Yeo Jin Goo confirmed that he will enlist on December 15 in the KATUSA unit – the Korean military’s reinforcement force for the US military. The admission surprised netizens, and also raised questions about the actor’s English proficiency.

Actor Yeo Jin Goo has just confirmed that he will officially enlist on December 15, 2025, performing military service for 18 months. What has attracted special attention from the public is that he was recruited into the KATUSA unit – one of the most prestigious and difficult units in the Korean army. This is a special force that allows Korean soldiers to serve alongside the US army, with strict selection requirements, especially in English proficiency and physical fitness.

The information was announced by Yeo Jin Goo’s management company on November 3. Previously, during the Asian fan meeting to celebrate 20 years of artistic activities called “Blank Space”, the actor personally wrote a letter to fans to announce his enlistment, showing his respect and delicacy for his fans. In the letter, he expressed his deep gratitude to those who have accompanied him for the past two decades, and promised to return with a more mature and stronger image after completing his service.

KATUSA stands for “Korean Augmentation to the United States Army” – a special unit in the Korean army, where Korean soldiers serve directly with US forces stationed in Korea. To be considered for admission, candidates must pass an English proficiency test with specific requirements such as: TOEIC from 780 points, TEPS from 299, TOEFL iBT from 83, G-TELP Level 2 from 73, FLEX from 690 or OPIC from IM2 or higher. After meeting the requirements, candidates will be entered into the lottery round – which has a very low acceptance rate due to the limited number of quotas.

Yeo Jin Goo’s passing of both rounds of selection surprised netizens. On forums, many people expressed surprise at the English level of the actor, who is usually secretive about his education. Some prominent comments include: “Wow, Jingoo is so good at English?”, “When I was little, I saw an article saying his English was really good, right?”, “KATUSA is so cool. Have a safe military service!”, or “Even if you are good at English, there are still many talented people, it’s hard to get selected, right? You’re so good. Well done!”

In fact, Yeo Jin Goo has shown his foreign language ability many times in interviews and TV shows, but he rarely flaunts it. Passing KATUSA this time is not only a testament to his language ability, but also shows his thorough preparation, seriousness and high sense of responsibility towards his civic duty.

Yeo Jin Goo was born in 1997, started his acting career at a young age and is known for his neat and serious image at work. He has made his mark with a series of roles in films such as The Moon Embracing the Sun, Hotel Del Luna, Beyond Evil… and is considered one of the most talented young actors on the Korean screen. His earlier than expected enlistment also surprised fans, because the actor still had time before his military service. However, many people think that this is a proactive and commendable decision, helping him complete his national service early to continue his career later.

According to the announcement from the management company, the enlistment ceremony will take place privately, with the specific time and location not being made public to ensure the privacy of the family and other recruits. Fans are encouraged not to come to see him off in person, but instead send their wishes and encouragement from afar. The company also added that Yeo Jin Goo will not hold any official farewell ceremony, to avoid affecting other recruits and to maintain the spirit of military discipline.

By joining KATUSA – the unit considered the “top” of the Korean army – Yeo Jin Goo not only makes fans proud but also receives respect from the public. He is expected to return after his service with a more mature image, continuing to conquer the audience with his talent, personality and inherent professionalism. In the context of many young artists facing pressure to join the army, Yeo Jin Goo’s choice is considered a positive role model, inspiring the next generation of artists.

By joining KATUSA – the unit considered the “top” of the Korean army – Yeo Jin Goo not only made his fans proud but also received respect from the public. He is expected to return after his service with a more mature image, continuing to conquer the audience with his talent and valuable personality.