Korean pop star Rain reports for military service

South Korean pop star Rain

SEOUL—South Korean pop star Rain entered a boot camp Tuesday to begin mandatory military service, bidding farewell to weeping fans.

“Thank you for coming… I’ll see you later,” he said, beaming and bowing to about 1,000 people including journalists and fans outside the camp in the northern suburbs of Seoul.

Many fans, including hundreds from Japan, Taiwan, China and elsewhere in Asia, burst into tears when the singer disappeared into the camp, Yonhap news agency reported.

Rain, 29, whose real name is Jung Ji-Hoon, is one of the country’s most popular male celebrities and helped spark the Korean Wave of pop culture in Asia and elsewhere.

The singer will undergo eight weeks of basic training before being posted elsewhere for the remainder of his 22 months’ service. He staged a farewell concert in Seoul Sunday attended by 20,000 fans.

South Korea, which has remained technically at war with North Korea since their 1950-1953 conflict, requires all eligible men to serve in the military, although candidates can defer their service.