Mandatory Military Service: Two Years in Community Care

South Korea requires male citizens to perform mandatory military service for about 2 years. During military testing, I was found to have scoliosis and was designated to fulfill my military duty as a Social Service Personnel instead (like BTS Suga). 

Following my sophomore year, I fulfilled two years of mandatory military service during which I was assigned to daycare centers. My first year was dedicated to working at a children’s daycare center, while my second year involved serving at a daycare facility for the elderly.

Serving the community for two years in a field where I lacked expertise was challenging. It was characterized by my involvement in a diverse range of roles. I was a cleaner, maintaining the cleanliness of the daycare center; a cook’s assistant, aiding the nutritionist in meal preparation; a photographer, capturing moments of the children and elderly to share with their guardians; an entertainer, engaging with both kids and the elderly to bring smiles to their faces; and even a caretaker, feeding them and attending to their daily needs, including personal care and comfort.

Ranging from toddlers as young as one to seniors as old as 90, the daycare center provided me with the unique opportunity to serve and interact with people at both ends of the age spectrum. Two years of community service was a time to ponder the meaning of life, and it became a transformative journey of personal growth and empathy.

This experience profoundly reshaped my perspective, teaching me invaluable lessons about patience, compassion, and the intrinsic value of serving the community. These years were not just about fulfilling a duty but about discovering the deep satisfaction that comes from contributing to the well-being of others, regardless of one’s professional background or expertise.