Song Joong-ki (Photo : Facebook/Koreasnoop)
“Descendants of the Sun” actor Song Joong Ki was again spotted last week wearing a military uniform. However, it is not because shooting for season 2 of the popular military-medical drama has stated, instead, he was apparently waiting to receive reserve forces training.
A South Korean netizen posted the photo on social media, showing the 31-year-old actor holding a military cap. He accompanied the photo with the caption “Wow it’s Yoo Si Jin [I’m] a reservist with Song Joong Ki hyung, sorry for taking the photo without permission.”
Reserve force training is required of males who have completed their military service. Failure to appear at training can be considered a criminal act, according to Soompi.
He finished the compulsory training just before he started filming “Descendants of the Sun.” Soong Joong-ki enlisted on Aug. 27, 2013. He went through a rigid 21-month training at the 102nd draft camp in Chuncheon and was discharged on May 26, 2015.
The tough army training helped the actor get the role of Army Captain Yoo Si Jin. The first choice of NEW was another actor who refused the role because it would require the actor to have a military haircut. Also before his army training, Song Joong Ki was considered a pretty face and the role of Captain Yoo Si Jin required a manlier look which he acquired during his 21 months the actor trained in the army.
His performance in “Descendants of the Sun” helped Song Joong Ki get the role of member of an independence group who sneaked onto an island to rescue a fellow group member in “Battleship Island” which he is currently filming, according to Allkpop.
The photo also belied speculations that Song Joong Ki was allegedly depressed after he lost to “Happy Home” actress Kim So Yeon at the 2016 Korea Drama Award’s Grand Excellence Award (Daesang). The other rumor is that Song Hye Kyo comforted him by going with him on a vacation in Norway. The photo proved definitely dashes the first rumor, but the Norway vacation speculation could be true, according to a YouTube video which showed the actor, Song Hye Kyo and some friends walking the streets of Norveç.
