Lee Jong-hyun, formerly of the group CNBLUE, shared an update eight years after leaving the entertainment industry.
On the 10th, Lee Jong-hyun posted a long message on his Instagram, saying, "This is Lee Jong-hyun. I left this account empty for eight years."
Lee said, "There were a few years when I turned my back on the world. After that, I learned to work to try to live," adding, "It's small, but for eight years I've found enjoyment in marketing in the beauty field and have been doing it professionally."
He went on, "These days my day is about holding meetings, opening up products, and thinking about how I can do better," adding, "I leave in the morning and come home at night," as he shared his daily routine.
He added, "I realized how hard it is to live working an ordinary life. I think everyone is incredible," and "From now on, as a human being, Lee Jong-hyun, I will live communicating with more people."
In the photos released together, Lee Jong-hyun is seen sitting at a desk working and examining cosmetic products.
Lee Jong-hyun debuted in 2010 as a member of CNBLUE. He was active with songs such as "I'm a Loner" and "Love Light," and also appeared in dramas including "A Gentleman's Dignity," "Orange Marmalade," and "Girls' Generation 1979."
However, in 2019 he was engulfed in controversy when it became known that he had participated in the so-called "Jung Joon-young group chat." At the time, it emerged that he had taken part in the chat room with Jung Joon-young, who caused public outrage over the illegal sharing of secretly filmed footage, and he faced criticism as inappropriate remarks about women were also revealed.
Later that August, controversy flared again when SNS messages, reportedly sent by him to a female BJ while he was on hiatus for self-reflection, were made public. Lee Jong-hyun said at the time, "I apologize to those who were hurt by my inappropriate words and actions and to everyone who was greatly disappointed," and left CNBLUE.