Saturday, 4 March 2023

Lee Joon Gi The Poster Boy of The South Korean Army - The Celebrity Soldier Like No Other In South Korean Showbusiness History

 


LEE JOON GI

 

THE POSTER BOY
OF
THE SOUTH KOREAN
ARMY

 

 

THE CELEBRITY SOLDIER

LIKE NO OTHER

IN

SOUTH KOREAN

SHOWBUSINESS

HISTORY




 

 

 







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://hotspicykimchi.wordpress.com/2010/08/22/k-pop-lee-junki-rushed-to-hospital-for-50-stitches-wound/

 


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://blog.naver.com/PostView.naver?blogId=yankees87&logNo=70120089284&redirect=Dlog&widgetTypeCall=true&directAccess=false

 










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.soompi.com/article/366766wpp/park-hyo-shin-and-lee-jun-ki-visit-the-us-as-part-of-their-military-service



https://www.allkpop.com/article/2011/09/lee-jun-ki-park-hyo-shin-to-tour-california-with-the-korean-national-military-symphony


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.





















































































































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.