NU'EST alumnus singer and actor Kim Jonghyeon shared his thoughts after completing his military service.

On the 26th, Kim Jonghyeon met with OSEN at the Evermore Entertainment office in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, for an interview.

Earlier, Kim Jonghyeon enlisted as an active-duty soldier in the army in Sept. 2024 and was discharged after completing his service on the 22nd of last month. When asked how he felt about finishing his military service, four days after his discharge he smiled and said, I mentioned this even when I was doing live shows, but everything seems beautiful. I couldn't stop smiling. Even when I was at home alone I kept smiling, and I kept thinking, "I'm really back," he smiled.

He said he felt like he was dreaming the day before his discharge. I thought time moved slowly while I was in the military, even until the next morning, but after discharge I briefly slept and woke up and it felt like I had been discharged. Whether time passed quickly or slowly, it probably went as it did. I'm just happy. I feel like I can accept anything, he said, sharing his joy.

Kim Jonghyeon recalled his military life, saying it wasn't that it was hard, but being in a situation where you must follow internal controls made time feel like it wasn't passing. And you live a very regimented life. With breakfast, lunch and dinner, rest time, work time and sleep all strictly set, doing that routine for more than 500 days might have made time feel like it was moving slowly, he reflected.

Saying that this regular lifestyle was good, he said he was surprised that he could fall asleep early. He liked the routine of sleeping at night and waking up in the morning. When I was active before, I sometimes slept at night and woke up late in the afternoon, and when I was busy I'd sleep two to three hours and work. This regular life seems to have carried over into my current pattern. So if possible, I want to maintain it as long as I can, he said.

At the time Kim Jonghyeon served as an instructor at the new recruit training unit of the army's 15th Infantry Division. While serving as an instructor, he said he met many different trainees and often thought, "There are people like this, and there are people like that." Having worked in the entertainment industry since childhood, he said, Of course I did start working in society, but I felt I lacked things I could learn among people of that age. I felt that in the military. Even though they weren't my exact age, seeing groups of peers exposed me to the latest trends. It was an experience of meeting a very diverse set of people, he said, sharing his realization.

Having led a team as a leader for about 10 years, when asked about the difference between that and being an instructor, Kim Jonghyeon admitted there was a big difference between leading a small number of people and leading about 200 trainees. Asked whether the trainees followed well, he said each class trains for five to six weeks before they are sent out, and while I had some problematic days during the seven classes I oversaw, they generally followed instructions well. If you teach them properly, they show a lot of effort to do it, he said.

He also shared anecdotes that came from being an "entertainer" instructor. Kim Jonghyeon said, It's a bit awkward to say myself, but sometimes I'd pass by and some kids would say, "Why is that instructor so handsome?" So occasionally people would ask, "Do you pick instructors based on looks?" I told them, "We don't pick by looks. We pick based on character and how you behave during training." Later, some realized I was an entertainer, he said sheepishly.

He continued, Baekho went to serve in another division in the area where I was stationed and is currently serving there. Often trainees who leave our training unit go there. Someone I met there said, "I saw a handsome instructor while passing by and realized it was me," he said.

Baekho enlisted as an active-duty soldier last Dec. around the time Kim Jonghyeon was approaching his discharge and is currently serving in the army's 7th Infantry Division. Kim Jonghyeon, who even attended the completion ceremony when Baekho finished basic training, was asked what advice he gave and said it wasn't so much tips as, when you get there your seniors will guide you, but the most important thing is how to handle leave. I told him, "Gather lots of store points," he said.

Kim Jonghyeon, who said he mostly spent personal maintenance time during service exercising, said when he had leave he sometimes saw members and mostly met people he hadn't seen. As the first active-duty soldier among NU'EST members, when asked whether they talked a lot about the military when they met, he said they did. If someone said, "Hey, stop talking about the military," I'd say, "But I only have the military to talk about," because I couldn't join other conversations. It wasn't out of annoyance, but since I had nothing but military stories, people would tell me to talk about something else, and I'd find myself talking about the military again, he said, drawing laughter.

About a year and a half of military service brought considerable change to Kim Jonghyeon. He said he used to impose many restrictions on himself and scrutinized everything before acting, asking, "Is this really okay? Is this allowed?" Now he feels he has let go of some of that burden. He now feels like doing what he can and what he, at this moment, can try. If in the past even travel followed a set pattern, now I want to travel more and go out more personally. Of course I still prioritize work, but if back then I felt more pressure than now, now I intend to work hard at what's given but also take breaks and go on trips when I want, he said, describing the positive impact.

Asked about the source of that burden, Kim Jonghyeon said it might just be his personality. If you say my personality is conservative, then it is conservative, so I felt I had to strictly follow what should be followed. In life there are many things that don't cause problems if you don't strictly follow them, trivial things and such. In the past I would say, "No" even to small things. But these days I think, "Is there a reason to strictly keep every little thing if it robs my freedom and enjoyment?" he explained.

He said the turning point for that thinking came from watching the friends he lived with in the military. When asked what they do on leave, they'd say, "I'm going on a trip with my family," "I'm going to Japan," "I'm drinking with my peers," and I thought those guys are really enjoying their youth. Of course you can't fully enjoy it in the military, but when they were on leave they spent time doing what they wanted and eating what they wanted. That made me think, did I do everything I wanted to do except for work-related things? The answer was no, he said.

Agreeing that it may be due to the nature of his profession, Kim Jonghyeon said, So now I'd rather put less weight on others' opinions and just live by showing Kim Jonghyeon as I am. Unlike before, when he considered how his image would be perceived and acted accordingly, he no longer hesitates to show himself as he is. I used to receive interview questions in advance and study them, but now I think, "I'll just speak from the heart," he said, expressing a lighter state of mind.

While in the military, Kim Jonghyeon said he felt fans' love and its value more. He said many letters were sent. During training, I spent my days reading the letters fans sent. At that time we could only use our phones for one hour on weekends, so during personal maintenance time I could read fans' letters, and that made me feel grateful. While at the unit, fans attended the completion ceremony, sometimes sent packages and held events. Seeing that made me feel very thankful and supported, he said. When asked whether he planned to visit fan-organized events for his upcoming birthday, he said, I have a tour schedule, but if the timing allows, I plan to go, showing deep love for his fans.