Lee Hwi-jae Returns, Song Il-gook Speaks Out

KBS2's 'Immortal Songs' episode 749 will broadcast 'Immortal Songs - 2026 Entertainment World King of Kings Tournament Part 1'. This special feature will showcase vocalists from the entertainment industry who have officially released albums or music, with a total of 10 teams appearing, including Kim Shin-young & Cheon Dan-bi, Lalal, Moon Se-yoon, the Gag Concert 'Chatflix' team, Park Joon-hyung, Song Il-gook & Oh Man-seok (Musical 'The Hague' team), Lee Chan-seok, Lee Hwi-jae, Jo Hye-ryun, and Hong Seok-cheon.

Among them, Song Il-gook said in the talk waiting room, "​I just came out to do narration while Oh Man-seok sings. I think I'm sitting in the wrong place here," drawing laughter as he complained of being drained by being placed in the middle of a gathering of entertainers. Song Il-gook also revealed a special connection, stating that Jo Hye-ryun was his teacher who taught him acting when he was a rookie.

Meanwhile, Lee Hwi-jae makes his broadcast return to 'Immortal Songs' after four years, following his move to Canada and rumors of his retirement from the entertainment industry. Lee Hwi-jae had previously caused controversy due to inappropriate remarks and behavior during his broadcast activities. This, combined with family-related issues such as his wife Moon Jung-won's alleged undisclosed advertising, noise complaints from neighbors, and a "dine and dash" controversy involving a theme park toy, led him to temporarily suspend his activities.

Upon the news of Lee Hwi-jae's return, some viewers have posted critical messages on the program's message board, such as "It's unpleasant," "Disgusting," and "Why is Lee Hwi-jae appearing?", showing a chilly reception.

'Immortal Songs - 2026 Entertainment World King of Kings Tournament' will be broadcast for a total of two weeks, starting with Part 1 on the 28th and continuing until April 4th.