In the '2021 KBS Drama Awards', which was broadcast live on December 31st, SF9’s Rowoon achieved three trophies, including the Rookie of the Year, Popularity Award, and Best Couple Award. In particular, the Rookie of the Year award was awarded consecutively following the '2019 MBC Drama Awards', signaling that he is a trending actor.

In KBS2's 'The King's Affection', SF9’s Rowoon was praised for captivating viewers with his unique hanbok visuals. In addition, he won the Popularity Award and Best Couple Award with his partner, Park Eun Bin, proving that he received a lot of love in 2021.

Through his agency FNC Entertainment, SF9’s Rowoon said, “I feel very lucky to have met so many talented people in The King’s Affection,” through his agency FNC Entertainment. He continued, “I am very grateful for all the awards and recognition. Receiving the Best New Actor Award was like being recognized for doing something I love every day. I also wished for the Best Couple Award as a viewer myself, so I am more than blessed to receive the award. I will start off the new year with a humble and grateful heart. I would like to sincerely thank the drama fans and everyone around the world who sent love and support.”

Rowoon also thanked his co-star Park Eun Bin. “I’d like to use this opportunity to thank my co-star Park Eun Bin. I felt so nervous in the beginning because it was my first time shooting a historical series. I was able to grow and learn a lot thanks to her consistent support. She was truly my best partner.”

SF9’s Rowoon played the role of Jung Ji Woon, the teacher of Crown Prince Lee Hwi (Park Eun Bin), in KBS2's 'The King's Affection'. Despite the challenge of the first historical drama genre, he captivated viewers with his stable acting.

In particular, in the yoke of fate that cannot be fulfilled, he captured both affection and excitement by showing pure love towards his first love.

Meanwhile, Rowoon will star in an upcoming MBC drama called Tomorrow (literal title), which will air in the first half of 2022.

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Seo Ye Ji is facing major backlash after her surprising appearance on SNL Korea 7.

On April 12, Seo Ye Ji made her long-awaited return to variety shows by guest-starring on Coupang Play's SNL Korea Season 7.

Before the show started, she made jaws drop by joking, "I'll gaslight the SNL crew and make it fun," referencing her own past controversies.

During the "Seo Ye GPT" segment, Seo Ye Ji played an AI that helped Kim Won Hoon nail a company presentation. She then made a sharp comment, saying, "The truly embarrassing thing is sitting quietly and being talked about behind your back. I've experienced that a lot," hinting at the criticism she’s faced.

In the "Eve Hair Salon" skit, Seo Ye Ji acted as a salon director and joked about her past "Kim Ddak Ddak" scandal, where she was accused of controlling her then-boyfriend Kim Jung Hyun. When a character mentioned her stiff neck, she responded, "It's firm," making everyone laugh but also stirring mixed feelings.

Fans were shocked to see Seo Ye Ji using her past scandals as comedy material, especially since it’s been eight years since her last variety show appearance. Many pointed out that joking about serious accusations like gaslighting and academic fraud might have gone too far.

The controversy over Seo Ye Ji’s education also came back into the spotlight. She had previously claimed she studied abroad in Spain, but in 2021 it was revealed she never actually attended the university she mentioned.

Her agency explained she was accepted but didn’t attend because of her career in Korea, but many netizens weren’t convinced.

On SNL Korea, Seo Ye Ji even played a character who lied about her past to impress a boyfriend, making fans think of her real-life academic background scandal.

After the episode aired, reactions online exploded. Some comments included, "Falsifying academic background is a crime," "This was too much," "It was funny though," "Let’s forgive it since it’s black comedy," and "Why was Seo Ye Ji the first guest?"

Seo Ye Ji’s bold jokes have definitely split public opinion, with some calling it brave and others saying it only reopened old wounds.

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