K-Pop Star Yoo Seung-jun Breaks Silence on Military Service Controversy

K-pop singer Yoo Seung-jun has announced that he will finally address the long-standing controversy surrounding his military service evasion.

On his YouTube channel 'Yoo Seung-jun', a video titled 'I Was Really Broken Back Then. Now I Tell Everything. Yoo Seung-jun Q&A Begins' was uploaded on the 2nd.

In the video, Yoo invites viewers to ask him anything, including questions about misunderstandings, rumors, and the infamous question, 'Why didn't you go to the military?' He emphasized, "There's nothing I can't talk about now."

Reflecting on his past, Yoo became emotional, recalling times when he felt despair and wanted to give up. He shared, "Someone once told me, 'It's a miracle you're still alive,'" and added, "When you're struggling, it feels like it's only happening to you, but everyone has deep wounds."

Yoo Seung-jun debuted as a singer in 1997, gaining popularity with hits like 'Scissors', 'Passion', and 'Na Na Na'. In 2002, he was set to enlist in the military but instead acquired U.S. citizenship after an overseas performance, leading to accusations of draft evasion and a ban from entering South Korea.

Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia Reporter one@tenasia.co.kr