Super Junior K-Pop News: Siwon, Eunhyuk, and Donghae Enlist Military Services to South Korean Army in Fall 2015 After Releasing New Music Album

Photo of Super Junior
A photo of Super Junior taken on November 2011. |

Siwon Choi, Eunhyuk Lee, and Donghae Lee of Super Junior, a South Korean boy group are leaving the entertainment scene to join the South Korean army in Fall 2015. The news was announced by SM Entertainment on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

"Super Junior's Eunhyuk, Donghae, Choi Siwon and TVXQ's Max Changmin have active duty enlistment dates," said a spokesperson for SM Entertainment to Sports Today on Wednesday.

All South Korean men from ages 18-35 are drafted into the army and must complete 21 months of military service to the country. South Korea is technically still at war with North Korea.

Eunhyuk (29) enlists in active military duty on Oct. 13. The three singers will promote their group's special 10-year anniversary music album, "Devil' before their temporary leave of absence.

Siwon (29) and Donghae (28) will serve as conscripted policemen for the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Donghae's duties begin on Oct. 15. Siwon begins his duties in Nov. 19 after completing his acting role in Korean rom-com drama "She Was Pretty.'

Eunhyuk, Siwon, and Donghae are also members of Super Junior M, a subgroup of Super Junior. Super Junior M is comprised of eight Korean and Chinese members, whereas Super Junior has eleven members.

Super Junior won an award for Best Asian Act at the 2012 MTV Europe Music Awards. The group also won awards for Best International Artist and Best Fandom at the 2015 Teen Choice Awards. They released their seventh studio album, "Mamacita' on Sept. 1.

Super Junior performs while rotating members as they leave and rejoin the group after military service. Sungmin and Shindong enlisted in the army in March 2015. The next two members to join the army are Kyuhyun and Ryeowook.

The Korean War never ended with a treaty between the North and South. Instead, an armistice was signed by a U.S. general, North Korean general, and Chinese army on July 27, 1953.

The Korean Armistice Agreement insures "a complete cessation of hostilities and of all acts of armed forces in Korea until a final peaceful settlement is achieved." The armistice created the Korean Demilitarized Zone, a physical border between the North and South. South Korea's army, navy, air force, and marine corps are concentrated near the DMZ.