Fans recently spotted Hallyu star Lee Min Ho carrying out his mandatory military service in plain clothes. Though the actor tried to hide his face behind a mask, fans still recognized him easily. Min Ho remained good-natured, acknowledging and shaking hands with his fans. Some even took pictures of the actor and shared them with online communities. Hopefully, these pictures will tide fans over until Min Ho returns to acting.
Min Ho Serves As Public Service Worker
Known for his work in popular Korean dramas including “City Hunter,” “The Heirs,” and “The Legend of the Blue Sea,” Min Ho took a break from acting for two years to carry out his civic duty to Korea. He started work as a public service officer on May 12 at the Gangnam District Office in Seoul. The actor must complete 40 hours of public service each week at the social welfare center, according to Manila Bulletin.
Korea requires two years of mandatory military service from all its male citizens. This includes even high-profile stars and actors such as Lee Min Ho. While most citizens attend military boot camp and perform active duty, others are allowed options of “alternative service.” Lee Min Ho availed of this second option, due to injuries sustained from two car accidents. He suffered one accident in 2006 with fellow actor Jung Il Woo and received serious injuries to his leg. Then in 2011, he met another accident while shooting for his drama “City Hunter.” Because of these injuries, Korea allowed Min Ho to take a noncombat position at the social welfare center. However, he will still be required to undergo basic military training within one year’s time.
Fans Flood Min Ho’s Social Media With Happy Birthday Greetings
Meanwhile, in the middle of starting his military service, Min Ho also celebrated his 30th birthday. On June 22, fans flooded his Instagram and Twitter accounts with well wishes for the Korean star. Every one of Min Ho’s posts now contains dozens of fan greetings in various languages. Fans even trended his birthday on Twitter with hashtags like #LeeMinHo, #AlwaysWithLeeMinHo, and #HappyBirthdayLeeMinHo. They occasionally mentioned his military service and their willingness to wait for him to return to acting.