Actor Lee Yi-kyung announced a new start with a Japanese drama following revelations related to private life allegations and his departure from Hangout With Yoo. This time he transforms into the head of a K-pop agency.
His agency Sangyoung ENT said on the 1st that Lee Yi-kyung will appear in the Japanese TBS Friday drama Dream Stage. The work is set against the K-POP industry and depicts a heated journey in which a producer pushed out of the industry and seven Korean trainees move toward their dreams beyond generations and nationalities. Tomoya Nakamura, Ha Yeon-soo, Lee Yi-kyung and Kim Jae-kyung appear, drawing expectations from fans in both Korea and Japan.
Lee Yi-kyung plays Choi Ki-yong, the CEO of the large music agency Bouquet Music, in the drama. He is a cool, behind-the-scenes villain who, behind a gentle exterior that habitually says "let music be a bouquet to the world," is obsessed with perfection and victory and spares no means to put the rookie boy group Tori-ner at the top. Having been praised for powerful villain roles in I Married My Husband (tvN) and Face Me (KBS2), he now shows another side through a Japanese drama. Dream Stage will air at 10 p.m. every Friday starting in January 2026.
This appearance is welcome news amid recent bad publicity, including private life allegations and controversies over his removal from broadcasts. Earlier, Lee Yi-kyung was the target of private life revelations by a person who identified themselves as German. That person posted highly explicit messages and photos on social media, but Lee Yi-kyung's side said it would respond strongly, calling it "the spread of false information." Afterwards, the person apologized saying "the photos were manipulated by AI," then reversed the apology saying "all the evidence was real," increasing confusion.
Lee Yi-kyung publicly released the complaint and said firmly that "after an arrest warrant is issued, the suspect will be identified," adding "if they are in Germany I will go there and sue them in person. I will show no leniency to malicious commenters."
He also spoke about the background of his departure from Hangout With Yoo. He revealed, "I was encouraged to leave because of private life rumors, so I voluntarily stepped down," and said, "During the previous 'myeonchigi' controversy, one scene was edited at the request of the production team and the context was distorted." Afterwards, the production team issued an official apology.
Despite successive controversies, Lee Yi-kyung has not stopped his career as an actor. Through this Japanese drama, he is expected to once again prove a strong presence.
[Photo] OSEN DB, provided by the agency
[OSEN]