The 28-year-old actor will be enlisting as a public service worker on April 26, his label has confirmed.
- Apr 12, 2018
AceShowbiz - Kim Bum is going to begin his mandatory military service soon. On Thursday, April 12, his agency King Kong by Starship announced that the actor had received his draft notice and would be enlisting on April 26 as a public service worker.
"After receiving a summons by the country, actor Kim Bum will serve his mandatory military duty as a Korean man on April 26. Due to health issues, he's been assigned as a public service worker," the agency said in a statement.
King Kong added, "Kim Bum has been receiving continual treatment since his early 20s due to a hereditary illness. In order to recover, he's put in a lot of effort towards caring for his health through medication and exercising, but in the end, he was assigned to be a public service worker."
Kim Bum will begin basic military training on April 26. He has decided not to reveal his enlistment location. After completing training, he will continue as a public service worker for about two years.
Kim Bum became a household name after starring as So Yi-jung on 2009's hit drama "Boys Over Flowers", the Korean adaptation of Japanese manga series of the same name. He achieved further recognition with his supporting role in fantasy melodrama "Padam Padam" (2011).
However, due to the dramatic weight-loss he experienced after training for his role in the JTBC cable drama, Kim Bum was diagnosed with degenerative arthritis in 2012. Additionally, he was involved in a car accident in 2009 and suffered some minor injuries, which likely also factored into his health condition.
The 28-year-old actor, who recently starred in action adventure comedy film "Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead", confirmed in late March that he's in a relationship with "Hwayugi" star Oh Yeon Seo. The two were reportedly spotted on a date at a restaurant in the affluent Cheongdam-dong district in Gangnam, Seoul. They got close after meeting at a gathering with close mutual friends.
