Another major cast member is saying goodbye to SNL Korea! Actress Kim Ah Young, best known for her "Bright-Eyed Maniac" character, has decided not to join Season 7, which is set to premiere in April.

According to Star News on March 13, Kim Ah Young has chosen to step away from SNL Korea after discussing with the production team.

This means she will not be appearing in the upcoming season, marking another big departure following the exits of Joo Hyun Young and Yoon Ga Yi.

Kim Ah Young first joined SNL Korea in November 2022 for its rebooted Season 3 and stayed on for four consecutive seasons. She became a fan favorite, especially for her role in the hit segment ‘MZ Office’, where she played a Gen Z office worker.

Her exaggerated facial expressions and fiery confrontations with Joo Hyun Young made her "Bright-Eyed Maniac" persona go viral!

After Joo Hyun Young left the show, Kim Ah Young took over the political interview segment Bright-Eyed Maniac on the Move, proving her versatility.

She also nailed her role in ‘Sunday 90’, where she played a classic 90s Gen X character with spot-on comedic timing. Thanks to her standout performances, she even won Best New Female Entertainer at the 2nd Blue Dragon Series Awards in 2023!

Her success on SNL Korea helped boost her acting career, too. She recently impressed viewers with her roles in JTBC’s ‘Welcome to Samdalri’ (2023–2024), playing a photographer’s assistant, and ‘She Who is Different by Day and Night’ (2024) as a beauty influencer.

Fans also praised her strong performance in SBS’s ‘Judge from Hell’, which ended last November. Her acting skills even earned her the Excellence Award for Best Actress (Mini-Series, Human/Fantasy category) at the SBS Drama Awards!

With SNL Korea behind her, Kim Ah Young is now focusing on her acting career and is currently reviewing new project offers. Many are curious about what’s next for this rising star!

Meanwhile, SNL Korea will return with Season 7 on April 5, and the show is currently recruiting new cast members. Ha Jung Woo has been confirmed as the first host, but with so many key members leaving, fans are wondering—will SNL Korea be the same without them?

Source (1)

Singer Steve Yoo (Yoo Seung Jun), who has been banned from entering South Korea for over two decades, continues to express his love for the country and his desire to return.

On March 21, Yoo Seung Jun posted a video on his personal account along with a cryptic caption, saying, “When one door closes, another opens. When one door opens, another closes.”

He continued, “Just because a door has opened doesn’t mean I should leave, and just because one is closed doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try to open it. I am simply walking the path my father told me to take. Whether people acknowledge it or not no longer matters to me.”

His hashtags also caught attention, as he included “I love you,” “Bless you,” “South Korea,” “Loved ones,” “Everything will be okay,” and “Korea.” Fans couldn’t help but wonder if he was once again hinting at his hope to return.

Just a few days earlier, on March 18, Yoo Seung Jun had also posted a nostalgic message about his time in South Korea.

He wrote, “December 7, 1989—13 years old (1st year of middle school). The school I attended until the day before I immigrated to the U.S. in Songpa-gu, Oju Middle School, is still the same.”

Along with his message, he shared a video of the school's walls and playground, revealing, “One of my fans filmed my middle school, which I attended until I left for the U.S., and sent me the video.”

The clip also showed scenes of his elementary school, making fans reminisce about his past in Korea.

Yoo Seung Jun was one of the most popular artists in South Korea during the 1990s, but his career took a sharp turn in 2002 when he unexpectedly left for the U.S., renounced his Korean citizenship, and became a U.S. citizen.

This led to widespread backlash, as many saw it as an attempt to evade mandatory military service. As a result, the South Korean government banned him from entering the country.

Since then, he has repeatedly taken legal action in hopes of lifting the ban. Now, with his continued efforts and heartfelt messages about Korea, many are wondering—will he finally be allowed back after 23 years?

Source (1)