Park Seojin, Military Exemption Acknowledged and Apologized After Silence
"Exempted Due to Mental Illness, Feared Negative Perception"
"No Intention to Lie... Sorry for Disappointing"
Singer Park Seo-jin officially apologized regarding the controversy surrounding his military service exemption. Park Seo-jin Instagram
Famous trot singer Park Seojin (29) spoke out about the controversy surrounding his military exemption. He confessed that the reason he hid the fact that he had been exempted due to a mental illness long ago was because he was "afraid of negative perceptions."
On the 2nd, Park Seojin stated through his fan cafe, "In November 2014, when I was twenty years old, I was classified as Grade 7 for re-examination in the military service physical examination, and after several re-examinations, I was finally classified as Grade 5 for wartime labor service in 2018." He continued, "For over ten years until now, I have been continuously taking medication and undergoing psychological treatment at the hospital for related treatment." He then revealed, "If it became known that I was exempted from military service due to a mental illness, the public’s perception of me would turn negative, and places that invited me for broadcasts and events would disappear, which would disrupt my activities as a singer. That thought scared me very much."
Park Seojin also clarified allegations that he gave false interviews pretending to be about to enlist despite having received a military exemption. In an interview with a media outlet last October, when asked, "What are your goals as you are about to enlist soon?" he answered, "I have a goal I want to achieve before enlisting. I think I should create at least one hit song that everyone in the nation knows." Some netizens criticized him, saying he deceived the public by referring to that article.
Singer Park Seo-jin officially apologized regarding the controversy surrounding his military service exemption. Park Seo-jin Instagram
He explained, "It was difficult to openly say in past interviews that I had already received a military exemption. So I answered that my goal was to create a hit song, which had always been my dream." Then he added, "I did not expect that answer to become such a big issue," and "I sincerely apologize once again to everyone who felt disappointed because of this. I am sorry."
Earlier, Park Seojin’s agency, Tajo Entertainment, stated on the 28th of last month, "Park Seojin was exempted from military service in his early twenties due to mental illness caused by family circumstances." Park Seojin had previously revealed his unfortunate family history through various broadcasts. He appeared on KBS1’s 'Human Theater' and disclosed that on the 49th day memorial service of his younger brother who suffered from chronic renal failure, his older brother, who was battling liver cancer, passed away one after another due to complications from a liver transplant. When his mother was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer, he dropped out of high school to support the family and started working on a boat with his father. Later, he experienced depression and insomnia and was exempted from military service through the Military Manpower Administration’s physical examination. Additionally, on the 30th of last month on KBS’s 'Men Who Do Housework,' he also revealed that he had attempted suicide.
In response to Park Seojin’s confession, netizens left supportive comments such as "There is no problem with the military exemption itself, so why the harsh criticism?" "He said it was hard to confess the mental illness. For celebrities, image is everything." "After hearing his family story, it’s no wonder he developed a mental illness." "It’s a relief that he spoke honestly even now." "It must have been hard to reveal his mental health in front of the entire nation." "It’s the first time I’ve heard about Park Seojin’s older brother. It’s heartbreaking." However, some criticized him with comments like "If he spent 100 million won on plastic surgery, his mental strength must be something else." "How can someone with a mental illness perform in front of thousands?" "Is this selective mental illness?" "He can do everything except enlist?" "Should someone with a mental illness appear on TV?"
Meanwhile, the mental health examination system related to military service is divided into four stages. The first stage is a personality test and cognitive ability test for all candidates. Then, a clinical psychologist conducts individual interviews (stage 2) and psychological tests, followed by a comprehensive psychological evaluation through a detailed psychological examination (stage 3). Finally, a psychiatrist reviews the psychological test results and treatment records to determine the physical grade (stage 4). It is known that for mental illnesses, the doctor's judgment is more important than for objectively verifiable internal or external diseases.
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