Big Bang's T.O.P will be joining the army sooner than fans expected. The South Korean rap artist will be leaving for his mandatory military service within the next three months.
On Nov. 14, Monday, the National Police Agency (NPA) released their list of acceptances to the Seoul District Police Conscripted Policemen and T.O.P was accepted as a special forces conscripted policeman. On Nov. 11, Friday, the NPA had announced that the artist had successfully passed his police exam but his acceptance was not finalized until Monday, according to All KPop.
T.O.P took the police exam on Oct. 25 and applied to become a military specialist. Reports about his military enlistment quicly started pouring in after the actor's real name, Choi Seung Hyun, was spotted on a list on the Compulsory Police website.
T.O.P's acceptance means that the rap artist will receive his notice for enlistment as early as two weeks and the actor can begin his training in the coming three months. He will have to undergo four weeks of military training at the Nonsan Army Training Center before he becomes a conscripted policeman, according to K Music.
In South Korea, it is compulsory for able-bodied male citizens aged between 18 and 35 to devote two years of their life towards military service. The military enlistment service is a mandate for all citizens and celebrities are not exempt from the same.
A number of K-pop idols have joined military service, including Super Junior's Lee Donghae and Choi Siwon, who enlisted in October and November last year, respectively. BIGBANG's remaining members - G-Dragon, Taeyang, Seungri and Daesung have also not completed their mandatory military service. However, reports claim that these members will be joining the army in the near future in order to make sure that their hiatus is limited.
Watch the video below to know what the band had to say about South Korea's mandatory military conscription: