would enter service after completing his current mini-series in which he costars with singer-turned-actress Yun Eun-hye.
However, his label, sidusHQ, said Gong hasn’t formally received an enlistment warrant but it was likely he would serve later this year.
The star, whose real name is Gong Ji-cheol, rose to stardom after his debut in KBS’s teen series, “Hakgyo 4.” Most recently, he has earned rave reviews as an acerbic but charmingly rich single man in the Korean mini-series, “Coffee Prince Branch No. 1.” His character falls in love with a female waiter masquerading as a man. By Renee Park