Broadcaster Lee Hwi-jae has only three days left until his return to the entertainment industry. Angry viewers are raising sharp criticism toward Immortal Songs, which opened the way for his comeback.
The KBS2 program Immortal Songs, which will air at 6:05 p.m. on the 28th, is being presented as the "2026 entertainment industry king special."
This two-week special has become a focal point of attention because it depicts Lee Hwi-jae's return. Lee Hwi-jae is returning to domestic broadcasting for the first time in about four years since the end of MBN's Battle in the Box in January 2022. Living in Canada with his wife and twins and having been beset by rumors of immigration and retirement, Lee Hwi-jae is likely to use Immortal Songs to indicate the possibility of resuming activities.
A short clip showing Lee Hwi-jae taking the stage was released in the trailer at the end of the broadcast on the 21st, but viewers' reactions remain cold. Some viewers posted opposing comments about Lee Hwi-jae's return on Immortal Songs' viewer board, and some criticized Immortal Songs for booking him.
Immortal Songs invited Lee Hwi-jae under the pretext of the "2026 entertainment industry king special." Participants in this special include Lee Hwi-jae, Cho Hye-lyeon, Hong Seok-cheon, Park Joonhyung, Song Il-guk·Oh Man-seok, Kim Shin-young·Cheon Dan-bi, Park Sung-kwang·Jeong Beom-gyun·Lee Sang-hoon·Seo Seong-gyeong, Lee Chan-seok, LALAL, and others. The explanation was, "We made bookings targeting entertainers and actors who are not full-time singers," but the public questions whether Lee Hwi-jae was a necessary choice and whether there was justification to bring him back after four years.
Despite the fierce criticism, there was no cancellation of the booking; the recording proceeded, and the broadcast is ready to air. If Lee Hwi-jae, returning after four years, does not show genuinely changed behavior and speech, Immortal Songs, which booked him, could be solely blamed as having paved the way for his return or helped create the possibility.
Accordingly, Immortal Songs needs to prepare the broadcast focusing not on Lee Hwi-jae's return but on the "entertainment industry king" they originally intended. If the program centers on Lee Hwi-jae's "comeback" or his "tearful plea," it risks being dismissed as emotional manipulation, so it must be more careful with captions and editing that assign significance to the comeback itself. Also, since Lee Hwi-jae is participating as a "contestant" rather than a "legend," the focus should be on the song and stage preparation process, and it should show how sincerely he approached it rather than emphasizing entertainment value.
Immortal Songs' role is to strip away sentimental staging and put Lee Hwi-jae on a cold, fair evaluation platform. That means he should show his changed self and receive renewed public judgment, not be aided in his comeback. The program also needs to listen to the flood of viewer feedback and reflect it in future bookings and broadcasts.
The die has been cast. Only three days remain until Lee Hwi-jae's return broadcast.
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