SEVENTEEN Military Update: Vernon Officially Enlists, DK Up Next as Mingyu, Seungkwan, and Dino’s Countdown Continues
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SEVENTEEN’s military rollout, one of K-pop’s most closely tracked storylines of 2026, has moved another step forward.
Just weeks after PLEDIS Entertainment confirmed enlistment dates for the group’s final three members, Mingyu, Seungkwan, and Dino, it’s Vernon who has actually reported for duty first, officially beginning his mandatory service on August 20.
With Vernon now in training and DK’s own enlistment just around the corner, here’s a full update on where every member of the 13-person group currently stands, and what’s still to come before Mingyu, Seungkwan, and Dino close out the group’s two-year military cycle.
Vernon Has Officially Enlisted
On August 20, Vernon entered a military training center to begin his mandatory service, fulfilling his obligation as a public service worker despite holding dual South Korean and American citizenship.
Rather than a quiet exit, Vernon marked the day with a surprise gift for fans: a self-written, self-composed digital single titled “I’ll Be Back,” released the same evening across major streaming platforms.
The song, an electronic pop track with a noticeably sentimental edge, had actually been previewed earlier this year during Vernon’s July concert with fellow member THE8 as part of their V8 subunit.
Its release on enlistment day gave the track new meaning, functioning as a kind of musical goodbye letter to CARATs, the group’s fandom, as he steps away from group activities.
PLEDIS Entertainment confirmed the enlistment and, consistent with its approach for other members, asked fans not to visit Vernon’s training center or his place of alternative service.
The agency reiterated that prerecorded content would continue to surface throughout his time away, a strategy it has now used for every member who has entered service so far.
Vernon becomes the fifth of SEVENTEEN’s 13 members to begin military duty, following Jeonghan, Wonwoo, Hoshi, and Woozi.
DK Enlists Next, on September 8
With Vernon’s service now underway, attention shifts to DK, who is scheduled to enlist as an active-duty Army soldier on September 8.
Unlike Vernon’s alternative service track, DK’s enlistment places him directly within a standard Army unit, generally considered the more physically demanding of the available service paths.
DK’s enlistment date was announced back on July 27 alongside Vernon’s, but with Vernon’s service now officially underway, DK is next in line, and the group’s most immediate remaining milestone.
PLEDIS has indicated DK will continue participating in scheduled SEVENTEEN activities up until his enlistment date, following the same pattern established by the members before him.
The Skechers Malaysia Appearance Is Locked In for August 28
Before DK, Seungkwan, and Dino step away, the three are set to make one more joint public appearance: a Grand Opening event for Skechers’ new flagship store at Sunway Pyramid in Malaysia on August 28. All three serve as the brand’s Regional Brand Ambassadors, and the event will include a meet-and-greet component for fans.
Since the original enlistment announcement, several logistical details around this appearance have solidified. A Skechers-run contest, open to Malaysian fans between July 21 and August 15, selected 200 winners for exclusive Meet & Greet passes, with results announced on August 18.
The event itself is scheduled to take place at 4:30 PM at the Sunway Pyramid Ice Rink.
For fans hoping to see any of the three members before their respective enlistments, this appearance represents one of the last confirmed opportunities. It’s also notable timing: DK will attend the event just eleven days before beginning his own military service on September 8.
Mingyu, Seungkwan, and Dino: No Change to Their Dates
For the three members originally covered in our previous report, nothing has changed regarding their actual enlistment schedule.
Mingyu remains set to begin alternative service on September 10, just two days after DK enlists, while Seungkwan and Dino are still scheduled to enlist together as members of the Republic of Korea Army’s military band on October 26.
Seungkwan’s placement in the military band came after he applied for and was accepted into the specialized unit, a track that has become increasingly common among K-pop idols since it allows continued use of musical training during service, even though day-to-day duties remain fundamentally military.
Dino will join him in the same band placement on the same date.
Both members are still expected to participate in scheduled SEVENTEEN activities, including the August 28 Skechers appearance, before their October departure.
SEVENTEEN’s Full Military Timeline, Updated
With Vernon’s service now confirmed and underway, here’s where things stand for the group as a whole:
- Jeonghan — Enlisted September 2024 (alternative service); discharged June 2026, the first member to complete service
- Wonwoo — Enlisted April 2025 (alternative service); currently serving, expected return early 2027
- Hoshi — Enlisted September 2025 (active duty); currently serving, expected return March 2027
- Woozi — Enlisted September 2025 (active duty); currently serving, expected return March 2027
- Vernon — Enlisted August 20, 2026 (alternative service); currently serving
- DK — Enlisting September 8, 2026 (active duty)
- Mingyu — Enlisting September 10, 2026 (alternative service)
- Seungkwan — Enlisting October 26, 2026 (military band)
- Dino — Enlisting October 26, 2026 (military band)
That leaves four members exempt from service entirely: S.Coups, due to a chronic knee injury, and Joshua, THE8, and Jun, who are exempt from Korean conscription due to their foreign citizenship.
What This Means for SEVENTEEN’s Activities
Once DK, Mingyu, Seungkwan, and Dino all enter service over the coming months, the majority of SEVENTEEN’s lineup will be simultaneously serving, save for Jeonghan, who has already returned.
PLEDIS has continued to rely on a mix of subunit promotions, individual content, and prerecorded material to keep the group visible during this stretch, a strategy it has maintained since Jeonghan’s original enlistment in 2024.
Fans have continued to track projected return dates closely.
With Jeonghan already discharged and Wonwoo, Hoshi, and Woozi expected back through early-to-mid 2027, most estimates now point toward a gradual, staggered regrouping through 2027 and 2028, rather than any single reunion moment.
Some fan trackers have specifically projected Seungkwan and Dino’s completion in April 2028 and Mingyu’s in June 2028, which would place SEVENTEEN’s full 13-member reunion around the middle of that year.
Looking Ahead & To Conclude
For now, the next date on the calendar is August 28, when DK, Seungkwan, and Dino appear together in Malaysia. After that, the group’s military transition accelerates quickly: DK on September 8, Mingyu two days later on September 10, and finally Seungkwan and Dino together on October 26.
Vernon’s enlistment, and the quiet farewell gesture that came with it, appears to have set the tone for how the group’s remaining members plan to approach their own departures: continued activity up to the very end, a final piece of content for fans, and a clear message that the group’s break is temporary. As PLEDIS has repeated with every enlistment announcement this year, the agency has continued encouraging CARATs to send messages of support through Weverse and to look forward to each member’s return in good health.
We’ll continue tracking DK’s, Mingyu’s, Seungkwan’s, and Dino’s enlistments as their dates approach.
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