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Only a few months after starting his compulsory military service and volunteering to huge publicity for a frontline unit, the actor Won Bin was discharged on Wednesday.
Recently approved for medical discharge due to a rupture of his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), Won filled in his release papers at the military hospital at the unit where he was recovering from a knee operation in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province and emerged at about 9 a.m.
He appeared in white sneakers rather than combat boots. "The fact that I went all the way to the front line to serve may have made my early discharge even more disappointing for the fans," he admitted. "I'd just like to tell all my fellow soldiers that I'm grateful for everything, and I'm sorry."
"I experienced pain in my knee before I joined the Army, but it was ruled that it wouldn't be an impediment to military life. It may have been aggravated by serving in mountainous area," the star explained. Asked why he volunteered for border guard duty despite the pain, he said, "I could have been in the entertainment corps, but I wanted to keep my promise to fans that I would do regular military service."
Asked when he will make his acting comeback, Won said, "There are no plans, currently," and cut off the questions.
Meanwhile, it was the online topic of the day. Internet users were divided. "When he shoots films he's always running and jumping all over the place but now he can't even take two years in the army,¡± one user wrote on a discussion board. "A discharge is reasonable for people who are ill or can't adjust to military life, but why do stars who look healthy on the outside always have some problem on the inside?¡± But there was no shortage of posts expressing sympathy for the actor.
"An injury to the ACL makes it impossible to continue with military life even the person wants to,¡± one of them said. ¡°There are many ordinary people who have been discharged for tearing their ACL, so why does everyone have to go on about Won Bin?"
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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