Joohoney from boy band Monsta X will start his mandatory military service on July 24.

“I will be starting my military service on July 24,” Joohoney said in a handwritten letter to his fans on Tuesday.

“Serving in the military is something that I have to do, so I will bravely complete [the mandatory military service]! I’m not gone forever, so don’t you worry.”

Joohoney’s agency, Starship Entertainment, also released a statement on Tuesday afternoon confirming the news.

“There will be no official [ceremony] events on the day of enlistment to minimize congestion on site,” the agency said.

“It’s sad that I don’t have much time left [until enlistment], and I’m worried about Monbebe, who will be upset by the lack of time, but I captured the moments that Monbebe enjoyed with my own eyes,” Joohoney said.

Monbebe is Monsta X’s fandom name.

In Korea, all nondisabled men aged 18 to 35 are required to serve around one and a half years in the military.

Joohoney, whose real name is Lee Joo-heon, debuted as a member of boy band Monsta X in 2015. He will be the third member of Monsta X to start his military service after Shownu and Minhyuk. Joohoney made his solo debut this year with his first EP, “Lights,” which dropped in May.

Monsta X also held its mini-concert, “MX Friends,” last Saturday and Sunday at the KSPO Dome in southern Seoul.

To find out more about Joohoney and Monsta X, visit Celeb Confirmed!


BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]