Super Junior’s Heechul Spotted at Izakaya Bar

Super Junior’s Heechul has shared several photos of him with friends and family since his enlistment last September. He was seen at dinner with TRAX’s Jung Mo and actress Shim Eun Kyung late last month, before joining fellow SM artists, BoA, Siwon, and Chairman Lee Soo Man for a glass of wine earlier this month. He was also spotted at a fancy restaurant with an unknown friend last week, keeping his fans in the loop about his whereabouts.

On January 15, Heechul’s latest photo at an Izakaya bar owned by comedian Jung Jun Ha was posted online. Jung Jun Ha tweeted the photo with the caption, “Last night, the Universe Big Star arrived at Ppuri Ppuri!” He continued, “He kindly signed autographs, took photos with fans, he’s truly the Universe Big Star~! China has the UFO, Korea has the Universe Big Star~Please come often!”

“Ppuri Ppuri” is the Japanese Izakaya bar run by Jung Jun Ha in the upscale Chungdam area in Seoul. Heechul is reported to have visited the bar without prior notice, surprising the owner and all the customers.

Netizens, however, seemed confused over Heechul’s frequent appearance in online photos as he’s supposed to be serving in the army right now. Well, Heechul technically is serving the 23-month mandatory military service. It’s just that he’s assigned to a local district office to work as public service personnel. The position is usually reserved for people with serious health issues or prior medical records. Heechul was forced to receive an ankle surgery following his 2006 car accident, and that’s why he’s not serving at the regular army camps. After completion of the four week boot camp, public service personnels are assigned to their jobs, working regular hours. They are not restricted to any type of military obligations after their regular working hours, and that’s why he’s often seen in these photos. Anyways, it’s good to see the “Universe Big Star” at least through these photos!