I Live Alone, which was accused of staging after broadcasting Jun Hyun-moo's impromptu overseas trip, issued consecutive explanations, but when public opinion worsened the production team did not attend the scheduled event.
On Aug. 1 at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, at the 2026 Brand of the Year Awards, I Live Alone won the observational entertainment program institutional sector for the fifth consecutive year.
On that day, PD Jung Ji-woon was to represent the program and attend the photowall and event to express his thoughts, but did not attend the photowall event.
Even though I Live Alone was included in the list of attendees released by the organizer just one day earlier on Aug. 31, it was reported that nonattendance was decided on the morning of the awards ceremony.
Earlier, over two weeks I Live Alone broadcast Jun Hyun-moo arriving at Incheon Airport without deciding on a destination and then spontaneously taking a trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan. Jun Hyun-moo showed viewers vicarious satisfaction by enjoying everything from buying airline tickets on the spot to renting a car and traveling smoothly.
However, after Jun Hyun-moo's Almaty trip was revealed, questions arose that renting a car in Almaty requires notarization in addition to an international driver's license and that there was support from the Almaty tourism board. In response, the I Live Alone side dismissed the controversy, saying, "There was no fact of receiving filming support or sponsorship related to this Kazakhstan trip."
Some have called for Jun Hyun-moo and the production team to disclose the time they purchased the Almaty plane tickets, but the I Live Alone side did not express any particular position on this.
As the related controversy continued, they issued an official statement saying, "There was no fact of receiving financial sponsorship or production support from the Almaty city tourism board for the Kazakhstan broadcast," while also saying, "We disclose that administrative procedures necessary for local filming and filming cooperation necessary for on-site progress were received so that it proceeded smoothly."
[Photo] MBC I Live Alone
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