At the very point his career is exploding, Park Ji-hoon is getting ready to step away for South Korean military service. The 27-year-old actor singer, fresh off a record-breaking film and a hit drama, has set his sights on the Marine Corps Reconnaissance Unit. Yet he says the upcoming pause will not derail him.
For global fans used to worrying about idols losing momentum during enlistment, that confidence stands out. In a recent interview about his 2026 projects and his plans for military enlistment, Park explained why he feels little pressure, how he is using his final pre-service months, and what that means for his music, acting and long-running Wanna One hopes.
Inside Park Ji-hoon’s Military Enlistment Mindset
Park Ji-hoon military enlistment is now officially on the horizon. Under Korean conscription rules, Marine Corps applicants must be between 18 and 28 in their application year, and Park says he has roughly six months left before service begins next year. Even with his schedule packed, he describes his feelings as calm rather than anxious.
“I don’t really have any worries or feel pressure about it,” Park said in a June 2 interview. “Since it’s a duty I have to fulfill anyway, I want to make the most of the experience and enjoy it as much as I can. More than anything, I just hope to complete my service safely and return in good health.” For fans, enlistment sounds less like a career threat and more like a chapter he intends to face head on.
A Peak-Year Career That Makes This Pause Feel Big
The timing could hardly be more dramatic. In early 2026, Park played the tragic young king Danjong in the historical epic The King’s Warden, which broke box office records to become the second-highest-grossing Korean film of all time. The role pushed him to the center of Korea’s entertainment landscape and proved he can carry a massive commercial film.
Instead of doubling down on heavy drama, he pivoted to goofy military kitchen comedy with The Legend of Kitchen Soldier. The series, which ended its run on June 16, held a steady 7 percent nationwide rating according to Nielsen Korea. As Sung-jae, a low-ranking private leveling up his cooking skills through game-like missions, Park showed off timing he once doubted he had, calling the show proudly “campy,” light and easygoing.
- The King’s Warden turns Park into a box office powerhouse in early 2026.
- The Legend of Kitchen Soldier wraps with solid ratings and buzz for his comedic turn.
- He confirms plans to apply to the Marine Corps Reconnaissance Unit for his service.
What His Service Means For Fans And Wanna One Dreams
With service approaching, Park says his focus is on balancing both sides of his career and cherishing his fandom. “It is not easy to strike the right balance between my work as an actor and as a singer,” he admitted, adding that this year he has been thinking about making more time for fans and valuing every chance to connect with them before he leaves.
That mindset carries into the question fans never stop asking: Will Wanna One reunite once more? Park, who first rose to fame in the project group in 2017 before its 2019 disbandment, is openly enthusiastic but realistic. Members now have separate solo careers and agencies, and any project would need to navigate CJ ENM and multiple companies. Nothing is confirmed, yet he says that if something does happen, he would like to give it his best, trusting fans will still be there when he returns from the Marines healthy and ready for his next era.