On July 27, 2025, Arden Cho dropped a fresh take on Free, a track from KPop Demon Hunters, with Cha Eun-woo joining her for the duet. In the video’s caption, Cho addressed the K-pop idol's upcoming enlistment, writing,“Before my 동생 [dongsaeng - younger brother) heads off to serve, we wanted to share a little gift with you all. Enjoy, Free! A special cover, from the heart 💙💜 우리 동민이 화이팅! [Uri dongsaeng-i hwaiting!] Can’t wait for your safe and strong return. See you soon!"The video went live on YouTube and quickly gained attention for Cha Eun-woo’s visuals and vocals. Fans compared his look and vibe to Jinu, the lead from the film."Real life Jinu and Rumi! Amazing and Beautiful cover indeed by Cha Eunwoo and Arden Cho! 👏🥹❤️‍🔥💯," an X user commented. nunu bear🧸🌙 @lovenunubearLINKReal life Jinu and Rumi! Amazing and Beautiful cover indeed by Cha Eunwoo and Arden Cho! 👏🥹❤️‍🔥💯Before the release, Cho shared a video of the two chatting informally as well. The clip highlighted their five-year friendship, with the True Beauty actor referring to her as “sister.” Both were dressed in outfits styled after Jinu and Rumi, matching the looks they wore in the cover performance.The cover’s timing made it a notable moment ahead of his break from the industry following his military service. Meanwhile, admirers remain impressed by Cha Eun-woo's "captivating" vocals and his rap in the KPop Demon Hunters' ballad track."Cha Eunwoo's vocals are just so smooth and captivating, and his rap 🔥 Arden Cho's vocals are absolutely stunning, her voice is so angelic. They both nailed it 👏👏👏," a fan remarked."Eunwoo raps? Oh my gosh eunwoo you always make me proud😭," a user mentioned."Cha Eunwoo’s voice is pure emotion, steady, and so captivating. Whether it’s high notes or gentle tones, he delivers with heart. Not just a visual, but a vocalist with his amazing rap everything perfection.🥹," a person shared.Others continue to praise the overall cover, calling Arden Cho and Cha Eun-woo a "powerful duo" and noting that their vocals "harmonize beautifully.""Their voices together are so perfect!!! 👏 Amazing collab!," a netizen said."It's so good!!! I love to see Cha Eunwoo and Arden Cho's incredible vocals harmonizing beautifully 😍 Plus Cha Eunwoo's rap 🔥🔥🔥," a viewer noted."❤️‍🩹🧸💜 Wow! Eunwoo and Arden Cho! What a powerful duo! ❤️ Their voices! Eunwoo the rapper!😍 I didn't expect less from him!🔥🔥🔥 He loves to rap! ❤️.. in english! He's the coolest! I ❤️ him!🫰," another fan added.Cha Eun-woo begins military service on July 28, shares final update with fans View this post on Instagram Instagram PostCha Eun-woo of ASTRO will join South Korea’s military on July 28, 2025, as confirmed by his agency, Fantagio. His service will run for 18 months, with a scheduled discharge in January 2027.Before enlistment, the idol-singer used a fan messaging app, fromm, to connect with supporters. The artist thanked those around him, and as reported by The Korea Times, shared,“I’ve been doing well, meeting people I’m thankful for. I miss Aroha (ASTRO’s fan club). You’ll probably miss me a lot too, right? It hasn’t fully hit me yet. But with the album, movie, and drama all coming out, don’t forget me."On July 21st, Cha also uploaded a photo series to Instagram titled “These Days.” The post opened with moments from his farewell party. Wearing a plain black tee and paper crown, he posed with a single-candle chocolate cake. Behind him, balloons spelled “We Will Miss You.”Following that, the singer was seen at a salon. His team wore shirts printed with his childhood picture in a toy soldier cap. Cha got a buzz cut and later shared a close-up image of his freshly trimmed hair. Later shots showed him posing with a short hairstyle and relaxing in a field post-sport. A short video showed him waving with a peace sign.Despite stepping away, Cha Eun-woo's projects will stay active. He stars in Netflix’s The Wonderfools and his first feature film, First Ride, alongside Kang Ha-neul. A solo album is also planned for release in September.