South Korea’s 2026 Ground Forces Festival has turned into an unexpected K-pop reunion, bringing together a remarkable lineup of idols and actors currently serving in the country’s military.
A group photo shared by iKON’s DK on Oct. 5 quickly caught fans’ attention after it showed eight familiar faces posing together in military uniforms.
The photo featured SEVENTEEN’s Woozi, MONSTA X’s I.M, Kang Daniel, iKON’s DK, former NU’EST member Baekho, actors Kim Young-dae and Rowoon, and actor Song Geon-hee.
The stars were among the enlisted entertainers participating in the 2026 Ground Forces Festival, an annual Army event held in Gyeryong, South Chungcheong Province, from Oct. 1 to 5.
What might otherwise have been an ordinary military festival quickly became a major talking point among K-pop fans as clips of the stars performing together spread across social media.
A Rare Lineup of Enlisted Stars
The gathering was unusual because the celebrities come from different groups and areas of the entertainment industry.
Woozi is a member of SEVENTEEN, while I.M represents MONSTA X and DK is part of iKON. Kang Daniel rose to fame as a member of Wanna One before pursuing a successful solo career.
Baekho is a former member of NU’EST, while Kim Young-dae, Rowoon and Song Geon-hee are known primarily for their acting careers.
Despite their different backgrounds, military service brought them together as members of the Army’s performance activities.
Korean entertainment outlet Newsen also confirmed the appearance of the eight stars at the festival, identifying them in DK’s group photos and noting that they participated in the Army performance team.
From Military Uniforms to K-Pop Dance Performances
The festival gave the enlisted celebrities an opportunity to showcase their entertainment skills while serving in the military.
Videos circulating online showed the stars and fellow soldiers performing choreography to well-known K-pop songs.
Woozi was seen participating in a performance of SEVENTEEN’s “Super”, alongside Kang Daniel, I.M, Baekho and other soldiers.
Other performances featured songs associated with iKON and MONSTA X, including “Love Scenario,” “Rhythm Ta” and “Love Killa.”
Kang Daniel also appeared in a dance video featuring Wanna One’s “Energetic”, giving fans an unexpected throwback to his time with the project group.
Other clips showed the enlisted stars dancing to songs ranging from Girls’ Generation’s “Genie” to Justin Bieber’s “Baby” and Ateez’s “Bad.”
The informal clips have proved particularly popular because they show the celebrities outside the highly produced environment normally associated with K-pop performances.
Kim Young-dae Draws Attention for Rapping
Actor Kim Young-dae became one of the festival’s surprise standouts.
Best known for his roles in Korean dramas, Kim was seen taking on a rap performance during the festival, surprising fans who are more accustomed to seeing him in acting roles.
Footage from the event showed him performing to BIGBANG’s “Sunset Glow”, while wearing his military uniform and performing alongside fellow soldiers.
Kim also appeared in dance content with Kang Daniel, I.M and Woozi.
The unexpected performances prompted fans to comment on his dancing and rapping abilities, with many also remarking on his military haircut and the difference between his current appearance and his usual drama roles.
His participation has helped make the festival a source of new content for fans who have been following his military service.
Woozi Reflects on the Festival
Woozi also addressed the event directly after the five-day festival ended.
In a message posted to SEVENTEEN’s Weverse account on Oct. 5, he thanked fans who came to support him and said being part of the Army performance team had been a meaningful experience.
He described the festival as something he would remember for a long time and expressed pride in contributing to the Army performance team and showcasing aspects of military life.
His comments came shortly after fans had watched numerous videos of him performing alongside other enlisted entertainers.
Fans Compare It to a K-Pop Awards Show
The unusual combination of stars quickly became a major talking point online.
Fans joked that the gathering looked less like a military event and more like a year-end K-pop awards show, given the number of well-known third-generation idols appearing together.
The reaction was driven partly by the fact that many of the stars rarely have opportunities to appear together during their normal entertainment schedules.
One Korean entertainment report described the lineup as an unusually impressive combination brought together through military service.
The festival also produced several unexpected combinations between idols and actors who normally operate in completely different entertainment circles.
Military Service Creates Unexpected Celebrity Collaborations
South Korea’s mandatory military service can temporarily interrupt the careers of male entertainers, but the Ground Forces Festival has occasionally provided enlisted celebrities with opportunities to continue performing in a different setting.
The 2026 event followed previous festivals that brought together entertainers serving in the military.
Earlier reports had already generated anticipation when I.M, Woozi, Hoshi and Kang Daniel were spotted during interviews connected to the 2026 festival in July. At the time, fans speculated that they could eventually appear together, although the final performance lineup had not been confirmed.
The festival ultimately delivered on some of those expectations, with several of the stars appearing together in performances and behind-the-scenes content.
Hoshi Misses Festival After ACL Injury
One notable absence was SEVENTEEN’s Hoshi, who had been expected to participate as part of a military taekwondo demonstration team.
Hoshi suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury while rehearsing for the performance last month and subsequently announced that he would undergo surgery.
As a result, he could not take part in the festival or other activities connected to the team.
Even though he was unable to attend, his fellow team members reportedly paid tribute to him by including an edited image of Hoshi in a group photograph connected to the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
A Festival Beyond Traditional Military Demonstrations
The Ground Forces Festival is designed to showcase different aspects of the South Korean Army through performances, exhibitions and military demonstrations.
The 2026 edition was held from Oct. 1 to 5 around Gyeryong, where South Korea’s Army, Navy and Air Force headquarters are located.
The festival has developed into a public-facing event where civilians can interact with military personnel and watch performances alongside demonstrations and exhibitions.
For enlisted entertainers, it can also provide a platform to perform while fulfilling their military duties.
This year’s lineup made that particularly visible, with K-pop idols and actors appearing together in military uniforms while performing songs and choreography familiar to their civilian fan bases.
Fans Get a Rare Look at Stars During Military Service
For fans, the festival offered something that regular concerts and television appearances cannot easily provide: a glimpse of their favourite celebrities adapting to military life while still displaying the skills that made them famous.
The performances also created unusual collaborations that would be difficult to organise through normal entertainment agencies.
Woozi dancing alongside Kang Daniel and I.M, Kim Young-dae rapping on stage and multiple former and current idol-group members performing together gave fans a rare collection of moments from one of the most star-studded military entertainment lineups in recent years.
With the festival now over, the photos and performance clips are continuing to circulate online, turning what began as a military event into one of the latest major talking points among K-pop fans.
