"Lee Yi-kyung, you worked hard!". Hangout With Yoo bid farewell to actor Lee Yi-kyung, who left the show, with the remaining members' parting words. And the large-scale project 'Insamo' quickly filled the empty spot with its first general meeting.
On the evening of the 8th, the MBC variety show Hangout With Yoo (abbreviated Hangout) staged the first general meeting of the group of famous but unpopular people, nicknamed 'Insamo'.
'Insamo' started as a project after Hangout With Yoo member Haha noticed during a previous shoot that merchandise from his Infinite Challenge days was still left at the MBC building due to poor sales. Following the success of '80s Seoul Gayoje' and the favorable reviews for Hangout With Yoo, the production team presented another large-scale project, spending a long time meeting various stars and attempting to recruit them, which led to the general meeting being held.
But before the meeting officially began, Hangout With Yoo opened with a somewhat desolate atmosphere featuring only the three members Yoo Jae-suk, Haha and Joo Woo-jae. That was because Lee Yi-kyung, the youngest member who had been a fixed member since 2022, left without a final farewell. Coincidentally, Lee Yi-kyung recently faced personal life rumors and even filed a lawsuit. Combined with preemptions caused by APEC special reports, Lee Yi-kyung's departure from Hangout With Yoo without saying goodbye felt especially regrettable.
Yoo Jae-suk himself mentioned Lee Yi-kyung's departure and expressed regret. He said, "Over the past three years or so, Lee Yi-kyung worked hard with us, and as many of you may know from reports, he has a very busy schedule with dramas and films, so he had to leave." He added, "We coordinated with the production team and he left after his schedule," repeatedly emphasizing that it was a 'scheduling issue,' not a scandal over Lee Yi-kyung's personal life.
Joo Woo-jae also defended Lee Yi-kyung, saying, "He had too many schedules for months," and Haha lamented that "he should have said goodbye before leaving, but Insamo was delayed," expressing regret that Lee Yi-kyung left without parting words. Yoo Jae-suk asked, "Because of preemptions and date shifts, he couldn't say goodbye. Please understand this. Please support Lee Yi-kyung a lot going forward." Afterwards, Hangout With Yoo members cheered Lee Yi-kyung on, saying, "You worked hard, Lee Yi-kyung", "You did well!", "Good job!"
To soften the regret, the Insamo meeting kicked off loudly with the cast in suits and flashy dance performances. Led by host Haha, the lineup included eldest brother Kim Kwang-kyu and actors Han Sang-jin, Heo Sung-tae, Hyun Bong-sik, as well as broadcaster Jung Joon-ha, comedian Heo Kyung-hwan, former ssireum wrestler Choi Hong-man and Epik High's two-cuts, nine attendees in total, raising anticipation for their popularity rankings.
In the first survey the production team conducted in advance with 120 people, Kim Kwang-kyu ranked first and Two-cuts ranked ninth. In response, Two-cuts joked, "So that's why you brought me?" which made people laugh. Two-cuts said, "After a previous recording, Haha hyung called. He said it was said for fun, so don't hold it in. I feel worse now than when I first heard it," drawing laughter and raising expectations for a ranking reversal.
Insamo is expected to continue showcasing ranking competitions. Regarding the purpose of the Insamo meetings, discussions were held about things people would like to do if they were popular and things they would do to become popular, resulting in a popularity vote competition among the cast that could be likened to 'AZde's Produce.' The excitement for the new project quickly filled the vacancy after Lee Yi-kyung's departure and boosted the guests' presence. Attention is focused on Hangout With Yoo's next moves.
[Photo] OSEN DB, provided by MBC.
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