Rowoon Performing With SF9 After Withdrawal Raises Brows: 'He quit for acting, but he's back on stage...'

FANTASYs were elated for SF9's reunion with former member Rowoon, but some weren't excited after the idol-turned-actor stood on the stage with the group.

In September, FNC Entertainment reported the sad news of Rowoon leaving his group SF9 to focus on acting. However, he opted to continue his career under the same company, while the team reorganized as an octet.

Months after the heartbreaking withdrawal of a member, Rowoon was finally seen standing on the same stage as SF9, giving fans all sorts of emotions.

SF9 Reunites With Rowoon at 2023 FNC Joint Concert

On December 16, FNC Entertainment hosted a year-end joint concert with its artists through the 2023 FNC KINGDOM - The Greatest Show, held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan.

Not only K-pop groups like FTISLAND, N.Flying, CNBLUE, SF9, P1Harmony, Cherry Bullet AMBERS&ONE, and Hi-Fi Un!corn joined the concert, but actors Jung Hae In and Rowoon also participated.

During Day 1, K-pop fans were delighted to see the artists' interactions, on top of their impressive prepared stages.

But FANTASYs (SF9 fandom) were surprised when Rowoon finally reunited with SF9, about 3 months since his departure.

On this day, the nine members were seen performing an encore song along with other FNC artists.

Just then, SF9 and Rowoon showed an unchanging friendly atmosphere as they held each others' hands and bowed to fans together, just like what they had been doing before the idol left the team.

Aside from this, Rowoon also performed a unit stage with SF9 Inseong, where the duo sang, "Say I Love You," an OST for the ongoing drama, "The Matchmaker," starring actor Rowoon and Cho Yi Hyun.

As it was produced by FNC Entertainment's subsidiary, FNC Story, artists under the agency performed all of the official soundtracks, and among SF9, Inseong was selected to perform the song.

FANTASYs React to SF9's Reunion With Rowoon — Why Are Some Unhappy?

Upon seeing the nine members together, some of their supporters were very happy to see them again as a group.

Fans emphasized that despite the idol leaving the group, the members were understanding of him and the group's leader, Yongbin, even penned a letter to wish him good luck.

One of the concerns of fans was the possibility of Rowoon's decision straining the members' relationship because of it, but the fandom was truly happy it wasn't the case for SF9.

• "Nine or none."
• "This what they meant by 'Rowoon will always be the 9th member of SF9'."
• "That's my family right there."
• "Muscle memory core."
• "Crying my eyes out."

However, it was also inevitable that a lot criticized Rowoon for showing up with SF9, not even thinking how FANTASYs would think and feel.

They explained that since his departure didn't end on a good note and impression to fans due to Rowoon's alleged "selfishness" to pursue acting rather than sticking with his group, it was a huge offense to fans for him to return and perform on stage that he originally gave up on to be a full-fledged actor.

• "They can be friends in private, but doing something like this is weird, especially since he just officially left the group."
• "Don't you feel just a little bit consideration to fans?"
• "I would hate this, too."
• "I seriously hate this. If you think that he left the group, I would be angry too."
• "Didn't he leave for acting? Just focus on being an actor then and don't give us fans false hope and mixed emotions like this."
• "Why was he even performing when he already left the group?"
• "FNC is fcking idiot for coming up with this idea."

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Written by Eunice Dawson.