On the morning of November 22, the show’s producers shared a lengthy statement via their official social media, saying, “We sincerely apologize to all viewers who love Hangout With Yoo and were distressed by the recent events. We would also like to offer a heartfelt apology to Lee Yi Kyung, who was hurt in the process.”
The producers admitted that the segment involving Lee slurping noodles without hesitation during overseas shoots in Hong Kong and Japan was handled poorly. “It was our fault for not protecting the cast. At the time, we felt the response wasn’t negative and asked him to do it again, which was clearly overstepping,” they stated.
Lee had previously mentioned that his line “It’s all just for fun!” was edited out, leaving him vulnerable to public criticism. The producers acknowledged this, adding, “We tried to convey that message through subtitles, but it fell short. After the controversy arose, we quickly edited an explanatory opening segment and aired it the following week, but we failed to fully resolve the issue.”
Regarding Lee’s departure from the show, the team explained: “Due to the ongoing rumors about his private life circulating in the media, we determined that continuing together in a lighthearted entertainment show would be difficult. As Lee Yi Kyung mentioned, we were the first to suggest stepping down. His agency later contacted us saying he would voluntarily leave due to scheduling conflicts.”
To preserve Lee’s dignity, the production team asked the cast to refer to the departure as a schedule-related voluntary exit. “This was not an attempt to deceive, but a courtesy toward Lee Yi Kyung. We ask that no further speculation or blame be directed at the other cast members who followed our request out of consideration.”
Concluding the statement, the Hangout With Yoo team pledged to be more careful in the future: “We will pay closer attention to every aspect of the production to ensure the hard work of our cast isn’t undermined. Once again, we sincerely apologize to Lee Yi Kyung and everyone affected by this incident.”
Previously, on November 21, Lee Yi Kyung released an official statement, explaining, “I refrained from commenting because my agency asked me not to until we had completed the criminal complaint process and appointed a lawyer. A few days ago, I visited the Seoul Gangnam Police Station and submitted my testimony. I have filed charges for defamation due to threats and false information, and here is a copy of the complaint.”
He continued, “I was overwhelmed with anger. A person claiming to be German repeatedly sent threatening emails to my agency months ago, appearing and disappearing at will. Still, the agency chose to stay calm, dismissing the rumors as not worth engaging.”
Lee also addressed his exit from Hangout With Yoo, saying, “Even though the fabrication was debunked within a day, I was advised to leave the show. We agreed to withdraw voluntarily. Back during the ‘noodle-slurping’ incident, I clearly said I didn’t want to participate, but I was persuaded because the venue was already booked. My line ‘It’s all just for fun!’ was edited out. Once the backlash began, the producers panicked, but the full burden of the controversy fell on me, deeply damaging my image. Later, I was told I would only appear through VCR, but I found out I had been replaced through news articles.”
He added, “Once a warrant is issued, the suspect will soon be identified even if they are in Germany, I will personally file the lawsuit there. And to the malicious commenters: I will show no leniency.” Lee concluded by thanking his fans and colleagues from I Am Solo, Brave Detectives, Handsome Guys, and more for their support.
The controversy began on October 19 when a German woman, identified as A, published alleged KakaoTalk and DM screenshots of conversations with Lee. These included requests for explicit photos and inappropriate questions. Lee’s agency immediately denied the accusations, labeling them as false and revealing there had been previous blackmail attempts demanding money.
Though A initially insisted her claims were true, she suddenly apologized on October 22, stating that the images had been fabricated using AI. However, on November 19, she reversed her statement again, saying, “I was scared and claimed it was all fake. I never used AI to make celebrity images, and all the evidence I posted is real.”
Lee’s agency responded by confirming that they had filed the complaint on November 3 and completed the plaintiff’s statement. They noted that identifying the suspect may take time but assured full cooperation with the investigation. They emphasized, “The actor and the agency suffered significant damage due to the malicious actions of the original poster and disseminators. Regardless of location, we will pursue strict legal action without leniency.”
Sources: nate
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