PENTAGON's Hongseok faces early discharged from military service due to health concerns.

The nonet K-Pop Boy band PENTAGON’s idol Hongseok has been given an early discharge from mandatory military service due to his deteriorating health.

On December 26, 2022, CUBE Entertainment issued a press statement and announced that the idol was prematurely discharged from his military service due to his worsening depression and panic disorder. The statement also apologized to all Hongseok fans for worrying them about this sudden news.

Hongseok joined the military in May 2022.

According to a statement by his agency on April 1, it was announced that the group’s 28 year old idol would be going for his mandatory military enlistment in May. The press statement also revealed that the location and time of enlistment would remain undisclosed due to the strict COVID-19 protocol which was in place back then.

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PENTAGON’s Hongseok suffering from agoraphobia reveals CUBE Entertainment

In just eight months since his enlistment in the military, K-Pop powerhouse PENTAGON’s well-known artist Hongseok has been discharged due to his worsening mental health condition, which requires immediate medical attention.

Fans were informed about this via a press statement which revealed Hongseok’s classification at the military in addition to the health condition of the artist. The statement read:

“Hello. This is Cube Entertainment. PENTAGON member Hongseok was classified for the Wartime Labor Service and was medically discharged from his military service.”

Additionally, the announcement stated that the idol may be suffering from depression and panic disorder in addition to agoraphobia, which he has had since before his military service was initiated. It stated:

“Hongseok has been receiving continuous treatment and counseling during his military service due to symptoms of depression and panic disorder with agoraphobia that he has been suffering from since before. However, as his symptoms have worsened, the military has decided that it is not possible for him to simultaneously continue military life and treatment, so he has been medically discharged.”

In conclusion, the statement apologized to the fans and promised to prioritize the artist’s recovery:

“We apologize for causing concern due to the sudden news, and we will continue to do our best for Hongseok to focus on treatment.”

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More about PENTAGON

PENTAGON debuted in 2016, under the aegis of Cube Entertainment. Jinho, Hui, Hongseok, Shinwon, Yeo One, Yan An, Yuto, Kino, and Wooseok are the nine members that make up the group.

While the group began with 10 members, Dawn's departure from the band and the record label on November 14, 2018, brought the total number down to nine.

After a hiatus of two years, the group returned with their twelfth mini-album, IN:VITE U, this year. IN:VITE U, is a compilation of six tracks and was released in January 2022.