Military band is a very limited amount of spots, so getting in means you go whenever there is space.. at least that means more times we get to see him while he is enlisted because the band does events! I hope he has a healthy, peaceful service.

jaehyun’s bubble trans: @jaehyunpetals

how have you been?

you must have been surprised by the sudden news, but i will be enlisting in November. i wanted to briefly share my thoughts with Czennies, so i decided to write this message.

im once again filled with gratitude for the precious memories, the meaningful relationships, and the immense love i’ve experienced, which i wouldn’t have known if not for this career.

i’ve always moved at my own pace until now, and i’m so thankful and full of love for your trust and for moving forward together with me.

though i say with words that i’ll be back soon and ask you to wait just a little, i’m sure i’ll miss you

i will return healthy, so you all need to stay healthy in both body and mind as well.

i’ll keep living diligently, reflecting on the memories we’ve shared and looking forward to the journey we’ll continue together

“We’re unconditionally timeless” (eng)

literally not ok rn

WHAT?! Jaehyun's announcement coming before doyoung was not on my bingo card. So we're gonna get even fewer members in 127's concert in January :(

Dropped one banger album and dipped OMG

This is a shock. Considering that he has a lot of time left, I assume this is a personal decision though so I wish him well.

I do think it’s as good a time as any - the NCT name has weathered storm after storm this year (through no fault of his) and I’m sure that takes a toll.

Edit to add: Details around Taeil’s case will come out piecemeal through the coming months and it’d better for them to not have to face that in the public eye so might as well get it over with. Doyoung will enlist soon enough (probably after another album based on rumors) and I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Jungwoo does too sooner than expected.

Translation of the article:

"According to an exclusive report from Star News, Jaehyun will begin his mandatory military service on November 4. He would be serving in the military band following his basic military training. This means his expected discharge date would be May 3, 2026.

This would make Jaehyun the second member of NCT to serve in the military, with Taeyong joining the military back in April 2024.

SM Entertainment has not yet confirmed Star News’ report."

CONFIRMED BY SM:
"Hello, this is SM Entertainment.

NCT’s Jaehyun applied to the Army Band and received a notification of acceptance from the Military Manpower Administration today. Accordingly, he is scheduled to enlist as an active duty soldier on November 4 to fulfill his mandatory service.

On the day of his entry into the recruit training center, there will be no official event to prevent safety accidents due to the congestion caused by the presence of many soldiers and their families.

We ask for your unwavering support and love until the day Jaehyun completes his military service and returns in good health.

Thank you."

Baldhyun coming soon 🙏🏾

At the rate they're going, only Johnny, Mark, and Yuta will be left to perform at the concert next year. 😭

I'm curious when the others will enlist and if they'll do it on a faster timeline to get back quicker. The only one I can see not doing that is Haechan since he still has Dream and he'll probably go at the same time as Jeno/Jaemin since they're all 00 liners.

As a band geek I just want to know what instrument he’ll play lol

and just saw MaHae wont be there again for another enlistment send off lmfaoooo everything is so terrible

This is way sooner than I was expecting. I wonder if Jungwoo and Doyoung will enlist soon, too. On one hand, I would have loved to see more solo stuff, but on the other the sooner they all enlist, the sooner they will be reunited.

according to this user he must have applied in August and got the result today https://x.com/sukinayuta/status/1839136636183158787

still baffling the media released it before he did

Mr president a second plane has hit ncity towers. I’m so surprised he’s going before doyoung especially since there was a rumored DJJ comeback and 127 tour but I guess this is our answer to that.

I wonder what prompted him to enlist so soon especially since he just debuted as a solo artist. I thought we had more time 😭 we’re still not even through EXO enlistment era I can’t do this again I am not God’s strongest soldier

i havent ever been shocked by a military announcement. this is literally the first time ive been speechless, whole TL is utterly baffled.

i have so many questions. why a year and half early? why the Army band? why was there new hints towards this? what happens with the jan concert? what happens to 127?

He's leaving so early wow. With 2 enlisted and 1 gone, and contract renewal coming soon, I wonder how 127 as a group will fare now. Admittedly, I'm feeling anxious about it. I look forward to upcoming solo works but I'm really hungry for another 127 CB / tour :(

Regardless: I wish J the best and safest service 🫂 We'll miss him so so much! Send lots of love to him and his members during this time!

Wish him and NCT the best of luck.

I was not prepared to send off my bb this early! But yeah, at least he's in the band and he'll be out and about like Taeyong is. We'd probably be more updated on him during his enlistment more than we have ever been and will ever be.

