With just one day of rest after wrapping up filming on his drama Bad Guy, actor Kim Nam-gil began his military life on July 15. He reported to the Chungnam, Nonsan, training center on Thursday afternoon, where he will undergo four weeks of training.
In addition to recent injuries (such as the hernia he was reportedly suffering), Kim was in a car accident in 2003 and suffered significant injuries including a ruptured ligament in his right knee. As a result, he has been assigned to work in the public sector for the duration of his service, which is a less physically strenuous assignment than active duty.
It’s a little jarring to see him looking so different when his drama is still ongoing — especially when the character he portrays has such as strong image. With all his hair shaved off and dressed down, he looks like a dorky little boy, not the suave, calculating mastermind. (I will, however, breathe a sigh of relief that the ajusshi pornstache is gone! I know it fit his character, but I was not a fan.)
As a result of Kim’s draft notice, the drama production scrambled to complete filming on time but in the end opted to cut the length from 20 planned episodes to 17.
(There were frustrated comments in previous posts asking why the army wouldn’t just grant Kim an extension of a few days or weeks, but keep in mind that there’s already a lot of criticism in Korean society — and an ever-present undercurrent of discontent — about the draft system, and the military would hardly want to open themselves up to more criticism over celebrity special treatment. There’s also dissatisfaction that the rich and the famous try to bribe their way out of duty or into plum assignments, and the citizenry doesn’t respond well to that kind of unfair disparity. See, for example, how harshly they reacted when certain celebrities tried to fake medical excuses, were caught, and reviled. The actors then repented in big public gestures and completed their service, and all was forgiven.)
Kim Nam-gil debuted in 2003 and initially acted under the screen name Lee Han. He’s credited as that in Lovers, Goodbye Solo, and a few other early projects, but decided to revert to his real name a couple years ago, which he felt was more true to himself. He shot to fame as Bi-dam in last year’s Queen Seon-deok.
Via OSEN
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Tags: army duty, Kim Nam-gil
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Yet another oppa gone. Why does this keep happening to us? *cries*
I was almost waiting for this post… This look is so much different from his long hair in his two most recent dramas QSD and Bad Guy, thats still broadcasting. Will miss him for sure!
omo. he’s lee han? i’m so fail. how could i not remember him. no wonder he always gave me the familiar vibe. O__o
sadddddd dayy! i’ll miss him!!!!!
its sad to see such a good actor go TT hes the reason i still
stick with Bad Guy hope to see him in the near future with
another great movie-drama ^^ he will be missed !
goodness, i think he looks freakin’ adorable in these pics!
“ajusshi pornstache” haha i totally agree – great for his characters, not so much for real life.
it’s such a shame that he has to ship off now since his career is really taking off. i’m already looking forward to his return and future work. in the meantime, i hope Bad Guy doesn’t suffer too much from this since i have been loving it and look forward to it every wed and thurs while slaving away at work.
POOR KIM NAM GIL!!!!
I don’t know how necessary the draft is (other than the fact that a male-only draft would NOT fly here) but I can’t help but feel it’s a pity to take two yrs of a man’s twenties, when he’s at his peak. Of course you want them at their physical best but…
It’s even sadder when they’re actors and their careers had just taken off… Like his.
I was shocked to know that Kim Nam-gil was Lee Han. I saw him a few years back and I was just wondering what happened to him until Queen SD came out last year. I like him. He is a great actor. Bad Guy is hot right now on my radar and I am sad that he didn’t get to finished all 20 episodes on the drama but I think it will turn out fine.
My hot, sexy, and irresistible actor, Mr. Kim Nam Gil, I will see you again on 2012, and will wait patiently for your next project. Be safe and be healthy!
Love, your fan MC—–G
p.s
I will come back and read this post after KMG came back from the military.
chajjye – OMG. same here. i remember Lee Han as Geum Soo’s dead husband! he was such a cutie. i cant believe he’s KNG. lol. epic fail on my part as well.
*sob* I miss the hair!
But, then again…on second glance, he does sort of have a hottie nerd look now, and that totally works for me. So…never mind?
Glad to hear the army made a concession for his less-than-perfect health situation, too.
i will miss him, miss his work, and miss his sexy bastard smirk…..oh nooo, I miss him already
Kim Nam Gil-less for two years…. nooooooooo
He’s look so young just like high school boy.
I will wait for your drama, 2 years isn’t long.
Just do your best.
KNG is so cute! OMG 2 years is too long, already miss him…
Wow a complete different vibe from his previous image, it just took one shaving head. I `m gonna miss him teribbly, miss his hair, miss his “ajusshi pornstache”, Oh hell who am i kidding! I miss him as a whole! Saranghae, be well…and see you in 2012….
I understand why they couldn’t allow him another extension, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
I miss his long hair not so much the “ajusshi pornstache”. XD Can’t wait to see his return in two long years. Fighting!
saranghae oppa………….ill be missing u
@ 3 and 11: Joining the epic fail gang lol!
*SOBS*
My Bidam…am gonna miss him. Looking at him without his Bad Guy hair is just unbelievable. Two years will pass quickly and hoping to see him with more projects…
My goodness, so cute!
whoa, im diggin’ his hair! he’s probably extremely tired, but he looks happy in the pics (:
Two years seems like forever.
