The Kpop Source: Kangta discharged from military

K-pop star Kangta smiles upon being discharged from a military unit at the city of Pocheon in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea on February 19, 2010. [Asia Economic Daily]

Pop star Kangta was discharged from the military on Friday upon completing South Korea's two-year mandatory military service.

The singer had served on the search squadron at city of Pocheon in the Gyeonggi Province since April 2008.

"I couldn't sleep the night before...... I also want to thank everyone for coming here even though it's cold and snowing," Kangta said to the several hundred reporters and fans who had gathered to see him since early morning.

About 300 fans from all over Asia, including Korea, China and Japan, showed up to congratulate the pop star for fulfilling his military duties.

Kangta also thanked popular female idol group Girls' Generation, both managed by major talenthouse SM Entertainment, for paying a visit to him while he was in the army. "When the girls came, the whole unit went in such a frenzy that I couldn't ask them to come back a second time. I hope to be a help to the girls in the future once I make my comeback to the music scene."

The singer will immediately kick off his activities, starting by holding his first fan meeting at Seoul's Sookmyung Art Center on Saturday. The fan events will continue to other Asian cities including Beijing and Tokyo.

Kangta, whose real name is Ahn Chil-hyun, made his debut in 1996 as the lead singer in the now-disbanded idol group H.O.T. He has pursued a solo career since 2001, releasing several albums in Asia as well as taking up acting in China.