LEE JOON
GI
THE POSTER
BOY
OF
THE SOUTH KOREAN
ARMY
THE CELEBRITY
SOLDIER
LIKE NO OTHER
IN
SOUTH KOREAN
SHOWBUSINESS
HISTORY
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 To discover the Present, one has to explore the Past. There is a need to recognize the importance of the past and it is enlightening to explore Lee Joon Gi’s fascinating 2-year military service journey through time. It should be noted that Lee’s local and international fans had constantly cheered him on as he marched to the beat of military music. It is always fun to retell the story of this great global star who is the Poster Boy of South Korea's Armed Forces. 16 February 2023 was the 11th
anniversary of Lee Joon Gi’s military discharge but which fan who shared his
journey could forget? It is one special moment in time for them. It was
reported that 1,500+ local and international fans waited overnight in the
freezing winter temperatures to welcome him back to civilian life. When Lee enlisted on 3 May 2010, 500 tearful fans bade him farewell. No
actor before or after him has been accorded such love, honour and respect. The
celebrity soldier was such a good role model that the KFN (Korean Forces
Network) had created a documentary of his mitlitary service. He can be
considered the Poster Boy for the South Korean military. The South Koreans should be very
proud of him.   
The explosive boxoffice
success of Lee’s 2005 movie, The King and The Clown, had elevated his
status to stratospheric heights. He had beaten 3,000 aspirants to claim the
role of Gong Gil and his life changed thereafter.
  https://www.asiaone.com/entertainment/10-interesting-things-know-about-korean-actor-lee-joon-gi
  Lee Joon Gi became a
phenomenon. His first fan concert Episode 1, which was held in the Jamsil
Indoor Gymnasium in 2006, was attended by 12,000 fans. After winning numerous awards for his role in The King and The Clown,
Lee promised his fans at the fan concert that he would work very hard to be an
actor who is worthy of their love, devotion and respect.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAZLElBdKio
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSSw1iG77zw  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HgS2TFqGa4  https://www.facebook.com/LeeMizuJoonGi/videos/1864306190480152/  The media and showbusiness organizations were stunned. ‘His
popularity was beyond our imagination.’ He was on covers of countless Asian
magazines for teens, women, men, fashion and did so many interviews for so many
years before and after military enlistment that it was impossible to keep track
of them. He was much sought after by big name brands to endorse their products.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSZOqpMffnw
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IsNHJSFP9I  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI67eNj6T2c    http://nonie4u.blogspot.com/2010/06/lee-jun-ki-to-serve-as-celebrity.html
  http://nonie4u.blogspot.com/2010/06/lee-jun-ki-to-serve-as-celebrity.html  https://www.soompi.com/article/470613wpp/lee-jun-ki-cried-the-night-before-military-enlistment     It was reported that
more than 500 of Lee’s fans bade him farewell when Lee enlisted in the
military on 3 May 2010. It was the first time in South Korean military history that so many
fans came to support a superstar or celebrity soldier. Photographers and
reporters from the various media companies were at hand to record the momentous
event.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeSmOPwoZfg                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEsbrSG19-A
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJnUOcu5tlI
 https://www.facebook.com/leejoongimsiafamily/videos/1466720198002/  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDE_QUaDQUQ  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTP_4fs3SqQ
 https://www.dramabeans.com/2010/05/lee-jun-ki-begins-his-military-service/        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwjKqxjvKv8    https://twitter.com/i/status/1626173272042905600    One of Lee’s activities included the military musical, Voyage
of Life which was held at Dongsoong
Art Hall in Seoul, South Korea on 24 August 2010. During the rehearsal on
the opening day, a stage prop fell on him. He was rushed to
the Seoul National University Hospital where he received 50 stitches. According
to Lee, he had ‘bumped his head onto a steel structure (while)
practicing just hours before the show.’
Lee insisted on performing that day
with the help of anaesthetics because the public performance was fully
supported by his enthusiastic local and overseas fans. After only one day off,
he returned to the stage again. The show had to go on.
   THE SOLOIST IN THE MUSICAL CONCERT             https://www.facebook.com/LJGFansClub/videos/voyage-of-life/328663880850011/
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWbQ0jg9uug  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqNpf8irg34  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBEraQzaBv8  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF9MMWNye9U  https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pIIDo9eDIx0 
 https://news.mt.co.kr/photonews/photovod_view.html?no=201008241425473628  https://www.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/08/23/2010082300757.html
 https://www.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/08/23/2010082300757.html
  https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=020&aid=0002163408
       https://news.mt.co.kr/mtview.php?no=2011110216368271474  
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q_ATYKwQ4g  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb3RQjQvSXE  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q_ATYKwQ4g
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q_ATYKwQ4g
        Lee was also appointed the
Ambassador for the International Disaster Nursing Conference and Disaster
Health Education Expo in 2011. The Expo was held at the Daejeon Convention
Center.    In many public projects that
Lee was involved in, like the Daelim Contemporary Art Museum project,
Lee was besieged by his many admirers. Sometimes, he was showered with gifts.
THE DAELIM CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ovvITOWRM8&list=PL6DC7C375DECD2871  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0iR-6ZGp8E  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R22WZbBw4wU
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVJNYYbdfpo
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGIPG5nPTI8  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGIPG5nPTI8&t=23s  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4Ba0TAsnH8  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4a2Ay-CDLo  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85IdPuNeX_I  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eMM5MGV5Ns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkZ7JLxpD6M
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRFdDHGuQvg  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKgXZ4njzBY
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es9Hs59cubU        Lee Joon Gi was a singer in
the military concert, Dream Concert.                   
        
It came as no surprise that
Lee Joon Gi not only astonished the military authorities with his leadership and teamwork skills, feats and
enormous contributions to the ROK but also earned the love, admiration and respect of his
fellow military recruits with his passion, discipline, endurance, integrity and personal courage. Lee Joon Gi is truly an exceptional and amazing human being. He is passionate, dedicated, hardworking, honorable, well-grounded and humble. A rare one-of-a-kind man who is in a league of his own, Lee has the unrivalled reputation of being South Korea’s National Treasure, an actor who is admired and envied by all. It is well-nigh impossible for an excellent actor to be a excellent soldier as well but Lee has done it. Lee Joon Gi is not only a sterling global actor but also has the reputation of being a 'Bone Soldier' (soldier to the bone) Awesome and extraordinary. Having won many miltary awards and accolades, Lee Joon Gi is seen as a role model for global youths and an inspiration to all. Greatly impressed, the authorities in the Korean Forces Network or KFN created a video in
tribute to his leadership, achievements and contributions to the military.                             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwjKqxjvKv8
https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=427&aid=0000040879 TRANSLATION             Lee Joon Gi’s discharge from the military was an eye-opening event. Never before in the history of the Republic of Korea (ROK) has there been fan attendance of an actor's military discharge on such a stupendous scale. Showbiz Arirang South Korea reported that the fan turnout was an astounding 2000 and there were about 100 members from the press. Some media reported it to be 1500+ local and international fans. One fan was from Seattle.  And the night before, his fans waited patiently in freezing winter temperatures for his discharge from the army.                                            To discover the Present, one has to explore the Past.   |
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