[Photo] Lee Hwi-jae Returns to the Spotlight After 4 Years... Contestant on 'Immortal Songs'

Broadcaster Lee Hwi-jae breaks a long silence of four years and steps back into the public eye. His return stage is not the familiar host's seat but the position of a contestant holding a microphone.

KBS 2TV 'Immortal Songs' announced on the 5th, "Lee Hwi-jae will participate in the recording taking place on the 16th." He has officially registered as a contestant for this '2026 Celebrity King of Kings Special'.

This special is also drawing attention for its glamorous lineup. Alongside Lee Hwi-jae, comedians Jo Hye-ryun, Moon Se-yoon, Kim Shin-young, broadcaster Hong Seok-cheon, and the leads of the musical 'Heyg', Song Il-gook and Oh Man-seok, will take the stage to compete in vocal skills. The recorded segments will air over two weeks on the 28th and April 4th.

Since his debut in 1992, Lee Hwi-jae has led national entertainment shows such as 'Sunday Sunday Night', 'Sponge', and 'The Return of Superman', but he completely halted his broadcasting activities in 2022 due to controversies including noise complaints. He then took a break in Canada with his family.

The news of his return after a long hiatus has gained more attention recently, coinciding with the social media activity of his wife Moon Jeong-won. On the 3rd, Moon Jeong-won resumed her social media after about 3 years and 7 months, leaving a post that read "Before I knew it, it's March. 2026", seemingly hinting at Lee Hwi-jae's return.