On a random side note: I rewatched My Name Is Kim Sam-soon and was shocked/delighted to find Kim Nam-gil in it.
ur always in my heart Bidam………………..
he definitely does look like a cute nerd…lol…its so funny how they all look so different (well…a lot of them)…with that cut….i’m gonna miss you!!…heard that shin dong wook is going too next week….its sad that these accors are leaving just when their careers begin to take off
man he looks different now! i will surely miss him. he’s almost my favorite actor. well, see you next next year Mr. Bad Guy.
As sad as I was over Bad Guy’s poor luck, shallow me have been waiting for these photos. I love it when these good looking Korean boys shed their hair, their stache, their celebrity persona, to simply protect their country hehehehe.
I think his good looks shine, and those glasses suit him. Sigh, I’m gonna miss him. And rejoice for the loss of the pornstache!!
I know all you ladies are sad about KNG leaving for MS & since JB “…will, however, breathe a sigh of relief that the ajusshi pornstache is gone! I know it fit his character, but I was not a fan.) ….I will offer you guys this to “cheer” you up..it’s cute…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxB6JaZDe8M…..enjoy
Sorry…let’s try again,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxB6JaZDe8M
…ajusshi pornstache…
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. but to be honest, i’m re glad to see the ‘stache go, tooo.
gosh 2 years sounds like such a long time, doesn’t it? one of my friends at school is going to the korean army after fall semester ): i think (if a mutual friend had her facts straight anyway) he’s gonna take leave from school and return as a sophomore when we’re all seniors. craaazy.
It’s always so sad to see these guys going off when they are rising. After the Coffee Prince frenzy, when Gong Yoo left, I thought it’d be a long wait. But then time really past by quickly in the kdrama galaxy, with new faces and some good surprises. So don’t fret, fellow fangirls, let’s wait patiently for his return and I’m sure he’ll be more charismatic than ever. And in the meantime, we still have some weeks of Hot Guy left. Ooops, I meant Bad Guy.
huhuhu…can’t breath…faint…waaaaaaaaaaah, oppa! I ALREADY MISSS YOU MR. AHJUSSI PORNSTACHE!!! WAITING WAITNG WAITING….
Kim was already given an extension earlier in the year (which basically allowed him to film Bad Guy), so it makes sense that they would not grant him another extension. In addition, Oh Yeon Soo stated on her twitter that Bad Guy was originally meant to be only 16 episodes, that all the actors involved had signed the contract for 16 episodes ending on June 30 and that Kim was leaving after filming all of his parts. Pretty much the creators of the show are trying to spin this and make it look like Kim is to blame for the show getting shortened, when in fact it was only supposed to be 16 episodes and they became lazy with shooting thinking that the World Cup would give them extra time.
WOW! he looks so different! (in a good way
)
I liked his pornstache in the pics, though haven’t got to see it yet in action …. serve well!
i’m relieved that he fell into cat4 in for his military service. i hope he gets assigned to a social service work that roams around asia. or am i dreaming?
i want to know what exactly cat4 listers do… do they, like… clean public offices, or do clerical work or what?
mr sexy angel ahjussi… 2 years is not that long.
we’re looking forward to a 6-packed , more mature KNG. 
but seriously, we fans know your heart belongs to humanity… we’re so proud of you and we will be waiting patiently. 
AJA!
im so sad that kim nam gil will enter to the military im gonna miss him!!!! 2yrs may have pass but i will be here still waiting for his come back!!! i will rooting you always!!!! we love you oppa!!! take care… u’ll be miss
i’ll miss him… see you again after two years Nam Gil oppa…
come back soon Mr. Ahjusshi Pornstache!
And he looks more natural and better with short hair.
I like him better with the pornstache and the shaggy hair gone. I think he looks much better now… good luck KNG.. see you back in 2 yrs!
Awww. Seriously, even in this getup he’s gorgeous.
I’ll miss him like crazy. All the best and stay healthy, oppa*.
*Sorry, couldn’t help it.
Ah, doesn’t he look dorki-ly cute there.
I kind of liked the pornstache look ::looks around guiltily:: it added to the sinister look he could do. But it’s nice to see him smiling, since he’s probably tired as all get out. Good luck to him, and we’ll see him in 2 years.
Kim Nam-gil is nothing but hot stuff with his new do! I love it!
In regard to his mustache: Neither was I, neither was I.
I love this look better. That mustache was not the best but oh well. And the whole cutting down to 17 episodes isn’t to gratifying either but there’s nothing we can do about it even though I rather 20 episodes.
Kim Nam-gil your AWESOME!!!! (especially as BI-dam)
He looks like a cutie. I wish him well and will see him in 2 yrs. Good luck!
#34, thanks for the info.
He look just so much like the guy next door in these photos. Which I half suspect he is really.
All the best to him, at least he gets a less strenuous public duty, so well maybe we will catch him patrolling the streets?? hahah.
Ahh I like him like this. Just himself. He’s such a cutie with the specs and shaved hair. <3
Gonna miss him so freaking much. 2012 come fast! Will be right here waiting
OMG…. I’m sad, but it’s alright 2 years will come and go in a flash!
Go serve your country well and with pride. Farewell for now.
2012 is going to be a great year.