Comedian Lee Hwi-jae is coming back. Leaving behind persistent retirement rumors after moving to Canada, he will take the microphone again after four years. Especially notable is that just two days before news of his return was reported, his wife, influencer Moon Jung-won, resumed SNS activity first, drawing fans' attention to whether this move was a carefully calculated "comeback signal."
Lee Hwi-jae has confirmed his appearance on KBS 2TV's "Immortal Songs" for the "2026 entertainment industry king" special. It is a sudden comeback four years after he announced a hiatus in 2022 and left for Canada with his family.
An interesting point is his wife Moon Jung-won's movement. On the 3rd, before reports of Lee Hwi-jae's return surfaced, Moon Jung-won posted on her SNS a short note saying "Already March. 2026" along with photos of daily life in Canada. Time that had been stopped for about three years and seven months since August 2022 has begun to flow again.
Around and outside the entertainment world, there is analysis that Moon Jung-won may have launched a "preparatory public relations operation" to gauge public reaction and help her husband's comeback.
Lee Hwi-jae has suffered retirement rumors amid various ups and downs, including the expiration of his contract with his agency. Insiders repeatedly drew the line by saying "this is not retirement," but the long hiatus was gradually erasing him from the public's memory.
This appearance on "Immortal Songs" is a prime opportunity for Lee Hwi-jae to prove he is still in good form. He is expected to showcase his distinctive wit and stage manners while competing in singing contests with formidable juniors such as Park Seong-gwang and Jung Beom-gyun.
But the mountain to climb is high. Netizens who still view him coldly because of past controversies are casting unfriendly eyes, saying "Isn't he just coming out to make money?" and "Moon Jung-won's public update is too perfectly timed." On the other hand, there are also defenses such as "He went through a long hiatus, so now let's watch over him" and "He can come out now."
Lee Hwi-jae's family is reported to still be staying in Canada. But it seems they will gradually increase the proportion of activities in Korea starting with this recording. The sight of the noticeably grown twins Seo-eon and Seo-jun, revealed by Moon Jung-won, also stimulates nostalgia among fans who have been waiting for his return and helps form positive public opinion. Attention will be on what Lee Hwi-jae will say at the "Immortal Songs" recording to be held on the 16th.
[photo] SNS
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