Rowoon steps back from SF9 but remains a member of the group

South Korean singer and actor Rowoon has stepped back from his role as an active member of K-pop boyband SF9.

Today (September 18), FNC Entertainment announced that original SF9 member Rowoon would no longer be an active member of the K-pop boyband, in a statement published on the group’s official fancafe website.

“[SF9] will now take another leap forward with eight members excluding Rowoon,” FNC Entertainment said, as translated by Soompi. “Rowoon will focus on individual activities, including acting.”

However, the K-pop agency added that Rowoon will still “remain as the ninth member of SF9” despite the change. “[They] will cheer each other on and each put in their full effort on their own paths in order to impress fans,” it added.

Elsewhere in its statement, FNC Entertainment also announced that all members of SF9 have renewed their contracts with the agency, with the exception of Rowoon (per Korea JoongAng Daily). The label noted that the boyband’s original contracts had expired today.

Meanwhile, Rowoon has since addressed the news in a hand-written letter, as seen by Dispatch, reportedly alluding to the difficulties in balancing both a singing and an acting career.

“There were times when I couldn’t explain and clear up every misunderstanding, and I felt frustrated,” he wrote. “I thought that someday, my sincerity would come across, so I focused on what I had to do immediately.”

The K-pop idol also touched on wanting to “try something new” at this stage in his career, while saying how “grateful” he is for his fans. “Please keep an affectionate eye on me,” he added.

Rowoon is currently starring in the JTBC K-drama series, Destined With You, alongside Jo Bo-ah. The series is also available to stream on Netflix internationally.

In a new interview with AnOther Magazine, the singer and actor discussed the evolution of his acting career, sharing that he still finds taking on new roles “nerve-racking”.

Aside from Destined With You, Rowoon also made a special appearance in Netflix’s new romantic K-drama series, A Time Called You. The director of the Netflix original has since shared that the actor wasn’t paid “any money” for his role.