DAY6's Wonpil attends training completion ceremony as the first K-pop idol to serve in the Republic Of Korea Navy

DAY6 member Wonpil recently attended his training completion ceremony as the first K-pop idol to serve in Republic of Korea’s naval force. In the official ceremony, all members were successfully assigned the title of naval guard.

On February 24, 2022, Wonpil took to social media to announce his early enlistment in the military. The singer updated fans via a live broadcast and was also seen tearing up when he announced the news.

South Korea dictates that all able-bodied men in the country between the ages of 18 and 28 must enroll in the military. They have to be engaged in compulsory military service for at least two years.

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DAY6's Wonpil becomes naval guard at Republic of Korea Navy's training completion ceremony

On May 6, 2022, K-pop idol Wonpil (Kim Wonpil) attended the Republic of Korea Navy’s 682nd training completion ceremony as a representative spokesperson for the training unit. The singer delivered a speech of gratitude and expressed sincere remarks, thanking the parents of all his fellow training mates, his training center officers and more.

The strapping young artist confidently climbed the stairs of the main stage, looking handsome in his naval uniform. The ceremony was held on a perfect day with the sun shining bright and breeze flowing gently across the field where the whole training unit was placed.

During his speech, the K-pop idol also quoted lines from his self-composed track, A Journey, and sent out a sweet message for his fans who were longing to see him. Since the ceremony was streamed live on YouTube, fans could watch it in full and listen to Wonpil’s gratitude speech.

Wonpil began his mandatory military service as the first K-pop idol to enroll in the Republic of Korea Navy back in March 2022, Since mandatory service in the Navy is usually two months longer, it was not preferred by active celebrities in the past.

Similarly, DAY6 member Young K also became the first K-pop idol to enlist as a member of the KATUSA (Korean Augmentation To the United States Army) in October 2021.

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Wonpil's early enlistment

In February 2022, DAY6's Wonpil revealed the reason behind his early enlistment in the military. He stated that the navy was the fastest option available and since he was the last member to enroll for compulsory duties, he wanted to shorten the group’s hiatus by enlisting as soon as possible.

Wonpil will be discharged from his mandatory duties on November 27, 2023. Group member Sungjin is scheduled to be discharged on September 7, 2022 while Young K and Dowoon will be discharged in April 2023 and July 2023, respectively.