Netizens surprised as 5th-gen male idol revealed to have already finished his mandatory military service

A 5th-generation idol born after 2000 is drawing attention for having already completed his military service.

On an online forum, netizens discussed a member of F&F Entertainment's rookie group AHOF who has reportedly finished his mandatory military service before debuting as a male idol. Born in 2001, the member in question is Seo Jeongwoo, the second oldest in the group, which consists of members born between 2000 and 2009.

AHOF was formed through the SBS survival program 'Universe League,' which aired from November 2024 to January 2025. The final lineup officially debuted in July 2025.

According to fans and netizens, Jeongwoo completed his military service even before joining the survival show. Before pursuing his dream of becoming an idol, he entered college "as a very ordinary person" and initially aimed to be a model and actor.

When he learned about the 'Universe League' opportunity, he decided to finally chase his idol dream at the age of 24, despite having no prior experience in the field.

Jeongwoo confessed that while he "always dreamed of becoming an idol," his environment had never given him the right opportunity until the SBS program.

Upon hearing his story, netizens praised the idol for being "well-prepared enough to seize the opportunity when it came."

While many other male idols born in 1998 and later have yet to complete their military service, fans are congratulating Jeongwoo and his supporters for "not having to worry about this issue at all" for the rest of his career. Many also pointed out his visuals, calling him "handsome" and praising his neat, boyish charm.

Reactions include:

"He’s a man who went to college and served in the military like anyone else, but was prepared enough not to miss his chance when it came."

"He looks so young and baby-faced, but the fact that he already completed his service is impressive."

"A well-prepared talent."

"Wow, he’s handsome, already finished the military, goes to college, and doesn’t even need to worry about his future."

"He looks so neat and clean-cut."

"Oh, insanely handsome."

"Smart guy."

"Wow, so did he graduate high school and go straight to the military??"

"Here it is—the spot where I’ll lay down..."

"Wow; he’s really good-looking."

"His future looks bright. As expected, going to the military early is the way to go."

"He’s a cute handsome guy, but his voice is surprisingly deep."

"His voice and diction sound like an actor’s. He’s handsome."

"Oh, he’s charming. An idol who’s already done his military service—he’s got that youthful vibe."

"Wow, he’s in college and already finished the military, and now he’s a rookie idol? That’s great. He’s handsome... personally, I’d love to see him act someday."

"He’s definitely a prepared person, hahaha. Now all that’s left is success."

"An idol with no military hiatus and that kind of face—perfect combination."

"Wow, so he went early instead of waiting until his thirties, huh? I’d love to see him try acting later too."

"His fans must be so lucky... military hiatuses are honestly so tough."

"It’s my first time seeing him, but he’s impressive—and totally my type. Insanely handsome."

"I guess I just discovered another handsome person today..."

"He’s so handsome—he’s got that puppy-face charm."

"Going early is definitely the smart move."

"He seriously looks like a drawn webtoon character—such a puppy-faced visual, wow."

"An ’01 liner who already served?? As a ’98 fan, I’m jealous ㅠㅠㅠㅠ"

"His fans must feel like they hit the jackpot."

"Good job. Now let’s just work hard and succeed."

"He looked that fresh-faced even during his time as a regular soldier—he must’ve been really popular."

"Watching him on 'Universe League,' Jeongwoo looked so handsome, and the fact that he’s done with the military made it even more surprising."

"Wow, how could someone with that face have been an ordinary person in the military?"

Meanwhile, AHOF will release their 2nd mini album 'The Passage' on November 4 KST.

What are your thoughts?

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