South Korea is still technically at war against North Korea, and as a result conscription (compulsory enlistment in the military) has been a predominant part of Korean culture since the 1960s. All male Korean citizens between ages 18-35 must serve in the military for at least 21 months. I'm going to give you guys a brief run through the enlistment process, as well as what it implies socially.

1. Enlistment

Upon turning 18, all Korean men will undertake a physical exam to determine if they are fit for enlistment. Based on the grade they receive, their service may be delayed or even be made exempt:

• Grades 1-3: normal
• Grade 4: alternative service
• Grade 5: civil defence during peace time
• Grade 6: exemption from military service in both situations
• Grade 7: retake exam within two years

Alternative service is for those who are physically or mentally unfit for military enlistment and instead must take part in civil service which consists mainly of working in social welfare organizations or public institutions, for 2 years. Depending on their personal skills, those in Grades 1-3 may be opt to be assigned to civil service positions, for example, a licensed doctor may be assigned to a public health clinic for 2 years.

Due to conscription being a civil duty, the public is highly sensitive towards it. The attitude towards those who attempt to avoid service or receive special treatment is very hostile and they receive a lot of public backlash.Take MC Mong for example, who attempted to dodge drafting in 2010 by pulling out healthy teeth so that he would be exempt. He was sentenced 6 months in jail and in 2011 was banned from appearing on major TV channels KBS and MBC. However, Korean columnist Ha Jae Geun comments that "the mood against draft-dodgers and negligence of duty is so hostile that nowadays entertainers feel it’s better to get it over and done with". New laws now prevent celebrities from draft-dodging as they will be penalised for not enlisting when called. 

      Rain after his discharge from the military

Essentially what all of these means, is that Korean men must plan their lives around military service. Many men enlist immediately after high school and delay going to university until they return. Of course, military training is not only physically taxing but mentally as well. Take a look at this excerpt of a recount by one man:

At the time I did my military service, I hated it. I just hated every moment being in there, trapped in that isolated society. And I just waited for my time to pass. […]

You’re living your free life and then suddenly isolated from the rest of the society. You have no contact. You can’t fill your cell-phone addiction there. And you’re basically sacrificing 2 years of your youth for the nation.

So, on the first day when you enter the military. As soon as you enter this training base, you meet these instructors that train you for 5 weeks on from there. They intentionally try to intimidate you, try to scare you, in order to make you into a soldier.

This 5 weeks of training was one of the most intense experiences I had. You’re not even a private at this moment. You are a trainee. The training is very intense. You are yelled at constantly. You don’t have a voice there. You can only do what you’re told to do and nothing else.

 A common punishment called Wonsan Pokgyeok (The Bombing of
  Wonsan) Usually given for being slow in marching, or even losing
                                      a soccer game

On the other hand, there are some people who view it as an opportunity for personal growth, and view it as a uniting experience as it gives them a shared purpose and responsibility:

Private Kim Soo-Chan notes, “I never had someone tell me to think about my future before. This experience has forced me to think about what I am doing and why.” Private Kim now has plans to go into retail sales for clothes.

Private Im Taemin says that his work here has given him a chance to grow confident about his work and to take pride in the achievements of his team. He has thrived in the swim club, becoming an agile swimmer although he had not known how to swim before he came. […]

A soldier also won a prize for a UCC program that was presented at a local event. The time off could have been used for sports, but many soldiers want to engage with the local community as part of their mission. All these activities create a sense of achievement, of responsibility, and of pride for working together as a team.

2. Social implications

But how does this affect people outside of the military?

As mentioned before, the general public see conscription as a very significant part of Korean culture, so it is also seen as a rite of passage for young men. It is not uncommon to hear older colleagues ask young men if they've been to the military yet when they're acting up. There is not only a legal, but also a cultural obligation.

Apart from having to put careers and education on hold, Korean men will also have to put aside their personal relationships seeing as they are living in isolation for 2 years. When these men return and try to readapt to society, they are two years behind everyone else. Many male undergraduate students leave university after their first or second years and return two years later as sophomores or juniors, while their former classmates are seniors or have already graduated.

Serving in the military is an essential part of "growing up" for men in Korea, and once they complete service they are seen as productive members of society. So it might also be interesting to consider that while it seems reasonable to reward soldiers for their self-sacrifice and duty with social acclaim, women do not get this same opportunity as it is not compulsory for them to serve.

This was fairly short, and there's a whole lot more I could say about this topic but I want to encourage you all to go on your Google escapades so I'll leave it here.

Here are the links I used for this topic:

1. Wikipedia 
2. First excerpt
3. Second excerpt
4. An article which discusses social attitudes

And here is another first-hand account which talks about different positions in the military in regards to grades. There's a lot of good information in this!

Now, I know it's been a whole entire year since my last update and honestly the only excuse I have is that uni has taken the fun out of everything :^) On the bright side I'll be going to Korea on exchange later this year so hopefully I'll be able to update this more frequently! (No promises though)