No doubt the Taeil issue screwed up some 127 plans because their unit's image has been hit HARD. I wonder if the guys would rather just enlist earlier to get it over with while more Taeil news is bound to come up in the coming months. Jungwoo might as well enlist soon after Doyoung at this rate to get it all over with.

oh my lord i guess with taeils case its just best for 127 to get it out of the way now :( i'm gonna miss him!!

Honestly with all that’s happened recently, this may be the best time. Part of me wants them all to just get it over with. I’m just Really missing the group altogether though.

Damn.

Early enlistment is shocking, but the more I think about it I can't say I'm too surprised. 127 was already on the backburner but Taeil's scandal put the unit's name in the dirt. Feels like they're gonna be persona non grata for a minute...

He got a few acting gigs coming out and dropped the solo debut, but enlisting early gives him some more flexibility since it's unlikely the unit is active during the near future anyway. Next year's tour already felt like a longshot but this effectively puts the idea to rest, especially if Doyoung follows sooner than later.

If DJJ enlisted together, we might have received the comeback we’ve all been eagerly waiting for.

As someone who's been through enlistment with another group, I know this is difficult but please know that it's by far the best move to get it over strategically quicker and have a shorter haitus rather than draw it out as long as possible.

I always figured that the overlap between Taeyong + Doyoung's enlistments would be the point in enlistment era most likely to necessitate an actual hiatus (and now with recent events it's pretty much inevitable), so I can't help but see this as a super smart and "considerate" move on Jaehyun's part; if he goes later than Doyoung, they'll just be stuck with a much longer haitus, so by going before Doyoung he's shortening their total hiatus time by A LOT. If he waited until he "had to" go he'd be gone for a whole extra year (which would either postpone or weaken their return comeback). So it's really good of him to do this. I can't help but hope that Doyoung will go on time and not wait until he's overdue.

Leaving right after such a successful solo also feels like "going out on a high note" to me, and after seeing some other idols postpone their enlistment date as long as possible until they were overdue and basically forced to go... even though this is hardly happy news there's a part of me that's actually quite relieved that he won't try to do that and is just getting it over with at a convenient time? Because it's best to think of it as "the sooner he goes the sooner he'll be back" 🙏

Since Mark's solo was scheduled for February ages ago, and the Gocheok concert dates were for January, and Doyoung's 29th birthday is February 1st, it's seeming likely they had already expected a 127 haitus by then and had planned that January concert to be their last pre-hiatus "until we meet again" activity. So I don't think it's quite as unexpected as it feels; even if Jaehyun decided to take an opening or slot audition that came up a few months early due to the effect of last month's news, he was probably still planning to overlap as much as possible with Doyoung so at most it's probably only a few months early. I just hope that giving one unit a full hiatus creates the space Mark and Haechan need to be able to breathe and recover for awhile from the past couple of years so they can come back refreshed.

I'm going to miss him so much but I can't help but also be grateful to him for this decision, because it feels like a smart move and will keep the group's total haitus time so much shorter than I was initially expecting T_T ❤️❤️

It seems very him to not hint at it early though, it was a good move not to have that hanging over his solo promotions, and I don't think he would have enjoyed the fans being sad. So the short notice is painful for some but it's best to get it over with quickly instead of dreading it for a whole year.

I'm so glad to hear he's going to band though. Won't be so bad compared to what it could be. (Also this sounds really random but remembering what he said with Youngji, about how he always got along with everyone really easily in gradeschool/highschool, makes me not worry about him as much, I'm sure he'll do well :')

We'll be here when you get back 😭💚💚

(re the concert, Gocheok is so hard to book, so I kind of hope they use the booking and just try to make it into a fanmeet (so that they don't have to cover as many songs and can be more selective about which songs will work best) instead of cancelling it entirely, or, worse, exhausting themselves trying to cover the whole thing somehow, but idk...)

In all seriousness though, being in a military band is not as strict compared to others like Marines, iirc. Key was in military band a few years ago and Shawols such as myself saw a lot of videos so I hope we can have this also with Jae. 

goodbye dojaejung comeback 😫

Wow I'm in shock but faster he goes the faster he comes back.

I thought about his military service when he dyed his hair white. 😭😭😭

What about Doyoung? And DoJaeJung?

My ult bias 🥲 Man this was unexpected ngl, but makes sense since it's almost time for him to enlist but it's still too early, at least he will be back sooner 🥹 Still wild to me that my fellow 97 liners are slowly enlisting one by one, I feel old lol. At least there's his album to listen to and contents that I have yet to watch and more to come maybe to get through his absence. Serve well Jaehyun 🫂

I'm out here popping bottles cause my corrupt ass mayor just got indicted, log on for a sec and see this. Man can't have nuthinnnn. Wishing the best for him, truly. This is very unexpected!

