‘Hangout with Yoo’ cancels filming, denies link to Lee Yi-kyung controversy

Actor Lee Yi-kyung / Korea Times file

MBC variety show “Hangout with Yoo” has canceled its scheduled filming, but the network said the decision is unrelated to the recent controversy surrounding cast member Lee Yi-kyung.

An official from the show told the Hankook Ilbo on Thursday, “Filming scheduled for the Nov. 1 broadcast did not take place due to the network’s special news programming and scheduling adjustments among cast members. The show will air as usual on Nov. 8.”

According to MBC’s programming schedule, the regular time slot for “Hangout with Yoo” will instead feature a news special covering the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

The production team did not hold filming sessions on Oct. 23 and 30 either, prompting speculation that the cancellations were connected to allegations involving Lee.

The actor recently faced controversy after a social media user, who claimed to be German, accused him of making lewd remarks and requesting explicit photos. The individual retracted the claims within a day, admitting that the messages were fabricated using artificial intelligence.

Lee’s agency, Sangyoung ENT, has since announced plans to take legal action against those responsible for spreading false information and malicious rumors. “Given the seriousness of the situation, we are assessing all direct and indirect damages caused by the false claims and will take every necessary measure,” the agency said in a statement.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.