Seowon Departs from ‘NINE.i’ after three years of association. Was he forced?

FirstOne Entertainment has announced officially on 13 June 2025 that one of their members Seowon will depart from the band. Speculations circulated around the internet and social media regarding his departure. But the agency made a full stop by citing the reason officially that, 

“Seowon, who has been a member of Nine Eye, has left the team due to personal reasons. We apologise for causing concern to many fans with this sudden news. We would like to inform you that future activities will continue as a seven member group, NINE.i. Once again we apologize for hurting our fans with this sudden news” – NINE.i

Though it surprised some of their fans, many of them had previously speculated his departure since he wasn’t found in the recent events and the revelation that he would be participating in Mnet’s upcoming show “BOYS II PLANET K”. This move aligns with a growing trend in K-Pop where idols pursue their fresh opportunities through the competitive shows. 

This shows that there is no internal conflict between the band and Seowon. Also, he embarks on a solo journey that caters him opportunities which will reshape his identity and hopeful outlook.