Seventeen's Mingyu Begins Military Service as Social Service Worker

Mingyu of Seventeen has begun his military service as a social service worker. This marks a significant phase in Seventeen's "military hiatus," with several members currently serving or scheduled to enlist soon. The buzz is driven by fans following the members' military duties and the temporary shift in group activities.

Mingyu started his social service duty on September 10, 2026. This follows Vernon's alternative service start on August 20 and DK's active duty enlistment on September 8. Pledis Entertainment stated there would be no separate events for his service start or training camp entry and requested fans to avoid visiting his workplace. While the specific reason for his social service classification isn't disclosed, past fan concerns about his back pain have been mentioned, though this remains unconfirmed. Seungkwan and Dino are scheduled to enlist together as military band members on October 26, 2026. As of September 13, 2026, six members (Wonwoo, Woozi, Hoshi, Vernon, DK, Mingyu) are serving, Jeonghan completed his service in June 2026, and S.Coups is classified as Grade 5 wartime labor service due to a past knee injury. Joshua, Jun, and The8 are foreign nationals and not subject to Korean military service.

Local bloggers note that Mingyu's enlistment, marked by his pre-service short haircut shared on social media, has made the group's military hiatus feel more tangible for fans. Fans expressed mixed feelings of sadness and support, understanding that members must fulfill their duties. Bloggers emphasize the importance of respecting the agency's request for fans to refrain from visiting service locations and instead offer support through official channels like Weverse. The current situation highlights the temporary nature of the group's full activities, with fans anticipating the day all 13 members can reunite.