"Our recording was carried out so hastily that, in fact, there had been continuous inquiries about the schedule beforehand." Hangout With Yoo PD expressed regret as he revealed the circumstances behind actor Lee Yi-kyung's sudden departure.
On the 4th MBC entertainment program Hangout With Yoo issued an official statement announcing Lee Yi-kyung's departure. "Due to schedules including overseas engagements, there has been a lot of 고민 about participating in the program, and recently he expressed his intention to leave," it said.
Regarding this, the Hangout With Yoo production team added, "We respect Lee Yi-kyung's opinion and after discussion decided to support each other in going their separate ways. We thank Lee Yi-kyung for showing passion despite his busy schedule."
However, the sudden news of Lee Yi-kyung's departure without even a final segment raised both questions and lamentation. We therefore spoke directly with PD Kim Jin-yong, who directs Hangout With Yoo.
In a phone call with OSEN, Kim Jin-yong PD first said, "Regarding Lee Yi-kyung actor's departure, we will of course convey our goodbyes on this week's broadcast. From the opening, Yoo Jae-seok, Haha and Joo Woo-jae, the existing members, will offer their greetings and will talk ahead of the 'In.Sa.Mo' project."
He also said, "Although Hangout With Yoo is known to record on Thursdays each week, there are many cases where additional recordings on other days are added inevitably to match guest schedules. Even while Lee Yi-kyung was busy filming works as an actor and adjusted his schedule for Hangout With Yoo, with added overseas engagements it seems he reached a point where he could no longer continue," expressing regret.
But he asked, "Although it's regrettable, Yoo Jae-seok, Haha and Joo Woo-jae will pay their respects to Lee Yi-kyung during the opening before the In.Sa.Mo general meeting, and will commemorate the finale. We may propose a special for the departure, but we decided it's right to focus on and not postpone many people's general meeting recordings immediately. We will include a detailed farewell in the main broadcast, so please watch."
In fact, Hangout With Yoo is known to record every Thursday. For large-scale projects such as the ongoing In.Sa.Mo general meeting, the fixed members have been working together to complete the large project by conducting additional recordings separately and together to match guest schedules.
Coincidentally, Lee Yi-kyung has recently been cast in the Vietnamese film I'm here and the Japanese drama Dreamstage and is scheduled for consecutive overseas shoots. Of course Lee Yi-kyung will continue appearing on other existing variety shows such as I'm SOLO, Brave Detective, The Return of Superman and Handsome Guys. Unlike other programs that film multiple episodes at once depending on the studio or assigned missions, it is understood that the weekly single-episode filming schedule of Hangout With Yoo was burdensome.
Furthermore, the recent AI-manipulated posts by overseas internet users that stirred a 19+ rumor about Lee Yi-kyung have also been mentioned as a cause for his departure. Kim Jin-yong PD asked, "It may look that way because of the timing due to the cancellation, but that's not the case. Talks of leaving had been ongoing beforehand, and the agency's timing of raising the departure coincided with the In.Sa.Mo general meeting, so we have no choice but to proceed without Lee Yi-kyung, which is regrettable. Please watch Yoo Jae-seok, Haha and Joo Woo-jae's final farewells."
Before his departure, Lee Yi-kyung's side filed comprehensive lawsuits against overseas internet user A, who spread the 19+ rumor through recent AI-manipulated posts, as well as against related malicious posts and malicious comments. They plan to continue legal action without leniency.
Meanwhile, Hangout With Yoo will present the large-scale In.Sa.Mo general meeting once again, buoyed by the success of the '80s Seoul Song Festival'. On the main broadcast restarting after an unavoidable cancellation and recording cancellation last week due to an APEC special news report, they are determined to continue the momentum by presenting the general meeting.
[Photo] OSEN DB, provided by MBC.
[OSEN]