Singer WOODZ (real name Cho Seung Youn) has officially completed his mandatory military service and is ready to return to the entertainment scene. He was discharged on the morning of July 21 after serving in the Korea Military Academy Support Group since January 2024.
At his discharge ceremony, WOODZ greeted fans with a smile and said, “I gotta start working today.” During an interview with Herald POP, he expressed gratitude for fans’ unwavering love, saying
MOODZ, I’m finally back.
Thank you for your unwavering support and love, I was able to get through even the toughest moments. I always knew your love meant a lot, but during my service, I was reminded again just how powerful that love really is.
The 28-year-old singer originally entered the K-pop scene in 2014 as a member of the multinational boy group UNIQ.
He later rose to broader public attention through Mnet’s survival show Produce X 101, where he ranked high enough to debut with the project group X1 in 2019. Following the disbandment of X1 in 2020, he focused on building his solo career.
His solo success peaked just before enlistment with the release of his 5th EP OO-LI, in April 2023.
The title track DROWNING gained significant attention after a video of WOODZ performing it in uniform on KBS2’s Immortal Songs during the Armed Forces Day special went viral. The song’s resurgence on the charts led it to win first place on SBS’s Inkigayo twice in May and June 2023, even while he was still serving.
Now discharged, WOODZ is preparing for a major return, starting with festival appearances. His first post-military appearance will be at Summer Sonic 2025, one of Japan’s largest music festivals, this August. He will then head to Korea’s Busan International Rock Festival in September, with more festival dates expected to follow.
WOODZ, now under EDAM Entertainment alongside IU, is gearing up to expand his activities across music and entertainment.
His upcoming schedules are highly awaited by fans who have waited through his 18-month service.
