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South Korean media Sports Kyunghyang reported that SEVENTEEN's S.Coups underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery and anterolateral ligament reconstruction surgery in August 2023. On March 4, 2024, Sports Kyunghyang stated that due to his two surgeries, S.Coups was exempted from military service and received a Grade 5 classification.
For the unversed, individuals with specific medical issues are categorized as Grade 5 in the South Korean military. This category's recipient receives Wartime Labor in exchange for their wartime duty. Meanwhile, Pledis Entertainment stated that the idol is undergoing consistent treatment and is "okay to carry out" schedules as long they don't put more physical strain on him.
"As a result of S.Coups’ consistent treatment and sufficient rest, his injured area has improved somewhat. We recently received the opinion of the medical staff that it is okay to carry out the scheduled schedule as long as it does not put too much strain on the body."
As the news of S.Coups's surgery surfaced online, several fans flocked to social media platforms to express their concerns. One fan reacting to the news on X wrote:
"THESE TWO SURGERIES ARE NOT A FREAKING JOKE": Fans concerned as details of S.Coups' surgeries surface online
S.Coups, also known as Choi Seung-cheol, suffered ligament damage in his left knee while filming back in August 2023. The injury resulted in an extended course of therapy and a necessary operation, which made the SEVENTEEN member cease all promotional efforts. He hasn't been in public very often since, preferring to concentrate on his recuperation.
On March 1, Edaily reported that the idol was exempted from serving in the South Korean military. His agency, Pledis Entertainment, issued a statement saying that the artist suffered from a ligament rupture in his left knee and underwent major surgery in 2023. Pledis wrote:
"S.Coups underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and anterolateral ligament reconstruction after he suffered a ligament rupture in his left knee. Since it was a major surgery, he has been receiving rehabilitation treatment for a long period of time since last year. As a result, he was classified as Grade 5."
With this, SEVENTEEN's member becomes one of the many well-known Korean men who have been spared from serving in the military due to a variety of circumstances. Famous South Korean actor Kim Woo-bin, known for his role in Our Blues and Uncontrollably Fond, battled nasopharyngeal cancer in 2017, which led to his exemption from military service.
In October 2023, there was also a stir about the South Korean government's decision to exempt e-sports athletes from military duty if they won gold in the Asian Games. League of Legends player Lee Sang-hyeok, also known as T1's Faker, was exempted from service.
Son Heung-min, a Tottenham Hotspur player and captain of the national South Korean football team, was thereby excluded from military enlistment due to winning gold for his nation during the 2018 Asian Games.
However, fans of other idol groups expressed their disappointment over the SEVENTEEN artist's military exemption, which sparked an online discussion.
CARATs—the official fandom name of SEVENTEEN—came forward to defend S.Coups and his major surgery. Several fans posted pictures and images of the injuries and explained how concerning these surgeries are for a human.
According to a recent release, S.Coups has been making good progress and will be able to return to band activities as long as he doesn't engage in excessive physical activity. He and another SEVENTEEN member, Jeonghan, who had been sidelined due to ankle surgery, will make their return as the group gears up for their next encore performance on March 30 and 31, at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium.
