Lee Hwi-jae, Seo In-young, Hwang Jung-eum: The 'Returning Trio'... Mixed Reactions [First Half-Year Review ⑤]

*This content was translated by AI.

• [2026 ★ First Half-Year Review]

There are stars who briefly disappeared and returned in 2026. We examine the first-half-year performance reports of Lee Hwi-jae, Seo In-young (a singer formerly of the group Jewelry), and actress Hwang Jung-eum, who drew attention with their comebacks this year.

After leaving for Canada with his family amid various controversies, Lee Hwi-jae returned four years later. Despite rumors of his retirement, Lee made his first TV appearance in a long time on the April 28 broadcast of 'Immortal Songs.' Appearing in the special episode '2026 Entertainment King Battle,' Lee shared his recent status, stating, "If I say I've been well, it would honestly be a lie. It was a time when I traveled back and forth between Korea with my children and wife, reflecting deeply on personal matters."

Expressing regret over the past and vowing to do his best, Lee took the stage and told the audience, "It's been too long since I last greeted you. I am grateful and sorry. Many emotions are crossing my mind. Actually, when I came to the broadcasting station, I never thought my name would appear on the screen," before becoming visibly emotional.

Colleagues and junior comedians of Lee Hwi-jae, including Yoon Hyung-bin and Sa Yuri, expressed support for his comeback and welcomed him. However, some members of the public reacted negatively to his return, and rumors circulated that he had returned from Canada specifically for his comeback. Amid public interest, Lee has not appeared on any broadcasts since 'Immortal Songs.'

Seo In-young, who had suspended her activities due to a 2017 abuse of power controversy, announced her comeback by launching the YouTube channel 'Reformed Seo In-young' nine years later.

In March, Seo In-young presented content on her channel 'Reformed Seo In-young,' in which she directly read malicious comments about herself and clarified various controversies. She sincerely apologized for her rude behavior toward Brown Eyed Girls' Gaein and Narsha on MBC's 'Radio Star' in 2016, and for criticizing a junior's greeting attitude in a 2011 reality variety show.

Regarding the most problematic 'abuse of power' controversy, she clarified some inaccuracies while still offering an apology. In 2017, during the filming of JTBC's 'With You Season 2' in Dubai, videos surfaced showing Seo In-young using abusive language and profanity toward staff, sparking controversy. Allegations spread regarding her filming attitude, requests to change schedules, and demands for hotel and flight upgrades, ultimately leading to her suspension of activities. Seo In-young stated, "I was wrong to use profanity. However, the contents known as the abuse of power list are not true. I am not that disgusting person." She corrected the record, clarifying that the person she cursed at was not staff but her manager. Seo In-young also expressed her sense of injustice, saying, "At that time, the company told me to stay quiet, so I couldn't respond, but if it were now, I would fight until the end."

Although Seo In-young married a non-entertainment businessman in 2023 and divorced the following year, she also addressed malicious comments related to that. She said, "I think I learned a lot about life through divorce. The conclusion is that a quiet marriage where nothing happens doesn't suit me." However, she later revealed plans to remarry with a new boyfriend.

Seo In-young is regaining public attention by honestly sharing her daily life and communicating openly, amassing over 850,000 subscribers within three months of opening her YouTube channel.

Hwang Jung-eum married professional golfer and businessman Lee Young-don in 2016, announced a divorce crisis in 2020 but reconciled, and then had a highly publicized divorce in 2024 following revelations of her spouse's infidelity on social media, experiencing two marital breakdowns.

Raising two children alone, Hwang Jung-eum drew attention by appearing on broadcasts and sharing her single-mom life, but her activities were suspended due to embezzlement. She was brought to trial for allegedly withdrawing 4.34 billion won from the funds of her one-person planning company in 2022 under the guise of advance payments and using the money for virtual currency investments and personal credit card payments. In September of last year, she was sentenced to two years in prison with a four-year probation.

After a period of self-reflection, Hwang Jung-eum shared her recent status on her YouTube channel on May 19, one year later. She bowed her head and said, "Thanks to many people's help, I resolved the matter well and have been doing my best to take responsibility so that no one would be harmed because of me. I have also paid all advertising penalties." She added, "It was the result of my actions, so blaming anyone would not change anything. I had vague fears about 'What should I do now?' But I was able to endure by watching my children. I think I must continue to ask for forgiveness," announcing her return.

Once beloved through various variety shows and works, Hwang Jung-eum fell out of favor due to personal controversies and illegal acts. Since then, like Seo In-young, she has been appealing to the public by sharing her private life through her personal YouTube channel. With her humble image, Hwang Jung-eum has announced her return. It remains to be seen whether she will return to acting with new works and regain her prime as an actress.

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*This content was translated by AI.