SF9 former member Rowoon reunites with ex-bandmates at FNC Kingdom concert

The K-pop group SF9 and its former member Rowoon reunited at the 2023 FNC Kingdom concert on Friday, December 15. The reunion came 3 months after the singer decided to leave the group to pursue his acting endeavours. The band’s agency FNC Entertainment made the official announcement that Rowoon had opted not to have his exclusive contract renewed, thus quitting both the group and the company. 

Rowoon performs with SF9 Inseong

Rowoon attended the FNC Kingdom concert at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan on Friday. It featured a stellar lineup of performers, including FTISLAND, N.Flying, CNBLUE, SF9, P1Harmony, Cherry Bullet, AMBERS&ONE, Hi-Fi Un!corn, and actors Rowoon and Jung Hae In.

Warm exchanges between the Tomorrow star and SF9 on the first night of the concert highlighted the friendship that endured even after Rowoon's position within the group was altered. The singer even joined Inseong on stage to perform Say I Love You—a song from the soundtrack of his most recent historical K-Drama, The Matchmakers. 

Rowoon faces backlash from SF9 fans 

The collaborative stage created a flurry of responses and sparked an intense discussion among the fans. The debate revolved around whether Rowoon's decision to pursue acting and his participation in a joint performance with SF9, just months after leaving the group, was appropriate or not. 

While a large portion of the fan base was happy to see Rowoon work with his former group members and was pleased to see the collaboration, a sizable portion of the fan base voiced dissatisfaction and pointed fingers at FNC Entertainment for seemingly ignoring the emotional impact on fans so soon after Rowoon's departure.

During the concert's first-day encore, the idol not only gave a special performance but also spent time on stage interacting with his fellow members, greeting the audience, and giving fanservice.