South Korean pop star Rain bid farewell to tearful fans Tuesday as

South Korean pop star Rain bid farewell to tearful fans Tuesday as he put one of Asia’s most successful entertainment careers on hold to enter boot camp and begin nearly two years of military service.

The 29-year-old singer and actor, his hair neatly cropped, gave a military salute to fans before he disappeared into an army base in Uijeongbu north of Seoul — more than 50 years after Elvis Presley was drafted in the U.S. army from the heights of stardom.

“Thank you for the 10 years of love,” Rain told hundreds of gathered fans as tears welled in his eyes. Many of the fans were from Japan and China and held banners with messages meant to cheer him.

Rain is fulfilling his compulsory military service at a relatively late age and risks losing career momentum during the 21 months he spends out of the public eye. But he could otherwise face a backlash given South Korea’s hostility toward draft dodgers.

Military service has agonized many young South Korean entertainers and athletes hoping to continue their successful careers. Athletes can be exempted from service if they win an Olympic gold medal or otherwise improve the country’s image with major achievements. But entertainers — no matter how successful they are abroad — enjoy no such lenience from the government.

Source Reuters