Broadcaster Lee Hwi-jae returns to television as a contestant on Immortal Songs. Despite breaking a four-year seclusion to make a comeback, angry public sentiment saying "unlikable" and "don't want to see him" has emerged. It is true there were past private life controversies, but still, in the entertainment industry where many stars return after past offenses, the particularly heavy scarlet letter on him evokes regret.
Lee Hwi-jae will participate as a guest in the recording of KBS 2TV variety show Immortal Songs (abbreviated Immortal) held on the 16th. That day's Immortal recording will be staged as the "2026 entertainment industry king special." Among them, Lee Hwi-jae is expected to appear as one of the contestants.
Through this, Lee Hwi-jae will meet viewers on television after a long time. In fact, his broadcast appearance comes about four years after MBN variety show Battle in the Box ended on Jan. 26, 2022. Given that Lee Hwi-jae once shone as a main MC to the extent that he won the grand prize at the 2015 KBS Entertainment Awards, the sudden hiatus and his broadcast appearance attract particular attention.
Amid this, voices of criticism are louder than welcomes regarding Lee Hwi-jae's return, drawing more attention. Articles announcing his appearance on Immortal Songs are dominated by responses saying "don't want to see him." The criticism aimed at one guest is unusually active and harsh. Although counterarguments saying "excessive" have also been raised, the "unlikable" label attached to him nevertheless is not easily erased. What made public sentiment so angry toward Lee Hwi-jae?
The controversy's beginning is traced to MBC variety show Seba-gwhee, where Lee Hwi-jae once served as host. For many comedians and variety entertainers such as Kim Shin-young, Park Na-rae, Jang Do-youn, and Jang Dong-min, Seba-gwhee was regarded as a grave-like program. Given the show's format where many panelists appear at once to compete in wit and laughter, if someone did not stand out at once they were easy to be buried, and criticism arose toward the harsh hosting that caused this, with Lee Hwi-jae at the center as the main MC. However, comedians Park Mi-sun and Kim Gu Ra also worked as hosts of Seba-gwhee and remain actively working, inviting comparison.
After Seba-gwhee ended in 2015, Lee Hwi-jae rather reached the peak of his career as an entertainer that year by winning the grand prize at the KBS Entertainment Awards. At the time he gained great affection by revealing daily life with his twin sons Seo-eon and Seo-jun on the then-airing KBS 2TV variety show The Return of SUPERMAN, which was airing. Once famous as the prototype of the handsome comedian and known for a "womanizer" character, Lee Hwi-jae married florist Moon Jung-won and devoted himself to family life, clumsily joining in twin parenting and experiencing paternal affection he hadn't known from his strict father, which was praised as a reversal image.
However, showcasing his family and home in detail on The Return of SUPERMAN became a poison. After that, rumors about Lee Hwi-jae's family's private life did not stop. His wife Moon Jung-won, active as an influencer amid intense interest, was embroiled in a covert advertising controversy in 2020, and in 2021 the twin sons were involved in a floor noise dispute for reportedly jumping too much in the apartment. Although the family appeared to have moved to a detached house afterward, in 2022 Moon Jung-won was even caught up in a toy price "eat-and-run" controversy at an amusement park she visited with the children, leading to the deletion of all videos from social media accounts and YouTube to settle the matter for the time being.
Another criticism of Lee Hwi-jae's character then arose. A signed CD he received from a girl group in the past appeared as a used item on a resale site, sparking controversy. The item was labeled "To. senior Lee Hwi-jae," making the original recipient unmistakable. However, it was explained that in the past a manager, not Lee Hwi-jae, managed signed CDs and such, and Lee Hwi-jae's former agency apologized, saying they did not know the leak route and felt sorry.
These controversies coincided with the end of Lee Hwi-jae's Battle in the Box, and coincidentally Lee Hwi-jae and his family could no longer be seen on domestic broadcasts. During that time, the family reportedly felt attracted to the local area during a trip to Canada for rest, and Moon Jung-won and the twin brothers continued to stay in Canada.
But it was not immigration or a broadcast suspension. Regarding this, a close aide of Lee Hwi-jae told OSEN, "It wasn't retirement, but his spirits weren't good," and recently said, "I exchanged messages on Moon Jung-won's birthday. The twins are doing well and exercising hard, I heard. Their stay in Canada was closer to rest than immigration."
In the end, it seems Lee Hwi-jae could not continue broadcasting not because of any crime or social controversy but because of the unlikable image and personal reasons. However, many actors, singers, and variety entertainers who committed graver offenses such as power abuse, gambling, embezzlement, tax evasion, drunk driving, drugs, and sex crimes have returned to the entertainment industry and continued broadcasting activities nonchalantly. It is hard to understand why only Lee Hwi-jae bears such a deep unlikable image. Since the whole family showed no hesitation appearing before the public, perhaps they became an easy target for some netizens to tear apart simply because they were an approachable entertainer.
Despite such critical public opinion, the Immortal Songs producer told OSEN regarding the decision to invite Lee Hwi-jae, "This time the guests are not singers but people who once released albums. We also went through a process of organizing and recruiting cast, and Lee Hwi-jae probably considered many programs. During that process, talks with our side went well, so he will appear. I don't think he had declared a tentative retirement or anything like that. We are not opening the door to Lee Hwi-jae's comeback at all. We were just doing a variety entertainer special, and Lee Hwi-jae previously released records, and above all, you can't ignore nationwide recognition and fame. Considering that, we recruited him."
Can Lee Hwi-jae successfully return to the broadcast world again using undeniable recognition and fame as a stepping stone? Interest in his first broadcast appearance in four years is hotter than ever.
[Photo] OSEN DB.
[OSEN]