Kai of K-pop boy group completed his mandatory military service Monday, Feb. 10, according to label SM Entertainment.

He served as a social service agent from May 2023. He surprised fans when he shared the news of his impending enlistment barely a week before beginning his service. At the time, he acknowledged that his enlistment date was also sudden for him.

His return raises expectations for the group’s comeback as a full group. Kai was unable to participate in the group’s 2023 promotions for “Exist” due to his unanticipated enlistment.

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Sehun, the youngest member, is the only member to be enlisted now and will be discharged in September. Bandmates have been reassuring fans, at concerts and in interviews, that all members will reunite this year for team activities.

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Kai previously opened up about wanting to live a “happy life as a human being” in an exclusive interview with US-based The Recording Academy in 2023, as he reflected on his career as a K-pop veteran.

“Being an idol is a job too. The line between my daily life and my life as a celebrity is very ambiguous. From time to time, I could feel more stressed out, and as it is a job where I can share emotions with the public, there’s a bit of pressure on that too,” he began. “The most important thing to do is to take care of my mental [health] and mindset, and this realization was a chance for me to grow.”