The saying that celebrities are forgotten once they enlist in the military seems to be a thing of the past. Singer Kang Daniel, currently serving in the military, is drawing renewed attention with a performance he delivered while in uniform.

Recently, online communities have been buzzing with performance videos of Kang Daniel—who enlisted in February—covering songs like ATEEZ's "BAD" while serving as a member of the Army performance team. Although the exact location of the performances remains unconfirmed, fancams showing Kang Daniel pulling off a junior artist's song with his own sharp and powerful style have spread widely. Favorable reviews have dominated online spaces, with comments such as, "Is the military his personal color?" and noting how well the image suits him.

Kang Daniel also shared a post on Threads featuring a video along with the caption "now i'm gone," announcing the conclusion of his activities with the Army performance team. He stated, "Thank you to everyone who watched and supported my stages. Corporal Kang Daniel has completed his mission as part of the Army performance team and will now return as Corporal Kang Daniel, a squad leader training platoon master instructor for individual firearms at the Nonsan Army Training Center's enlistment reception center support company."

Now a corporal, Kang Daniel has reportedly been actively dedicated to his military life, taking on the role of a master squad leader in the squad leader training platoon. In particular, his healthier and brighter appearance compared to his days in the entertainment industry has left fans waiting for his return full of excitement.

In response, some netizens recalled WOODZ, who also garnered massive attention while serving in the military, reacting with comments like, "Is he going to gain widespread attention in the military just like WOODZ?" WOODZ performed "Drowning" on the Armed Forces Day special of KBS 2TV's Immortal Songs in October 2024 during his military service, and the performance video surpassed 18 million views, leading to a dramatic chart reversal.

Kang Daniel's scheduled discharge date is August 8, 2027.

 

(Photo: SBS Entertainment News, reported by Kang Kyung-yoon)