Once in the late 1990s, singer Steve Yoo (Yoo Seung-jun) took the stage by storm with his iconic “scissors dance.”
But in 2002, the moment he changed his nationality to the United States, he was instantly branded not as a “national singer,” but as a “national traitor(?).” ⚡
Fast forward to August 28, 2025—
The Seoul Administrative Court’s 5th Division ruled: “The LA Consulate’s visa denial must be canceled.”
Yes, that’s right. Steve Yoo takes one step closer to entering Korea again! 🚪
With talk of Liberation Day special pardons in the air, fans also raised their voices:
“If politicians can be pardoned, shouldn’t Steve get another chance too?”
Then, an old remark from President Lee Jae-myung’s SNS post 10 years ago resurfaced:
👉 “What words can there be for someone who abandoned his country?” 🥊
Even foreign media joined in, reporting:
“Amid draft-dodging controversy, fans appeal to the President.”
And the mood right now? It can be summed up in just one line:
👉 “Forget my mistakes, and give me back my past glory!” 🎶
“At the time of the physical examination: Classified as Grade 4 (Public Service Duty)”
“You’ve been classified as Grade 4. Will you accept it?”
“Yes, I will. I should accept it, since it has been officially decided here. I plan to follow what’s been determined.”
Today, I came across an article about Steve Yoo (Yoo Seung-jun), and here’s the key point that stood out.
👉 On February 23, 2021, at the National Assembly’s Defense Committee hearing, Commissioner Mo Jong-hwa made a striking remark:
“Steve Yoo’s action was not simply breaking a promise, but a violation of the Military Service Act.”
That’s the real punchline right there. 🥶
Now, let’s take it one step further.
“Why did Steve Yoo end up making such a choice?”
From the perspective of K-Bazi (Four Pillars of Destiny), I’ll try to uncover his inner world and the flow of his fate.
But first, let’s revisit Commissioner Mo Jong-hwa’s statement and fact-check it briefly—
And then, I’ll take you deeper into the story. 🚂✨
Summary of Commissioner Mo Jong-hwa’s Remarks
“The public seems a bit confused.
Steve Yoo has distorted the facts to create favorable public opinion for himself,
so we haven’t felt the need to respond to every single claim.
But today, I’d like to fact-check a few key points.”
“Every year, around 3,000–4,000 people change nationality or evade service,
and 95% of them avoid conscription by simply living abroad without taking a medical exam.
But Steve Yoo was unique—he earned money through domestic activities,
took the military medical exam in August 2001 (classified as Grade 4, supplementary service),
received his enlistment notice, and then obtained U.S. citizenship.”
“Steve Yoo claims he was exempt from service, but this is misleading the public.
Exemption requires a Grade 5 classification, but he was Grade 4 (supplementary service).”
“It was already judged by the Seoul Administrative Court on September 30, 1996, that ‘Steve Yoo is a draft dodger.’”
⚠️ Fact Check: This is not true. There is no such ruling in 1996.
Actual court cases related to Steve Yoo came much later, in the 2010s, involving visa issuance disputes, not draft evasion rulings.
He promised the Military Manpower Administration that he would go to the U.S. and Japan until a certain date and time, and then return.
And here’s one more thing.
I actually brought the document with me.
This is the Overseas Travel Permit Application he submitted before leaving the country.
Right here, he clearly wrote “for a concert.”
He promised the Military Manpower Administration,
“I’ll be back by this date and time after going to the U.S. and Japan.”
That’s the kind of promise Steve Yoo made before his departure.
But Steve Yoo did not keep his promise.
He eventually obtained U.S. citizenship,
and this can clearly be seen as an act of military evasion.
However, here’s the crucial point—
Why wasn’t he punished?
Because by that time, he had already lost his Korean nationality.
Without Korean citizenship, the Military Service Act could not be applied.
It was simply because he no longer held South Korean nationality.
That’s the only reason.
That is all.
When we look into Steve Yoo’s K-Bazi chart,
the very first thing that stands out is the complete absence of Wood 木(財, wealth element).
