SEVENTEEN leader S.Coups has received an exemption from mandatory military service, Pledis Entertainment has confirmed.
In a statement to South Korean news outlet Edaily, Pledis Entertainment confirmed earlier reports that SEVENTEEN member S.Coups had been exempted from mandatory military service due to an injury.
“Due to a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee joint, S.Coups underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery and anterolateral ligament reconstruction surgery,” the label explained, per Soompi.
“Because it was a major surgery, he has been undergoing physical rehabilitation therapy for a long time, starting from last year up until now,” the label added. S.Coups had been absent from SEVENTEEN’s promotions for their ‘Seventeenth Heaven’ as well as the Asian leg of their ‘Follow’ tour since October last year due to the same injury.
As a result of the severity of his injury and surgery, the South Korean military classified S.Coups as a Grade 5 during a medical examination determining his ability to serve the military. Men in Grade 5 are exempt from mandatory service amid peacetime, however are expected to be called in support of the military in cases of war.
In the same statement, Pledis also responded to rumours regarding new music from SEVENTEEN to be released in April, neither confirming nor denying the claims. “We will make an official announcement regarding [SEVENTEEN’s] precise comeback schedule at a later date,” it wrote.
Despite S.Coups’ knee injury and subsequent hiatus, he and bandmate Jeonghan – who also went on hiatus after receiving corrective surgery for an ankle injury around the same time – are set to reunite with the rest of SEVENTEEN for activities this month, including their upcoming ‘Follow’ encore series of concerts in Seoul and Japan.
