As controversy swirls around comedian Lee Hwi-jae’s return to TV, fellow comedian Yoon Hyung-bin and Japanese-born TV personality Sayuri have publicly rallied behind him, igniting heated debate.
Recently, under a post announcing Lee’s comeback on KBS2’s variety show Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend, Yoon commented, "I don’t know everything, but the senior I saw was a good person." In a March 23 interview with Star News, he added, "He’s a good person, but he looks so lonely," and "I felt really sorry for him."
Japanese national TV personality Sayuri also voiced support, saying, "The ‘oppa’ I know is warm and considerate. He’s like a friendly neighborhood oppa, not arrogant at all."
By joining the recording of Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend, Lee has resumed broadcasting after about four years. He had stepped down from Yeon-jung Live in 2022 and moved to Canada with his family, pausing his career. During that time, multiple controversies piled up, fueling public criticism.
On top of earlier backlash over his on-air attitude, he took a major image hit amid ongoing issues involving his wife Moon Jung-won, including a high-profile neighbor noise dispute and allegations of unpaid fees. He later issued an apology and halted activities.
The recently released teaser for Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend showed Lee in tears as he greeted viewers, quickly going viral. Still, harsh comments followed, such as "Supply with no demand," "The network’s really good at whitewashing," "The production team is covering for him," and "What a waste of license fees."
Meanwhile, Lee Hwi-jae’s episode of Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend airs on March 28.