Super Junior singer off to the Army
Published: 01 Sep. 2011, 21:52
“I promise that I will come back as a mature person,” said the 28-year-old singer, who was sporting his new military-ready haircut.
Kim will go through four weeks of basic military training, after which he will serve in noncombat operations for 23 months.
A huge crowd of fans and the media gathered yesterday in front of the training camp to see Kim off. Some were holding banners wishing Kim good health and a successful return to the entertainment industry at the end of his service. Some fans had flown in from as far away as China.
Meanwhile, Kim publicly said good-bye to his fans on a music TV show that aired on Aug. 28.
“I’d like to thank my fellow Super Junior members,” Kim said. “And thanks to the managers and staff for putting up with me. I also want to thank all my fans.”
Kim made his remarks after he and his band mates accepted the show’s award for best song of the week for “Mr. Simple,” from the album of the same name.
Kim had been expected to enlist in the Army next year because the band had only recently released its fifth album, “Mr. Simple,” but Kim and his agency SM Entertainment announced in mid-August that he would leave the group to fulfill his mandatory military service.
In addition to being a member of Super Junior, Kim had also worked as a host for many TV shows including MBC’s “Radio Star.”
한글 관련 기사 [일간스포츠]
김희철의 쿨한 입대 “어른이 돼 돌아오겠다”
슈퍼주니어 멤버 김희철(28)이 끝까지 유쾌한 모습을 보이며 팬곁을 떠났다.
김희철은 1일 오후 1시 수백명 팬들의 격려 속에 충남 논산 육군훈련소로 입소했다.
그는 짧게 자른 헤어 스타일이지만 어색하지 않은 모습이었다. 부리부리한 눈매와 날카로운 턱선이 더 도드라져 날렵해 보였다.
김희철은 "인사를 안 드리고 가려고 했는데 생각보다 삭발이 잘 나왔다"며 "어른이 돼 돌아오겠다. 여기까지 와 주셔서 정말 감사하다"고 인사했다. 이어 사진 기자들을 향해 "찍은 사진은 보정을 잘 해서 올려달라"고 특유의 센스를 발휘했다.
김희철은 4주간 기초 군사훈련을 받은 뒤 23개월 간 공익요원으로 근무할 예정이다.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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