[Diarypoint = Park Bo-young, reporter] Actor Yeo Jin-goo, who is serving in the military as a KATUSA soldier, was seen hosting the 26th Korean military English speech contest. Photos of him in uniform with event participants spread online around November 10, offering a glimpse of his life since enlisting.
U.S. judge Kirsten Brunson attended the contest at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek as a panelist and posted a photo with Yeo. Brunson said she had enjoyed the dramas “The Man Who Became King” and “Hotel del Luna.” According to Maeil Business Newspaper, which reported Brunson's account, Yeo served as the host of the event, where Korean soldiers and military academy cadets gave English speeches on the Korea-U.S. alliance.
The contest featured Korean service members and military academy cadets delivering English speeches on the Korea-U.S. alliance. A U.S. Army event record lists the contest as held on October 14, 2026. A group photo taken by U.S. Army Pfc. Sydney Shank was released on October 19. The date the photos became public and the actual date of the event are different.
Yeo Jin-goo enlisted as a KATUSA soldier on December 15, 2025, and is currently serving. The Military Manpower Administration describes KATUSA (Korean Augmentation to the United States Army) as Korean Army personnel attached to the U.S. Eighth Army to carry out duties related to the Korea-U.S. alliance. According to the agency, KATUSA selectees complete five weeks of basic military training at the Army Training Center, then three weeks of specialized training at the KATUSA training unit, before being assigned to major U.S. Forces Korea units.
A total of 1,870 KATUSA soldiers for the 2025 enlistment class were selected through a public process. When the figures were released, there were 12,715 applicants, for an average competition rate of 6.8 to 1. Yeo's agency said at the time of his enlistment that he would serve for about one year and six months starting December 15, 2025, and that the location and time of his training-center entry would not be disclosed.
Yeo debuted in 2005 with the film “Sad Movie.” He has appeared in the dramas “Moon Embracing the Sun,” “The Man Who Became King,” “Hotel del Luna,” and “Monster,” as well as the films “Hwayi: A Monster Boy” and “Hijack.” In 2013, he won Best New Actor at the 34th Blue Dragon Film Awards for “Hwayi: A Monster Boy.”