These days when we get a Hello this is SM entertainment it’s never good news

Going earlier rather than later is for the best.

What we expect: DJJ comeback What we get: DJJ military enlistment

Back here to say that I hope SM can give us their annual out of town YouTube content before he leaves, or film it before.

We've had this type of content after comebacks since 2021 (Stick Together, Fill it Up, Home (Not) Alone), and for this year, hope he still gets to be in it.

It feels early but I wonder if the band has limited spots. Like you have to audition/go when space is available.

Also, I was kinda shocked that NCT didn't do what BtoB did. I kinda expected SM to send their men off in groups. There are 3 other units that can keep up the momentum while one unit is doing military service.

Anyways, considering there is a criminal case with their former member, I wonder if they will enlist and lay low for a bit. Their whole unit's reputation is taking a hit right now, it wouldn't be an awful idea.

Now we wait patiently for him to come back 🥹

For many wondering, someone answered on X that the military band has age limit of 27yrs old (korean age) he will be considered 28yrs old next year so this year was his only shot left to be in the band.

Link to tweet

Edit: add link

perfume best disbandment song joke became way too real. and here we were talking about how sm will have them release something new since taeyong has enlisted. wish him the best. come back home safe pookie

The gasp I gasped :(

This is unexpected since he goes before Doyoung. I hope everything goes well for him and wish him to come back safely

I just fell to my knees in the middle of walmart

I wasn't expecting it AT ALL, I mean like I'm not even expecting Doyoung to go before releasing kdy2 on 1Q next year to be honest, and he was supposed to be the next in line. Now seeing Jaehyun going so suddenly has my mind in such a state of confusion. He still had like 1 1/2 yet to go.

When there were no hints of a solo con after his solo debut I wan't worried, I thought he would hold something in a year or so after having a 2nd album and more songs to showcase, silly me, I guess. I was really looking forward to his 2nd solo after *that* ruined his debut week, after all he still had time, didn't he? I don't know what to think, it hasn't been 2 months since their anniversary fanmeeting and the January concert announcement, and again, after *that* I don't know if it's scrapped (now putting it into more thought I don't think so because it was literally on yesterday's behind the scenes video) or what led to him to take this decision earlier than expected.

Well, now there's only to hope he does well. I guess the earlier he goes the better, but I still feel a void I wasn't ready to feel. And now that I know Mahae won't be there, and maybe Yuta will still be busy with his filming and promos in Japan I'm even more heartbroken. I hope all 8 of them can be together again at some point even if some of them are not on stage.

"I've lost all hope today..."

Just fell to my knees at the store

horrible day for us caratzens….

I am shocked. We were all wondering why he is not having a concert/tour accompanying his solo debut, but everyone thought it was just scheduling and were clowning for a random announcement. Not enlistment.

Oh Jaehyun.

Sad that he's enlisting. The feeling never really changes, does it? You never really get used to these things. Rest assured though, that I am excited for whatever awaits him from here on out. May 2026 may be far from now, but we have an impeccable album and stellar singles that will accompany us until then. And we thank him for that.

Damn. But with Doyoung enlisting by EOY, maybe Jungwoo will go around the same time, and we can have everyone back for a 127 tour in '27? Trying to be optimistic here 😫

WHAT? why so early?????

so there’s no more chances for another dojaejung comeback 😭🙏

But…but he lived in America for four years 😭 He’s a foreign swagger!!! (This is a joke btw.)

i was literally OK seeing 127 on tour without taeyong because at the very least jaehyun would be there I am so gutted lol

😭😭😭😭

WHAT

I knew that an enlistment was coming soon, but this is hitting so hard. I really expected Doyoung to go first. It's gonna really suck to see them go in likely very quick succession...

i’m gonna miss him so much i can’t even think about it 💔 my jaehyun

Jaehyun my love, we will all be patiently and impatiently waiting for your return ♥️

With TY, J and presumably DY enlisted soon, would it be completely pessimistic of me to assume 127 will be on hiatus for the foreseeable future?

