Rowoon Reunites With SF9’s Inseong For A Joint Live Performance, Sparking A Heated Debate

FNC Entertainment announced in September that Rowoon would be concluding his activities as a member of SF9, stating the group would continue as eight.

It was clarified that Rowoon would be focusing on his acting career while remaining with the company, with which he had renewed his contract in March 2021.

Rowoon | FNC Entertainment

Following Rowoon’s departure from the group, both the former member and SF9’s leader, Youngbin, penned heartfelt letters, confirming the decision was made amicably as they each wished each other the best.

On December 16, FNC Entertainment hosted the joint concert, 2023 FNC KINGDOM -The Greatest Show, at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan.

FNC Entertainment artists FTISLAND, N.Flying, CNBLUE, SF9, P1Harmony, Cherry Bullet, AMBERS&ONE, Hi-Fi Un!corn, and actors Rowoon and Jung Hae In, joined together for an epic concert.

| @fncmusicjapan/Twitter

Night one of the concert gave FANTASY (SF9’s fandom) many heartwarming interactions between Rowoon and SF9, showing just how close they’ve remained.

While many were excited to see them reunite, the shared stage and a joint performance by Rowoon and SF9’s Inseong, led to mixed reactions and a heated debate among netizens.

FNC Entertainment artists backstage at “2023 FNC KINGDOM” | @fncmusicjapan/Twitter

Rowoon recently starred in the historical K-Drama, The Matchmakers, which confirmed its leading cast in July 2023, prior to Rowoon’s departure from SF9. The drama’s soundtrack included a song performed by SF9’s Inseong, “사랑한다는 말 (Say I Love You).”

During 2023 FNC KINGDOM, Rowoon and Inseong took the stage together to perform “사랑한다는 말 (Say I Love You).”

OMG GUYS, ROWOON AND SF9 INSEONG IN ONE FRAME pic.twitter.com/ADrC49dOc3 https://t.co/z9zADN3YYn

— random girl. (@upilnyasepgu) December 16, 2023

Many fans were thrilled to see the collaboration stage and the many interactions Rowoon had with his former group members.

OMG GUYS, ROWOON AND SF9 INSEONG IN ONE FRAME pic.twitter.com/ADrC49dOc3 https://t.co/z9zADN3YYn

— random girl. (@upilnyasepgu) December 16, 2023

Just Rowoon bowing with SF9 while holding hands ctto pic.twitter.com/qFjbtL0uY0

— ƒαrαн (@twinkyxstar) December 17, 2023

sf9 with rowoon aww ???????? pic.twitter.com/1sjLsNPsze

— jill (@lalunatua) December 17, 2023

The shared stage became a hot topic on the popular Korean online community board, TheQoo, with a heated debate sparking over whether Rowoon should have performed with his fellow group member, considering he left the group recently to pursue acting.

Many of the comments placed blame on FNC Entertainment for not thinking of how fans would feel so shortly after Rowoon’s departure from SF9.

| TheQoo

• 463. “I assume the group’s fans would not be happy about this. The management didn’t give a single f*ck about how the fandom would feel.”
• 464. “I bet the fans were f*cking baffled… Like, he literally quit because he wanted to act. Yet, he’s back on stage, saying the group means a lot to him? LMAO.”
• 465. “Why was he performing when he already left the group?”
• 466. “Both are at fault, here. The management was dumb to have planned this, and Rowoon was inconsiderate to have accepted and performed on stage like nothing went wrong. Neither of them thought about the members or the fans. Couldn’t let him go, huh? Haha. Poor fans. Now they look like they’re the as*holes for having feelings about this… Why couldn’t he have talked to the fans instead of up and quitting the group when they wanted answers?”

Others reasoned that it was only natural that the two shared a stage. They explained to others that the K-Drama, The Matchmakers, which was produced by FNC Entertainment’s subsidiary, FNC Story, and featured Rowoon as the lead actor, while the OST exclusively featured artists under FNC.

| TheQoo

• 481. “But that member sang the OST for Rowoon’s show, and another member was on the same show as a co-star. That wasn’t an issue, so why is everyone mad about the joint performance? Rowoon has always been a part of the company concert and the company show… This feels like people are just looking for a reason to pick on Rowoon.”
• 492. “Why are people calling The Matchmaker “Rowoon’s” show? It’s a FNC-produced K-Drama with both Rowoon AND Hwiyoung. Inseong also participated in the OST. Like, it’s a “FNC show,” if we wanted to be technical. It’s funny how we’re using that in comparison to what’s happening here.”

Check out netizens’ initial mixed reactions to Rowoon’s departure from the group in the article below:

K-Netizens Opinions Divided On SF9 Rowoon’s Explanation For Leaving The Group