BTS's J-Hope is officially done with his military service! On October 17, the beloved member of BTS (real name Jung Ho-seok, 30) was discharged from the Baekho Recruit Training Center in Wonju, Gangwon Province, after serving for 18 months as a drill instructor. J-Hope enlisted in April last year, following in the footsteps of Jin, the first BTS member to start and complete his service.

Big Hit Music had previously asked fans not to gather at the site to avoid overcrowding, stating, "There will be no special events on the day of his discharge." But that didn’t stop fans from all over the world. By early morning, crowds had already formed, with fans speaking languages like Chinese and Japanese, showing J-Hope's massive global popularity.

Despite the request, an unofficial discharge event took place around 10 AM, with police and officials working hard to manage the situation and keep everyone safe.

J-Hope's completion of his service marks the second BTS member to finish, following Jin, who was discharged in June.

Fellow member Jungkook, who is currently serving in the military, shared a sweet message on Weverse the day before, saying, "Since J-Hope is the first to return, I hope he enjoys everything he couldn't do while he was away. You've worked hard." He also joked, "As of today, Jimin and I have 238 days left."

Fans are thrilled to welcome J-Hope back, and everyone is looking forward to seeing what he’ll do next!

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Actor Song Kang Ho shocked fans by revealing the surprising reason he initially turned down the iconic role in Joint Security Area (JSA).

On February 4, the movie JSA was celebrated as a "Visionary" work at a special GV (Guest Visit) event for CJ ENM’s 30th anniversary at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul. The event was attended by director Park Chan-wook and stars like Song Kang Ho, Lee Byung Hun, Lee Young Ae, Kim Tae Woo, and Ko Kyung Beom, who shared stories from the making of the film.

Joint Security Area, a groundbreaking film by director Park Chan-wook, tells the story of North and South Korean soldiers caught in a tragic incident at the border, highlighting the human side of the divided nations. The film has been widely praised for changing the perception of inter-Korean relations and is seen as a key moment in Korean cinema.

During the event, Song Kang Ho admitted that he turned down the JSA script at first, saying, "The script was just too perfect. It was so well-written and tightly woven that I couldn’t believe it. I thought, ‘Is this really Korean cinema at this level?’ I felt it was too good, and I figured the movie wouldn’t live up to the script."

He also mentioned that at the time, Park Chan-wook’s previous films hadn’t done well, which made him even more doubtful. "But after meeting the director, I started to trust him," Song Kang Ho added.

Reflecting on the film 20 years later, Song Kang Ho joked, "I was flipping through channels and watched JSA again. I thought, ‘There was a time when I wasn’t envious of Lee Byung Hun,’ but he looked so handsome and cool back then." He continued, laughing, "One thing about Park Chan-wook's films is that they have a depth and elegance that you just can’t forget. It’s probably why his new movie is called I Can’t Help It."

Song Kang Ho also spoke fondly of reuniting with his JSA co-stars after 25 years. He shared, "We didn’t watch the film together, but we had a cozy two-hour dinner. After all this time, it felt nostalgic. It was heartwarming to sit together again and reminisce about the past. It really made me realize how meaningful these moments are."

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