SEVENTEEN's JEONGHAN: "Social Service was Meaningful and Rewarding" Amidst Military Service Benefit Controversy

While remarks regarding military service benefits by some national football players who won Asian Games gold medals are causing controversy, SEVENTEEN's JEONGHAN is drawing attention by revealing his experience working as a social service agent. Having served the role of an assistant teacher helping students at a special school, he looked back on his service period and said, "It was meaningful and rewarding." This story is garnering even more interest as it was released at a time when debates surrounding the same military duty are intensifying.

JEONGHAN appeared on the YouTube web variety show 'Salon Drip' released on the 6th and shared an anecdote from when he worked as a social service agent. JEONGHAN stated that he began his alternative service as a social service agent in September 2024 and was discharged this June, noting that during his service period, he took on the role of an assistant teacher helping students at a special school. He provided specific details of his experience, which went beyond simply performing assigned tasks to directly interacting and living alongside the students.

What he remembers particularly vividly was the time spent helping the students with their studies. JEONGHAN explained that the school had a college entrance process, so students took exams, and he also helped them study for those exams. He confessed that when the students went in to take their exams, he felt so concerned about the results that he would wonder, "I wonder if they are doing well." He said that while serving, he found himself sincerely worrying about and cheering for the students' growth without even realizing it.

Regarding his choice of a special school among various service locations, JEONGHAN shared positive memories. In his words, "It felt more meaningful and rewarding than going to other service locations," revealing an experience where he found personal meaning in his assigned role beyond the mere dimension of completing his military duty. In particular, he reflected that spending a certain amount of time with the students led to changes in his own attitude and emotions.

He also revealed small memories created within his relationship with the students. JEONGHAN recalled that on Teacher's Day, students wrote letters to him personally. He said that whenever students saw him coming to work and greeted him with "Hello, Teacher Yoon Jeong-han," it made him feel good and naturally made him smile. Although he lived at the school with the status of a social service agent, at some point, he was accepted by the students like a familiar "teacher."

JOSHUA, who appeared alongside him, also revealed an anecdote related to JEONGHAN. He said that JEONGHAN even boasted about it by posting the Teacher's Day letters he received from students in the SEVENTEEN group chat. Although it is a short episode, it is a part that allows a glimpse into how specially JEONGHAN regarded his relationship with the students at that time. For JEONGHAN, the period of social service seems to have been a time that marked the end of his service while simultaneously leaving unexpected connections and memories.

The timing of the release of JEONGHAN's story also coincided strangely. This is because controversy has flared up recently as some players from the men's national football team of the Asian Games mentioned military service benefits after winning gold medals or released photos wearing discharge caps. Criticism has continued regarding the remarks and actions of some players, and ultimately, it has expanded into a debate surrounding the military service exemption system along with apologies from the players.

In particular, this controversy is serving as an opportunity to re-examine not only the attitude of individual athletes receiving military benefits but also the long-standing Arts and Sports Personnel system itself. As the decrease in military service resources and issues of equity intersect, the possibility of system reorganization or reduction/abolition is being discussed. The Ministry of National Defense of South Korea has also stated its direction to reflect and promote the reduction or abolition of the supplementary service system, including Arts and Sports Personnel, in the Basic Plan for Defense Reform. However, specific changes to the system require review according to relevant laws and procedures.

The Korean members of SEVENTEEN are fulfilling their military duties in their own ways. JOSHUA, JUN, and THE 8, who hold foreign nationalities, are excluded from military service requirements, while S.COUPS has been judged for wartime labor service due to a knee injury, and other Korean members are performing their military duties sequentially. JEONGHAN also completed his service in his own way and is currently engaging in activities again.

Ultimately, the story told by JEONGHAN shows a scene in a slightly different direction from the recent controversies surrounding military service. While military service can be a burdensome time during which one must suspend activities for some, for JEONGHAN, the period of social service spent at the special school remained a time of building relationships with students and discovering meaning in his role. As the social debate surrounding the military service exemption system grows again, considerations regarding how to accept that time and connect it to social roles, beyond the forms of military service and service environments, are also expected to continue.

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