Broadcaster Lee Hwi-jae made his return to broadcasting after about four years through KBS 2TV's "Immortal Songs." He appeared on the broadcast on the 5th, showing himself to viewers after a long time. Lee Hwi-jae expressed his feelings about the comeback, saying, "I am well aware of where I was lacking and what mistakes I made. It felt like a time to look back on my 30 years of broadcasting one by one." He also mentioned, "Coincidentally, the day I received the invitation call was my mother's anniversary. I thought maybe my mother helped me."

The 751st episode of "Immortal Songs," marking Lee Hwi-jae's comeback, recorded a viewership rating of 3.8% in the broadcast on the 11th. This was the lowest rating in the program's 15-year history, a drop of 0.9 percentage points compared to the previous week.

Regarding Lee Hwi-jae's return, TV columnist Jung Seok-hee publicly criticized it on June 8th through the YouTube channel "Jung Seok-hee TV Review." Jung evaluated this comeback as "a blunder and a bad move that only left wounds on both sides, showing a complete lack of understanding of public sentiment." He also pointed out the scene where Lee Hwi-jae sat at the host's seat during the broadcast at Kim Jun-hyun's suggestion, stating, "It was not Kim Jun-hyun's sudden action but a clear intention of the production team." Regarding Lee Hwi-jae's hosting style, he criticized, "He still remains in a manner of being sarcastic, belittling others, and speaking ill of them. He lacks consideration for others by a wide margin," and added, "This contrasts with hosts like Yoo Jae-suk and Jeon Hyun-moo, who constantly try to read the changes in the world." The rude attitude Lee Hwi-jae showed toward the couple Jo Woo-jong and Jung Da-woon during his appearance on "Year-round Live" in 2020 was also mentioned again.

Eyewitness accounts from Korean residents in Canada about Lee Hwi-jae's stay there were also shared online. One resident claimed, "An acquaintance met Lee Hwi-jae on the street and greeted him, but he just passed by without acknowledgment. They said his look was one of disregard, which left an impression." Another resident added, "There isn't a single good story about Lee Hwi-jae even after he came to Canada."

Lee Hwi-jae had previously suspended his activities due to controversies over inappropriate remarks and attitudes during broadcasts, his wife Moon Jung-won's undisclosed advertising scandal, noise complaints from neighbors, and an incident involving unpaid amusement park toys.