Actor Lee Yi-kyung's side denied that he was involved in a 'targeting' controversy for not mentioning broadcaster Yoo Jae-suk in his acceptance speech.
On the 7th, a representative of Lee Yi-kyung's agency Sangyoung ENT told OSEN, Please accept actor Lee Yi-kyung's recent acceptance speech as it is. There was absolutely no intention or reason to target Yoo Jae-suk, the agency said in an official statement.
On the 6th, one day earlier, Lee Yi-kyung was selected as the winner in the "AAA best choice" category at the 10th Asia Artist Awards 2025 (AAA 2025) held at the Kaohsiung National Stadium in Taiwan. Taking the stage, he received support after saying in his acceptance speech, In all honesty, this might be a remark that does not fit this festive atmosphere, but lately it felt like being hit by hail that wasn't in the weather forecast. The suspect is currently sending apologies and requests for leniency to the company's email. I think we will catch them without fail, he said, while offering words of gratitude as well as directly addressing recent personal life rumors.
In particular, he added, Watching 'SNL Korea'? I'm off on Thursdays now. Haha hyung, I miss Woo-jae hyung, drawing attention. Coincidentally, the MBC variety show Hangout With Yoo, from which Lee Yi-kyung left amid the personal life controversy, records every Thursday. In addition, mentioning only Haha and Joo Woo-jae among the regular cast led to speculation that he had 'targeted' Yoo Jae-suk, another regular member of Hangout With Yoo and its moral pillar.
In fact, Yoo Jae-suk suffered malicious comments suggesting he was behind Lee Yi-kyung's confession of leaving Hangout With Yoo. As a result, his agency Antenna has announced plans for legal action against false rumors and the distribution of malicious posts. Nevertheless, there was public criticism that Lee Yi-kyung deliberately 'passed over' Yoo Jae-suk, and the agency appears to have drawn a line once more.
Lee Yi-kyung was recently swept up in allegations that he exchanged sexual messages via SNS with an overseas internet user. The internet user who made the initial exposé apologized saying the original post had been manipulated by AI, then reversed the apology and repeatedly asserted innocence, deleting and reposting messages. In response, Lee Yi-kyung's side has filed a complaint for defamation due to spreading false information and is awaiting the results of the investigation.
[Photo] OSEN DB.
[OSEN]