Former CNBLUE member Lee Jong Hyun has ended his brief return to social media, just one day after announcing that he wanted to reconnect with fans and the public.
On August 10, Lee reactivated his personal social media account after leaving it inactive for around eight years. He shared glimpses of his life outside the entertainment industry, including photos and videos of himself working in an office and exploring the beauty business.
Explaining his absence, Lee said there had been several years when he turned his back on the world. He revealed that he had since learned how to work and support himself, while also studying marketing within the beauty industry. At the time, he said he wanted to live simply as Lee Jong Hyun, the person, and communicate with more people.
However, his renewed public presence lasted only a day. On August 11, Lee uploaded a lengthy statement addressing his past, his former CNBLUE bandmates and the difficulties he experienced after leaving the entertainment industry.
Lee also rejected speculation that he had been pushed out or shunned by the other CNBLUE members. He clarified that this was not the case and said leaving the group was entirely his own fault and decision.
His original statement also revealed previously private details about his personal life. Lee said that after leaving the entertainment industry, he had started a family but was currently ending the relationship so that both parties could go their separate ways. The post was later deleted, with a revised version removing the direct references to marriage and separation and instead referring more generally to hardships in his personal life.
Lee further denied speculation that his social media posts about working in beauty marketing were connected to a potential business venture or entertainment comeback. He stressed that his posts were not intended to signal a return to the industry and said several brands and products being linked to him online had no direct connection with him.
In the revised statement, Lee made it clear that he would once again step away from public communication. He said he would return to an ordinary life as a non-celebrity, reflect on his past and strive to live a life he could be proud of.
Lee left CNBLUE in 2019 following the controversy surrounding the so-called Jung Joon Young group chat. His agency had previously acknowledged and apologised over his viewing of illegally filmed videos shared in a group chat, as well as his participation in degrading and sexually inappropriate conversations about women.
The controversy later grew after private messages between Lee and a female streamer while he was serving in the military also came to light. Facing increasing public criticism, Lee departed CNBLUE later that year and withdrew from entertainment activities.
His latest social media appearance therefore appears to have been short-lived, with Lee choosing to step away from the spotlight once again and continue his life away from the public eye.
