Hyun Bin volunteers to join Marine Corps

By Kwon Mee-yoo

Heartthrob Hyun Bin, 29, who has won over the nation with the ongoing drama "Secret Garden", has applied to join the Marine Corps and will start his military service in March if he passes the screening.

The Military Manpower Administration (MMA) said Hyeon was interviewed for the Marine Corps in December and the result will be announced on Feb. 20.

"The competition rate for entering the Marine Corps is around 4:1 this time. We will consider physical strength, academic background, voluntary service and more to select the successful candidates. There are no additional points for celebrities and Hyeon will be evaluated on the same criteria as other applicants", an MMA official said.

Hyeon's agency AM Entertainment said Wednesday that the actor did not want to join the entertainment unit and chose to apply for the Marine Corps by himself. ""Hyun Bin has so far focused on his sound image as an actor and also has had a good impression of the Marines", an official of the agency said.

Busy filming the last episodes of "Secret Garden", which will end this Sunday, Hyeon will promote two movies in February ― "Late Autumn - 2010" with Tang Wei and "Come Rain Come Shine" (working title) with Lim Soo-jung ― before leaving for the mandatory military service.

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