Recently, a YouTuber uploaded a video titled “My Experience with Park Bo-gum in the Navy Training Camp” to his channel.
Revealing himself as a fan, he explained, “The reason I like Park Bo-gum is because I saw him in person during military training. I served in the Navy’s 669th class, and Bo-gum was my fellow recruit. Of course, he doesn’t know me—I just know him. We trained in neighboring squads, so I happened to see him a few times.”
He recalled:
“It was the day after enlistment when a typhoon hit, and we couldn’t go to the cafeteria. That evening, we finally got to eat there. While lining up to dispose of leftovers, I looked back and saw someone who looked like a different breed of human—it was Bo-gum. Seeing him in real life, he looks like someone in HD resolution. It’s surreal.”
“One time during a break from a lecture in the auditorium, I saw him by the restroom and said, ‘I’m a big fan. Can I shake your hand?’ Bo-gum smiled and said, ‘Thanks, but my hands are wet right now,’ and wiped them on his clothes before shaking my hand. I was so touched and grateful. He always smiled warmly when speaking. As a fellow man, he made me feel calm and happy. He’s like a human embodiment of Pocari Sweat.”
The YouTuber emphasized Park Bo-gum’s good personality:
“Bo-gum is known for his good personality in the entertainment industry, but in person, he’s beyond anything you can imagine. On the first day he entered, his squad was in chaos. People were amazed to see a top star. They kept asking silly questions like, ‘Is Irene really pretty?’ or ‘I’m a fan of Kim Yoo-jung—how beautiful is she in real life?’ Bo-gum always smiled and replied, ‘She’s very beautiful.’”
Another question was about Min-seo, a man who once claimed to resemble Park Bo-gum and received both attention and criticism online.
“When asked if he knew Min-seo, Bo-gum reportedly replied, ‘Yes, I know him. I’m actually grateful because his media attention helped promote my drama.’ That response was so gracious it left people speechless.”
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He continued:
“Last year’s top catchphrase was Jang Won-young’s ‘Lucky Vicky.’ Bo-gum is like the ultimate ‘Lucky Vicky.’ Even the nicest people would feel small next to him. And he never swears or uses profanity—this is well-known in our unit.”
He shared a well-known anecdote:
“In our final week of training, someone wrote something insulting about an instructor on an anonymous survey. The instructors were furious and punished us all harshly. One shouted, ‘Anyone here who never swore during training, raise your hand!’ Nobody moved—except Bo-gum. Quietly, he raised his hand. The instructor, shocked, ran over and said, ‘This isn’t the time to raise your hand!’ It became a legendary moment.”
“Don’t get the wrong idea that he’s just sweet and gentle—he also has charisma. Around the 2nd or 3rd week, we attended night training, including gas chamber and field exercises. One night, everyone was talking too much before roll call, and the instructors kept punishing us. Even after several warnings, people wouldn’t quiet down. Then, Bo-gum said, ‘Guys, we’re adults now, not kids. Let’s calm down.’ That finally shut everyone up. I was so thankful and impressed. Later, during free time, he went to each room and personally apologized for raising his voice. Who does that? Truly amazing.”
He also praised Bo-gum’s physique:
“He’s in top physical shape. During our timed run, I ran with Bo-gum. At first, I could see him in front of me, but soon he was gone. For context, I barely qualified as elite. He probably finished a full minute or two ahead of me. He never missed a single drill. No special treatment, no skipping training just because he’s a celebrity.”
He concluded:
“These days, we see so many celebrity scandals. It’s made people skeptical about public figures, and it’s hard to feel immersed in variety shows or dramas. But with Bo-gum, because I’ve seen him personally, I can trust him. Everyone who served with him would say the same. His good reputation didn’t just appear out of nowhere.”
In the video’s comments, he added, “I saw Bo-gum not only at the training center in Jinhae, but also later at the Gyeryongdae base and even at church. He was consistently warm, respectful, and considerate. In these chaotic times, he really shines. I believe anyone who saw him between late 2020 and early 2022 at Gyeryongdae would only have praise.”
Park Bo-gum has long been known for his countless good-deed stories. This isn’t the first time he’s received praise from someone who knows him. With this fellow soldier’s testimony spreading, many are now comparing Bo-gum to the kind-hearted “Yang Gwan-sik” character from “When Life Gives You Tangerines.”