And without Wood, Fire cannot properly ignite.
Here, Fire represents the Officer star (正官/偏官)—
which stands for social responsibility, law, order, and honor.
But in Steve Yoo’s chart, this Fire has no foundation at all.
Why? Because there is no root of Fire in the Earthly Branches.
On top of that, his Branches are dominated by the Water element (食傷, Output star),
which further suppresses the presence of Fire.
If his fortune cycles had brought supportive Fire energy,
it could have been a turning point—
a moment where honor, responsibility, and recognition truly shined,
making his chart a case of “icing on the cake.”
In Steve Yoo’s chart, Fire (火) represents the Officer star—
symbolizing social honor, responsibility, and the spotlight.
But everything changed in 1997, when he entered the Im-In (壬寅) luck cycle.
👉 The In-Wood (寅木) secretly contains Bing Fire (丙火),
meaning that the long-missing spark of Fire in his chart finally began to ignite. 🔥
And in this very cycle, Steve Yoo made his debut.
The outcome? Nothing short of a syndrome! 🎶
With just one performance of his legendary “scissors dance,”
the entire nation went wild—
from teenagers to soldiers, everyone shouted his name: “Yoo Seung-jun!”
He wasn’t just a singer; he became a full-blown social phenomenon. ✨
This powerful Fire energy continued to carry him forward until August 2001,
when he underwent his military physical examination.
Thanks to this strong flow of luck, he wasn’t just a pop star anymore—
he claimed the title of “Youth Icon of Korea.” 🏆
At the age of 27, Steve Yoo entered the Gyemyo (癸卯) luck cycle.
Previously, under the Im-In (壬寅) cycle, Fire (火) had flared up brilliantly, fueling his rise to fame.
But Gyemyo brought a far quieter, damp flow of energy.
And then came the fateful year: 2002, the Im-O (壬午) year!
This was the turning point.
- The Wu-Fire (午火) clashed head-on with the Zi-Water (子水) of his chart 💥
→ Inner turmoil and conflict reached their peak. - The hidden Bing-Fire (丙火) within In-Wood (寅木) had long supported his Yang-Stem Bing Fire (丙火),
→ keeping alive the flame of “social responsibility.” - But when Myo-Wood (卯木) arrived,
→ it was as if someone pulled out the logs from the fireplace—his flame suddenly died out. 🔥❌
In other words, the moment social responsibility and order (Fire, the Officer star) lost their strength,
Steve Yoo’s heart wavered, and he made a choice that disappointed an entire generation of Korean youth.
The Constitution of Korea, Article 39, is clear:
👉 “All citizens shall have the duty of national defense as prescribed by law.”
For Korean men, there is no way around it—military service is inevitable.
Those classified as Grade 4 must still serve as social service agents.
Steve Yoo, the star who shook the nation with his “scissors dance,”
was given a Grade 4 supplementary service due to a back problem.
Had he fulfilled even that alternative duty, he would likely still be remembered as a ‘90s legend.
But in February 2002, fate twisted.
At Incheon Airport’s immigration desk, he turned around and boarded a flight to the U.S. ✈️
Choosing “citizenship over service.”
And his life since?
Aside from a brief three-day entry in 2003 for his father-in-law’s funeral,
he has never set foot in Korea again.
Since it was my decision, I have to take full responsibility for it.
That one single choice turned him into the nation’s symbol of draft evasion,
collapsing his image from beloved star to a social black mark.
Life’s choices are often decided in a single moment.
Who could have foreseen that his decision would cost him the right to enter his homeland for life?
His K-Bazi chart had already shown these warning signs.
If only a little more moral awareness and caution had guided him,
he might still be remembered not as a “draft dodger,”
but as a shining icon on stage.
The truth remains: past mistakes can never be undone.
It is a lesson that cuts deep into anyone who faces it.
So, was the state right in its judgment? Or too harsh in its punishment?
In the end, that answer rests with you, the reader.