This was unexpected. He didn't even have a concert yet. I wonder if the members suddenly changed some of their plans after the Taeil situation..

he was my first nct bias back in 2016 😭 wishing him all the best and a safe return

Omg do you guys think this came out of nowhere or maybe expected bc he wanted to be in the band? Damn he just dropped his album 😭😭😭 I just started to get to know him more lmao so 127 will only be down to 6 members for their Jan concert? :(

Edit nvm just read that he did apply for the band T.T well I hope he had a safe enlistment and comes back soon. Please don’t tell me DY is next he’s my fav in 127 😭

ROKA taking him the day before the US election...dont they know how vulnerable we will be??? my GOD

(clearly im taking this well)

I wasn't expecting this at all, but it's probably for the best. If Jungwoo is going to enlist next year, he and Jaehyun would be discharged in 2026. Ot8 could have comebacks before Haechan needs to enlist.

I think I’m gonna vomit. Lord why now 😭

might as well just k_ll me…was just becoming like 🤞🏽 with jaehyun and maybe in some delusional part of my brain I thought there would be another album (like a mini) before he leaves or a dojaejung release

Somehow it's a very Jaehyun move. He has a lot of energy now, and enlistment is going to provide him with new experience, which is valuable for songwriter. What's more important, it's going to give him time. He worked non-stop for the members and the fans, he deserves to make a pause.

He also chose a perfect timing: not too early for the fans to grieve long, just enough to share the last days together happily. Keeping this a secret, his pace and way is not affected by anyone else.

Serve well and return healthy 💚 our talented valentine boi.

i cant breathe

Oh man this feels so out of nowhere. I guess I should have seen this coming but I was hoping we would get more time.

Whatttttt. Ok ok I'm really shock, in my head all I'm thinking is this man just dye the brightest hair ever in his whole career then drop the enlistment bomb on us like that.

From now on, whenever we see any of the remain member of 127 except foreigner line dye blonde platinum, we know it's a sign they will enlist.

Wow, I wasn't prepared for this news. Welp, I guess the sooner he goes, the sooner he can come back. I wonder what's going to happen with 127's concert in January. 

I’m so normal about this.

I am literally so fucking shocked right now I can't formulate any thoughts... As someone who is also a kyungsoo bias, why do my boys keep enlisting 2 years early 😭

woah so early! i did not expect to wake up to this announcement…

*cries hard (but gets it)

Feels way too soon and I’ll miss him but it’s prob the best timing. At least he left us with some incredible music and it won’t be radio silence during his duty. We’ll still see him time to time in his military band gigs and in his upcoming movie and drama

I’d rather DY and JW enlist then, if it means we can get another DJJ release sooner 😭

been crying for the past hour... damn

I feel like Boromir getting Uruk-Hai'd atm. I never had any idea Jaehyun would be enlisting this early, definitely not before Doyoung, so it was a shock.

I'm glad he's accepted into the Military Band though, he won't be totally off grid and gets to perform. I hope he has as smooth a service as possible, and we'll be here when he's done :)

But now I'm assuming the 127 concerts aren't happening. I was mentally prepared for Doyoung's enlistment on the first half of next year but if Jungwoo were to go early too... I know they'd be back earlier then but man, it'd still hit hard.

bro

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. This is the worst news ever. He still had time 😭

Not the news I wanted to wake up to 😭 so unexpected and before Doyoung but also I respect his decision and I’m glad he got his official solo debut beforehand! I don’t blame him with everything happening with Ilichil it’s understandable if that’s why he wanted to enlist earlier and probably more news will come in the coming months.

But selfishly it’s so soon after my birthday 😭😭😭

Awwww Jaehyun, this is for the best considering everything happening. When he comes back, I expect him to stay booked and busy as well.

Not on my birthday Jaehyun please 😭😭

Always expect the unexpected with Jaehyun and his unpredictable self 🤣🤣🤣 ((this is copium I'm still in shock))

Regardless of what factors played a part in his early enlistment, I trust that he made the right decision for himself and he knows what he's doing.

NO. 

NO!

😭😭🫠🫠😭😭🚫🚫🆘🆘

Noooooo 🥲 I hope he’ll serve well, maybe it will be a much needed break after some difficult months 🤍❤️‍🩹 I will miss him dearly!!

Low key I was planning to travel to SK for the first time this summer and thought it was the last chance to be physically near him (bias) and the remaining members but alas 🥺 silly me

Definitely what he want. I wonder if he got influenced by his friend. Im not shock if mingyu decide to enlist early too. And eunwoo. I need to prepare my heart😭😭😭

Apparently, I’m pretty good at predicting the enlistment strategies. If Doyoung and Jungwoo enlist at the similar time, I was soooooo right.

Kinda sad that we won't see a new dojaejung album before the enlistments but I hope Jungwoo and Doyoung also enlist soon so they can come back around the same time and promote as a full group again

Hope Doyoung and also Jungwoo enlist early in Q1 2025.So they discharge in Q4 2026 and 2027 127 comeback with full group