Conscription in South Korea
Conscription in South Korea has existed since 1957 and requires male citizens between the ages of 18 and 28 to perform in the army compulsory military service. Women are not required to perform military service, but may voluntarily enlist.
Rise as God
In April 2015, S.M. confirmed that U-Know Yunho would be enlisting in the Republic of Korea Armed Forces as part of the mandatory military service imposed on all South Korean men aged 18 to 35. In July, S.M. announced that Max Changmin was accepted into a special unit for conscripted policemen, and will be enlisting at the end of the year. Due to their mandatory draft, TVXQ announced that they would be on hiatus for the next two years. At the encore shows held on June 13 and 14, the duo said they have recorded some new material and would release it sometime during their hiatus.