Rowoon leaving SF9 to focus on acting has left fans disappointed
Fans should not be blamed for turning their backs on Rowoon due to his focus on acting activities while irresponsibly neglecting his main idol job with SF9. Perhaps the term ‘actor disease’ is not an exaggeration when applied to Rowoon.
On September 18th, FNC Entertainment announced Rowoon’s departure from SF9. His first contract ended on September 18th, and all other members renewed their contracts with the company. However, SF9 revealed that they would continue as an 8-member group, excluding Rowoon. Rowoon will focus on solo activities, including acting.
He said, “There was frustration that I couldn’t explain every big and small misunderstanding, and it was a time when I believed that someday my sincerity would be conveyed, so I concentrated on what I needed to do immediately.” He understood that some fans might hold grudges against him.
He described himself as a ‘sensitive person’ and apologized, “There were times when I needed the courage to deny misunderstandings when they arose, but I always just hid away. If fans who felt hurt and disappointed by my careless attitude are out there, I’m truly sorry. If you felt a difference in me compared to before, I sincerely apologize.“
Nowhere in the long letter was SF9 mentioned. There was no mention of the members either. He concluded by saying, “I’m 27 years old this year and I want to try new challenges. Please watch over me so that I can lead a life that Kim Seok Woo can be responsible for.”
Of course, there have been other idols who have also left their groups and transitioned to acting such as f(x) Sulli, Oh My Girl’s Jiho, and fromis_9’s Jang Gyuri. Rowoon, too, has chosen the path of an actor when his contract expired, so there’s no problem in that regard.
However, what has sparked negative reactions towards Rowoon is his irresponsible attitude. Despite being primarily an idol, Rowoon continued to film dramas without much interaction with fans. He didn’t even visit SF9’s official fan cafe. He was absent from recent concerts, fan meetings, and fan signing events. No matter how busy his acting schedules were, if he had enough love for his fans and SF9, it would have been possible.
In October, as SF9 celebrates its 7th anniversary, Rowoon, who had previously received criticism for announcing his absence from the fan-con where the Youngbin and Inseong are returning after completing their military service, seems to be wrapping up everything as he leaves the group.
In this situation, FNC announced that Rowoon would appear as a solo artist at the ‘2023 FNC KINGDOM -The Greatest Show-‘ to be held at Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall in Chiba, Japan, in December. SF9 will perform without Rowoon. It means they will attend the same concert, but they won’t share the same stage.
There are many actor-dols who juggle singing and acting just fine. Therefore, it’s only natural that fans are criticizing Rowoon for being selfish.
Source: daum
